Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Whither the "Human Rights" Mausoleum?

The Canadian Museum for Human Rights tweets about the Trudeau Foundation's upcoming "human rights" conference. And what sort of "human rights" will the confab's speakers be touting? Well, one of those slated to speak, Yasmeen Abu-Laban, has previously made a pitch for the "human rights" utopia that would be engendered should that much-vaunted "one-state solution" come to pass:
In place of the two-state solution favoured in the international community, a growing number of Palestinians and Israelis have put forth a “one state solution.” The idea can be found in intellectual circles and is finding support amongst current and former politicians such as Meron Benvenisti, the past deputy mayor of Jerusalem. Details may vary, but a one-state solution essentially embodies the principles of equal rights and citizenship for all, with recognition of collectivities through policies like bilingualism.
The one-state solution emphasizes equality and minority rights, which are principles that have been supported by the United Nations and are currently absent in Israel and the occupied territories.
One reason why a "human rights" mausoleum is a really bad idea is because we can pretty much count on it purveying this skewed "human rights" vision (i.e. the "human rights" vision of Islamists and the left).

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