Posted on 09/08/2001 2:27:11 AM PDT by kattracks
As the United Nations World Conference Against Racism enters an unscheduled ninth day today, it appears that the most vicious anti-Israel, anti-Semitic language will be dropped from the confab's final declaration. But that cannot erase the shame of a wicked week that saw the delegates in South Africa mull draft resolutions accusing the Jewish state of "racist Zionist practices" and of "promoting and maintaining a culture of racial superiority."
That's a 21st century blood libel. Whether or not the finished document singles out Israel for condemnation — and whether or not the Arabs walk out — the orgy of hate that preceded its adoption has destroyed the historical imperative of the conference and disgraced the UN.
As Israel became the global bull's-eye, scant attention was paid to some of the most heinous abuses on the planet — sexual trafficking in Asia, slavery in Africa, the caste system in India. Repressive nations like Iran, Iraq, Libya, Syria and Sudan skated free, while Arab and Third World states pursued their real agenda in Durban — trivializing the Holocaust, spewing anti-Israeli poison and reprising the "Zionism equals racism" infamy.
America's worst fears were realized. No wonder Secretary of State Powell, appalled by the bigotry, refused to attend and later ordered his midlevel delegation home. In summing up the Bush administration's world view, Powell eloquently observed, "You do not combat racism by conferences that discuss declarations containing hateful language or that try to single out only one country in this world — Israel — for censure and abuse." Precisely.
Outraged by defamations — like its supposed "practices of genocide and apartheid against the people of Palestine" — Israel also left Durban. The alternative was for the Mideast's lone democracy to offer itself up to the global thugocracy — Sudan's slavers, Iran's terrormongers and Afghanistan's anti-Judeo-Christian-Buddhist Taliban.
The meeting's descent into a sewer of hatred represents a lost opportunity to strike a blow against racism and intolerance. Despite the best efforts of Washington and Jerusalem, the UN allowed the I-hate-Israel crowd to steal center stage. As Nobel laureate and Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel put it, "A conference against hatred was transformed into a conference of hatred."
And that is the ultimate tragedy: This conference was a craven surrender to anti-Semitism and will be remembered as one of the darkest chapters in the history of the world body.
Go, Gary, Go
Dogged by the Chandra Levy investigation and under pressure from leaders of his own Democratic Party, Rep. Gary Condit hints he may retire from Congress. Very reasonable, except for one thing. He wants to do it when his term expires, in January 2003.
He should go now.
The disappearance of the 24-year-old Levy, a former intern with whom Condit admits a "close relationship," is a public scandal that lingers unpleasantly, like cigar smoke. It distracts from important policy matters in Washington.
House Democratic leader Richard Gephardt, who blasted Condit's weaselly TV interview with Connie Chung, may forgo ethics charges against him now that the congressman's departure from Capitol Hill is in the wind. But that departure has to be imminent.
Condit's colleagues need to focus on the people's business. Leave the Levy case to the cops. Condit can go, but he can't hide. He is a bone that investigators should continue to chew over. He may be guilty of absolutely nothing, but his evasiveness and lack of cooperation are suspect.
Condit's career and effectiveness are forever tarnished. His Condit Country district in Modesto, Calif., can do with him what it will. But on the national level, government deserves to move on.
Condit reportedly wants to leave on his own timetable rather than under congressional pressure. What he wants shouldn't matter anymore. Pack it in, Gary.
Soothing Music
From the wires: CALCUTTA (Reuters) — The City of Calcutta will start playing calming classical music at its subway stations to prevent passengers from trying to commit suicide.
Let's hope they don't play "Madama Butterfly."
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Yes it is; but are Liberals in the West emotionally capabble of understanding that? I don't think so.
That's a 21st century blood libel.
Racism is a word that the mass media uses to scare guilty liberals and freepers. It is practically meaningless other than as a signifier that one ethnic group isn't getting satisfaction from some other ethnic group. Israel is the Jewish Homeland. Even in today's Orwellian debasement of language a Jewish Homeland would have racist overtones that are hard to deny. Who gets out of the way when political correctness and truth meet on a one lane road? The truth of the matter is that the whole world is racist. Its natural.
Ireland is the Irish Homeland.....Irish Homeland would have racist overtones
Poland is the Polish Homeland.....Polish Homeland would have racist overtones
Italy is the Italian Homeland.....Italian Homeland would have racist overtones
Korea is the Korean Homeland.....Korean Homeland would have racist overtones
Japan is...
....................is
But then that's just the point isn't it? Each nationality, each ethnicity is permited their "Homeland"... except the Jews. Except the Jews. It's always "Except the Jews".
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