As Arizona is trying to do what Washington, DC is suppose to be doing which is secure the border, our illustrious president and secretary of state have included Arizona S.B. 1070 in the Universal Periodic Review report submitted to the United Nations Human Rights Council. This is an outrage. The federal government has already sued Arizona and now they are taking it to the international community. The United Nations Human Rights Council is composed of 47 countries. Some of the countries on the council include Cuba, China and Libya. Libya is ranked Not Free by Freedom House (http://www.freedomhouse.org). It was one of only nine countries to receive the worst possible score of 7 for political rights and civil liberties. It is considered one of the “world’s most repressive societies. China scored a 7 out of a possible 7 for political rights and a 6 out of 7 for civil liberties. It is considered not free and has increased restrictions on online writers and democracy activists among others. Cuba also received the same scores as China and is considered not free. These three examples are sitting on the UN Human Rights Council. This council will be reviewing what the State Department calls “a partial snapshot of the current human rights situation in the United States, including some of the areas where problems persist in our society.” This is one more example of the Obama administration being totally out of touch with the majority of American citizens. The majority of American citizens are in favor of the Arizona law. The majority of American citizens don’t want the United Nations interfering in our country’s business. Arizona governor, Jan Brewer, has sent a letter to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton asking that S.B. 1070 be removed from the report. I doubt this letter will get much traction. The Arizona bill will still be included and it will be judged by the likes of great human rights “champions” like Cuba, Libya, China and others on the council that don’t make the mark.
As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints I understand the importance of being able to build a sacred place. Temples are an important part of my religion and there have been many times over the years when a temple is announced that the community does not want it there. Since I understand this I believe as the president said, “I believe that Muslims have the same right to practice their religion as everyone else in this country. And that includes that right to build a place of worship and a community center on private property in Lower Manhattan.” Now this may shock many of you. But this is as far as I agree with him. They do have a right to build on private property, but why so close to Ground Zero? I have read and heard that this mosque and community center is to help heal the city and the country for that matter. The problem is that no matter what the developers say it isn’t going to happen. I don’t think the wound from 9/11 will ever close completely. All Americans are scarred. When we hear on the news that the Fort Hood shooter was in contact with an Imam (and American born no less) and that the same Imam was in contact with the Christmas Day bomber, what are we suppose to think? When the Imam of the proposed mosque, Feisal Abdul Rauf, has said that the United States was an accomplice to what happened on 9/11, what are we suppose to think? If building a mosque and community center is to help with healing and to have a better understanding of Islam then build it somewhere else. It’s that simple.
Michelle Obama recently took her youngest daughter to Spain. The trip is getting a lot of attention especially with the economy not doing so well. When I first heard this story I didn’t really think too much about it. Yes, it did bother me that it cost $146,000 to fly the Air Force 757 that took Mrs. Obama and her daughter to Spain. It also bothered me that it costs $95,000 for the Secret Service, but I really wanted to just gloss over this story. Then I went to downtown Albuquerque to drop off donations to Albuquerque Healthcare for the Homeless and St. Martin’s Hospitality Center. Seeing people who have very little or nothing made me think that although the first lady is not an elected official, she is someone that some people look up to as an example. She certainly did not set an example by going to Spain. In her husband’s inaugural address he talked a lot about sacrifice,. Or course, he meant the American people and not him or his family or his administration for that matter. While Michelle Obama wants everyone to grow a garden and eat healthier, she jetsetted off to Spain to take her daughter somewhere she always wanted to go. When I was downtown today, I thought maybe it would have been better for her to take her daughter to Southeast DC. Instead of an international lesson, she could have given her daughter a domestic lesson. I have a feeling it would have made a bigger impression than the King and Queen of Spain.
musings and the occasional rant