Following – the Russians?
By Austin Ruse
Friday, 05 October 2012
www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2012/following-the-russians.html
The Russians have had enough. Last year at the Human Rights Council in Geneva, they initiated a process that was supposed to result in a resolution connecting human rights to traditional values. Almost immediately, they walked into a buzz saw of opposition from the usual quarters: the European Union, the United States, and their NGO supporters from “human rights” and homosexual groups.
The western powers are very good at derailing what they don’t like. The original Russian draft resolution asserted that human rights have their roots in the moral force of traditional values. It included language supporting the right to life, the importance of the family in society, and the role of major religions, things that could easily have come from the pen of Tony Perkins at the Family Research Council.
Left-leaning states charged that the Russian draft failed to consider the connection between traditional values and human rights abuses. Specifically the United States and some European countries said that the rights of women, homosexuals, and transsexuals were undermined by traditional values.
A new “study” was commissioned, which ended up removing all references to the right to life, family, and religion. More than that, the new draft targeted traditional values as undermining the rights of women and minorities.
As usually happens at the United Nations, the left was satisfied. But not the Russans and not many others either. The new study was supposed to be discussed in Geneva last week. And here the Russians struck with a conservative cultural confidence that can only send shivers down the spine of the Europeans and the LGBT claque in the U. S. Department of State.
The Russians simply ignored their opponents, demanded a vote and won. They were far from alone. The resolution was co-authored by over sixty other governments and ended up passing the Human Rights Council with a vote of 25 –15, with 7 countries abstaining.
The new document strikes a blow for traditional values in the understanding of human rights and makes clear that human rights are universal and not “evolving,” as the left asserts.
Within moments of the vote, the Russian Foreign Ministry issued a statement that my C-FAM colleague Stefano Genarrini described as “brimming with confidence.” As in this: “The Russian Federation, together with the opinion allies, will continue promoting the idea of the inseparable connection of human rights and traditional moral values in the Human Rights Council.”
The statement went on to criticize the actions of the European Union and United States, specifically mentioning that the “negative position of these countries, their unwillingness to work at the text and fanciful arguments against the resolution draft cause regret.”
What we are witnessing at the United Nations is an awakening of the Russian social policy bear. Many governments have grown weary of the aggressiveness of the sexual left, now firmly ensconced in the U. N. bureaucracy and human rights machinery.
Most member states are fed up with the constant reproductive health and rights drumbeat. In fact, at the recently concluded Rio+20 negotiations on the environment, Russia led the way in cutting out reproductive-rights language, a setback that caused the left, including Hilary Clinton, to denounce the Rio outcome document.
We are many years into the effort to make homosexuality and its attendant permutations into new protected categories of international law. More than half of the U. N. General Assembly object to this, the Russians in particular.
Most countries are nervous or downright fearful about standing up to the pressure. Many of them rely on the largesse of the United Nations, European Union, and United States. The Obama State Department made personal visits to U. N. missions and made threats over a vote in the Human Rights Council calling for a study of violence against homosexuals.
A country like Jamaica, for instance, which is politically and culturally hostile to homosexuality, withered under such pressure and – though they did not vote in favor – agreed to abstain.
But Russia is not afraid of U. N., E. U., or U. S. bullying. Russia is deeply concerned with its own shrinking population and has begun an internal debate about legal abortion. The Russian people do not accept homosexuality as normal. At the same time, Russia seems happy to join this fight with her geopolitical competitors.
Having Russia lead on these issues helps in many ways. It takes the pressure off of the Holy See, which has always been uncomfortable to be seen as leading this fight. The Holy See has preferred to lend moral support, to speak out at key moments – but not to lead. Then there is the fact that Russia is not a Muslim state. Muslim states acting alone or through the Organization of the Islamic Conference are caricatured as Ayatollahs on social policy.
Some will say, that’s all well and good, but should social conservatives make common cause with a geopolitical competitor of the United States? Some will ask if we’re concerned about Russia’s domestic crackdown, and what about Pussy Riot?
In a perfect world, the western democracies and the United Nations would champion the unborn rather than promote abortion. They would defend traditional marriage rather than promote barbaric sexual practices as human “rights.”
Russia is far from perfect, but on social policy she is a good deal better than we are at the moment.
Austin Ruse is the President of the New York and Washington, D.C.-based Catholic Family & Human Rights Institute (C-FAM), a research institute that focuses exclusively on international social policy. The opinions expressed here are Mr. Ruse’s alone and do not necessarily reflect the policies or positions of C-FAM.
Now this is puzzling. I wonder at their motivations.
Ahh, Ned! May I suggest a revisit of Smiley’s People or The Perfect Spy? No, better still, go back to “…In From the Cold”.
What NO ONE seems to hear much about is the intermezzo/critique of the West by which Russians abide. It is always in the key of B minor!
And there is ample cultural, economic and moral suasion, from their perspective, for this.
Under Gorby, there were 14 million “destitute” Russians. By the time Jeff Sachs, Bush the Elder, Clinton the Satyr and Yeltsin got done, there were 147 million. The entire middle class, save for a teeny number of foreign corporate-paid glitterati, had been WIPED OUT!
The Potemkin Village literally became a project of the Bush/Clinton era! Imagine!
Nine years is all it took. The Russian Depression from 1992 – 2000, managed most expertly by the professors, NGOs and media hacks from the United States, was far worse than the American event of the 1930s.
WE HAVE NOTHING LEFT TO TRY TO SELL THE RUSSIANS. AND THEY JUST AIN’T BUYING, ANYWAY… even if they did have the money.
As to your implicit question, specifically, when corn gruel is a luxury, religion, even schismatic religion, becomes a staple.
The import of this actualy very proper move by the Russians can hardly be overrated. 25% of the world’s population, including ALL of the most dangerous elements from the perspective of the effete liberals now running America, borders Russia. Thus, WHATEVER Russia does, no matter how maligned by the elites of the West, matters much. That they hammered the HRC with their own allies proves that point.
I am grateful for this move. That it would not even enter the mind of a Catholic bishop in the US or in Rome to do suggest that any Western government do likewise underscores the intellectual and orthodox spiritual depths to which our besotted hierarchy has plummeted.
McDee. gratias por las VIva!
Howsomeever ( since it ain’t a word, anyway, I’ll misspell it howsomeever I choose! ), I am rather convinced the Tiannamen Square tragedy was all too real.
I’ve read too many plausible accounts by witnesses and survivors to say otherwise.
Nevertheless, there’s wisdom in some of what you say. The enemy is not always the one Uncle Sugar says he is.
Oh, yeah, one more thing. You want to “get” Putin’s attitude about US POTUSes?
Go right back to 9/11. He offered Bush anything mumblemouth wanted and all he got for his generosity was the back of the Texan’s hand and derision from within the “inner WH circle”.
Hi Gents,
As far as the conspiracy theories goes – sorry I don’t buy all the in-actionable information. I prefer the intelligence data that I gather from people who were there.
I knew someone who was in Beijing when it happened. His reaction was the get the hell out of dodge.
With respect to the ‘fall’ of communism. It is just the same play, with the same actors with different labels.
As far as everything else, I was wondering if people would say this is a sign that the consecration was done etc. I’m certain some will take it up. However, without further evidence, such as the removal of restrictions on the Catholic faith, I am not even beginning to be convinced.
My working theory is that Russia’s society is crumbling under the continued onslaught of atheism and Islam. Culturally, the only way to prevent it is to foster traditional values. Otherwise the Muslims will outnumber the Orthodox and boom bye-bye russia and hello russi-stan.
This reminds me of Stalin’s tactic during the WW2. When the Germans were advancing the Russian people were welcoming the Germans as liberators. In order to get the support of the people, Stalin removed a number of restrictions.
Should be interesting to watch and see how things develop over the next decade or two.
Cheers!
Here is a documented fact: the blueprint for the United Nations was drawn up by Alger Hiss, who served as U.S. Secretary General of the International Assembly. Alger Hiss was later revealed to be a communist espionage agent working in the U.S. government. In spite of this, we are still asked to believe that the U.N. is the “good guys.” For the whole story, see “The Naked Communist.” This info is found on page 144.
That being said, any defense of traditional values on the world political stage can only be seen as a good thing, regardless of where it comes from, or the motivations. Russian birth rates have dropped so low, that a crisis is almost inevitable. The same thing can be said for the United States, Canada, Europe, and the rest of the West. If this situation is the motivating cause for Russia’s taking a stand in favour of traditional values, it does not negate the benefit of such a defense. “Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth.”
As for the “fall of communism,” tradical is correct. It didn’t really happen. I researched the question for a paper a few years back. Any changes in the USSR were largely cosmetic, with the same persons and groups holding the reigns of power after as before. I can post my paper if you’d like, but it was over 3000 words, so I’ll only post it if you want it.
I recently read “The Mystery of Iniquity” by Fr. Paul Kramer. Has anyone else read it? I’d be interested to read others opinions of his theory that before Russia’s eventual consecration, the country wins WWIII and we all end up under communist rule.
If I remember correctly, Fr. Kramer believes the U.S. and the West are trying to circle Russia. China joins with Russia who will strike first after the debacle of Hitler getting the jump on Russia during WWII.
Adoro: Not dis-putin’ ( sorry! : – ) ) your argument, but for the next while the lift capactiy of the Red Chinese and the ground / air ability of Mudder Russia are not considerable.
Their ICBM and sea-launched hardware capacities are another question, of course.
As always, an undetected sub can take out an enormous amount of real estate in no time…. assuming that the nuclear balloon ever does go up, that is.
I’ve no idea what’s going to happen. This was something from Fr. Kramer’s book, which I think is an interesting take on things.
I like your dis-putin’. You should write speeches for politicians. They’d keep the reporters and audiences on their toes.
Since nearly everyone has been a frog in the pot slowly heated up, where are we headed? Is this Russian development a false flag or people trying to get out of the boiling water?
I believe all or nearly all the U.S. states that have had marriage initiatives on the ballot voted for retaining the definition of marriage, but the state govts. have ignored the voters’ wishes and done what they feel is politically correct.
We’re currently trying to convince New Zealand MPs to keep the definition of marriage. If we can’t…Sodom and Gomorrah will be a reality.
Adoro, you’re a New Zealander? I hope you can keep the lid on. I live in California and as you probably saw recently, the apostate zoological specimen called its governor just signed a law making it illegal to try to save queer teens from their filthy addicition.
Btw, I’ve only read the odd chapter of Fr. Kramer but his polemics looked sound to me.
As to Mudder Russia and the chopstickers, even THEY don’t know what they’re going to do. But one thing we can count on… we can’t count on ANYTHING. However, believe it or don’t, I do see scenarii where Putin ends up doing more to pull the West’s fat out of the fire, if only from self interest ( he NEEDS the EU to stay liquid or he’s got zip ), than Romney, Merkel or anyone else will. Long shot, but possible. I am only speaking about certain CULTURAL decisions I can see him making. Russia has no surplus wealth and its resources are managed very badly.
However, Putin’s popularity is sinking even in the countryside, where MOST Russians live. If they get fed up enough with the economic downturn Russia is in and toss him to the curb, it’s anyone’s guess what might come next. And that might not be helpful since Putin definitely will rattle the saber and send the odd Akula into the Carribean to tweak Obama, but he is definitely anti-escalation concerning his future relationship with both the EU and the USA.
No, I’m a Buffalonian living in NZ.
I’ve decided not to vote in this year’s U.S. elections because both candidates are so bad. (My husband’s relatives are zealous Mormons.)
I’ve ordered a book recommended to me written by Hugh Akin called “Synagogue Rising”. Perhaps that’ll give some good insight into how to deal with this mess (aside from prayer, fasting, penance, etc.)
How is Michael B. by the way?