chaos789
Banned
https://edition.cnn.com/2018/06/29/politics/veprek-state-dept-un-racism/index.html
A Trump administration appointee to the State Department tore into standard UN documents that condemn racism as a threat to democracy.
The deputy assistant secretary for refugees and migration, a foreign service officer promoted by the White House to an unusually senior position for his rank, disputed the idea that leaders have a "duty" to condemn hate speech and incitement, and repeatedly rejected use of the words nationalism, populism, and xenophobia.
"The drafters say 'populism and nationalism' as if these are dirty words," wrote Andrew Veprek, the deputy assistant secretary for refugees and migration, in documents obtained exclusively by CNN. "There are millions of Americans who likely would describe themselves as adhering to these concepts. (Maybe even the President.). So are we looking to here condemn our fellow-citizens, those who pay our salaries?"
President Donald Trump has described himself as a nationalist.
Veprek also pushed to soften language about fighting racism and about racism in politics in his proposed amendments to a UN Human Rights Council resolution titled "The Incompatibility between Democracy and Racism" that is adopted without a vote, with much of the same language, every few years.
In response to one section that says national leaders have a responsibility to condemn hate speech, Veprek writes, "'[d]uty to condemn' goes too far. Our public figures can't be obliged to police every intolerant thought out their [sic] at the risk of being condemned for intolerance themselves."
Fear of foreigners
And he repeatedly argues against using the word "xenophobia," or the fear of foreigners, writing in side notes that he has concerns over "the malleability of the term now and in the future."
"[W]hat real or perceived offense is next to be considered 'xenophobic?'" he writes. "How does that square with our historic respect for the right of free expression? The drafters need to focus on behavior and actions - which states can control - rather than attitudes and states of mind."
The internal administration documents show suggested edits Veprek apparently made, marked by his electronic State Department identifier on notes in the margins, according to a source familiar with the documents.
It's unclear if Veprek has the authority within the State Department to make changes to the documents, which are full of crossed out sentences and other comments vigorously contesting the UN statements.
Shortly after the edits were suggested, the US announced it was leaving the Geneva based Human Rights Council.
A State Department spokesperson said the agency does not comment on "leaked, alleged documents or internal deliberative material," but the agency did not deny the existence of the documents.
Rob Berschinski, a former deputy assistant secretary of state for human rights and member of the National Security Council under President Barack Obama, called Veprek's changes to the documents "explosive."
"It seems clear (Veprek) feels the UN language is targeted at the Trump administration, when it mentions racism in political circles," Berschinski told CNN. "Clearly, he is making these edits to reduce the power of the resolution, as relates to racism in politics."
Veprek appears to have struck out an entire section that links fighting racism with building a diverse democracy, crossing out the language, "acknowledging the linkage and complementarity of the combat against racism, racial discrimination and xenophobia with the long-term construction of a democratic, non-discriminatory and multicultural society, based on the recognition, respect and promotion of cultural, ethnic and religious diversity."
Veprek instead makes a case against multiculturalism in his comments. "What's the evidence for such 'complementarity?' Some commentators assert that a unifying culture (as opposed to multiculturalism) is the best way to promote social trust and combat racism."
The edits take issue with a passage that calls out racism in politics, crossing out language expressing concern over "the rise of extremist political parties, movements and groups that seek to normalize racism," as well as "xenophobia" and incitement of hatred and violence.
The phrase "normalize racism," the internal edits state, "is vague and has no legal definition."
A Trump administration appointee to the State Department tore into standard UN documents that condemn racism as a threat to democracy.
The deputy assistant secretary for refugees and migration, a foreign service officer promoted by the White House to an unusually senior position for his rank, disputed the idea that leaders have a "duty" to condemn hate speech and incitement, and repeatedly rejected use of the words nationalism, populism, and xenophobia.
"The drafters say 'populism and nationalism' as if these are dirty words," wrote Andrew Veprek, the deputy assistant secretary for refugees and migration, in documents obtained exclusively by CNN. "There are millions of Americans who likely would describe themselves as adhering to these concepts. (Maybe even the President.). So are we looking to here condemn our fellow-citizens, those who pay our salaries?"
President Donald Trump has described himself as a nationalist.
Veprek also pushed to soften language about fighting racism and about racism in politics in his proposed amendments to a UN Human Rights Council resolution titled "The Incompatibility between Democracy and Racism" that is adopted without a vote, with much of the same language, every few years.
In response to one section that says national leaders have a responsibility to condemn hate speech, Veprek writes, "'[d]uty to condemn' goes too far. Our public figures can't be obliged to police every intolerant thought out their [sic] at the risk of being condemned for intolerance themselves."
Fear of foreigners
And he repeatedly argues against using the word "xenophobia," or the fear of foreigners, writing in side notes that he has concerns over "the malleability of the term now and in the future."
"[W]hat real or perceived offense is next to be considered 'xenophobic?'" he writes. "How does that square with our historic respect for the right of free expression? The drafters need to focus on behavior and actions - which states can control - rather than attitudes and states of mind."
The internal administration documents show suggested edits Veprek apparently made, marked by his electronic State Department identifier on notes in the margins, according to a source familiar with the documents.
It's unclear if Veprek has the authority within the State Department to make changes to the documents, which are full of crossed out sentences and other comments vigorously contesting the UN statements.
Shortly after the edits were suggested, the US announced it was leaving the Geneva based Human Rights Council.
A State Department spokesperson said the agency does not comment on "leaked, alleged documents or internal deliberative material," but the agency did not deny the existence of the documents.
Rob Berschinski, a former deputy assistant secretary of state for human rights and member of the National Security Council under President Barack Obama, called Veprek's changes to the documents "explosive."
"It seems clear (Veprek) feels the UN language is targeted at the Trump administration, when it mentions racism in political circles," Berschinski told CNN. "Clearly, he is making these edits to reduce the power of the resolution, as relates to racism in politics."
Veprek appears to have struck out an entire section that links fighting racism with building a diverse democracy, crossing out the language, "acknowledging the linkage and complementarity of the combat against racism, racial discrimination and xenophobia with the long-term construction of a democratic, non-discriminatory and multicultural society, based on the recognition, respect and promotion of cultural, ethnic and religious diversity."
Veprek instead makes a case against multiculturalism in his comments. "What's the evidence for such 'complementarity?' Some commentators assert that a unifying culture (as opposed to multiculturalism) is the best way to promote social trust and combat racism."
The edits take issue with a passage that calls out racism in politics, crossing out language expressing concern over "the rise of extremist political parties, movements and groups that seek to normalize racism," as well as "xenophobia" and incitement of hatred and violence.
The phrase "normalize racism," the internal edits state, "is vague and has no legal definition."
