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Hypocrisy, can we have some?
Jul. 20th, 2009 11:57 amSee, this is why it’s so very very very hard to take it seriously when we (or any western nation for that matter) decides to bomb people for their own good - or whatever pathetic attempts of moral justification we use for various quasi-imperial action around the world
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8158576.stm
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/princess-facing-saudi-death-penalty-given-secret-uk-asylum-1753007.html
It seems a young Saudi Arabian woman has been granted asylum in the UK because she is married to a member of the Saudi royal family and has had an affair. She faces execution, a very nasty one.
Her being granted asylum is most certainly not a problem - it is extremely laudable and of course we should provide shelter for her with her facing such repellent and disgusting persecution.
What IS objectionable is that our government does not acknowledge the asylum claim (or the claims of several other Saudis) publicly. Not to protect her, oh no. You see, it would cause EMBARRASSMENT. If we were so tasteless as to acknowledge we would have granted asylum then it would serve as highlighting the Saudis APPALLING human rights record (SHOCK HORROR!) which is apparently a BAD thing. Even worse, it may seem we are critical of the Saudi’s human rights record. Damn, we can’t have that right? Can’t have people thinking we DISAPPROVE of stoning women who have affairs (and that’s just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the Saudi’s record).
It’s pathetic. We see here abuses that are horrific and beyond the possibility of justification - and we shut our eyes and hold our tongues because it would be EMBARRASSING. Is it any wonder no-one takes us seriously when we speak out against Zimbabwe or Iran or Burma or North Korea.
If we want to play world policemen - gods, if we just want a reputation as a country with ANY kind of moral principles at all - we CANNOT condemn nations for their abuses while at the same time condoning and encouraging countries like Saudi Arabia, Uzbekistan, China or the untold dozens of other abusive and horrendous regimes we have supported and continue to support. Either quit moralising in foreign policy or moralise universally - because this hypocrisy just undermines all the aid and human rights work we try to pursue.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8158576.stm
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/princess-facing-saudi-death-penalty-given-secret-uk-asylum-1753007.html
It seems a young Saudi Arabian woman has been granted asylum in the UK because she is married to a member of the Saudi royal family and has had an affair. She faces execution, a very nasty one.
Her being granted asylum is most certainly not a problem - it is extremely laudable and of course we should provide shelter for her with her facing such repellent and disgusting persecution.
What IS objectionable is that our government does not acknowledge the asylum claim (or the claims of several other Saudis) publicly. Not to protect her, oh no. You see, it would cause EMBARRASSMENT. If we were so tasteless as to acknowledge we would have granted asylum then it would serve as highlighting the Saudis APPALLING human rights record (SHOCK HORROR!) which is apparently a BAD thing. Even worse, it may seem we are critical of the Saudi’s human rights record. Damn, we can’t have that right? Can’t have people thinking we DISAPPROVE of stoning women who have affairs (and that’s just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the Saudi’s record).
It’s pathetic. We see here abuses that are horrific and beyond the possibility of justification - and we shut our eyes and hold our tongues because it would be EMBARRASSING. Is it any wonder no-one takes us seriously when we speak out against Zimbabwe or Iran or Burma or North Korea.
If we want to play world policemen - gods, if we just want a reputation as a country with ANY kind of moral principles at all - we CANNOT condemn nations for their abuses while at the same time condoning and encouraging countries like Saudi Arabia, Uzbekistan, China or the untold dozens of other abusive and horrendous regimes we have supported and continue to support. Either quit moralising in foreign policy or moralise universally - because this hypocrisy just undermines all the aid and human rights work we try to pursue.