More on UN Destruction of Western Values

Another thoughtful piece from Melanie Phillips regarding the move by some Isalmic countries to restrict freedom of speech in the name of "human rights."

Night closes in
Thursday, 12th March 2009



I have written about this looming threat before, but the UN proposal to criminalise ‘defamation of religion’ is an unconscionable threat to freedom of speech. As UN Watch reports, a resolution circulated yesterday by Islamic states would define any questioning of Islamic dogma as a human rights violation, intimidate dissenting voices, and encourage the forced imposition of Sharia law:

While non-binding, the resolution constitutes a dangerous threat to free speech everywhere. It would ban any perceived offense to Islamic sensitivities as a ‘serious affront to human dignity’ and a violation of religious freedom, and would pressure U.N. member states -- at the ‘local, national, regional and international levels’ -- to erode free speech guarantees in their ‘legal and constitutional systems.’ It’s an Orwellian text that distorts the meaning of human rights, free speech, and religious freedom, and marks a giant step backwards for liberty and democracy worldwide.

The first to suffer will be moderate Muslims in the countries that are behind this resolution, like Iran, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Pakistan, who seek international legitimacy for state-sanctioned blasphemy laws that stifle religious freedom and outlaw conversions from Islam to other faiths. Next to suffer from this U.N.-sanctioned McCarthyism will be writers and journalists in the democratic West, with the resolution targeting the media for the ‘deliberate stereotyping of religions, their adherents and sacred persons.’

Ultimately, it is the very notion of individual human rights at stake, because the sponsors of this resolution seek not to protect individuals from harm, but rather to shield a specific set of beliefs from any question, debate, or critical inquiry.

Since the Islamic states dominate the UN Human Rights Council there is little chance that this resolution will not pass. Another demonstration of the fact that the UN, which to the progressive western mind is the custodian of human rights, is actually their nemesis.

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