Trump State Department attacks UN for fighting racism
State Department official Andrew Veprek wants to rewrite a UN declaration against racism and discrimination to protect Trump’s bigotry.
A senior State Department official installed by Trump slammed the United Nations for opposing racism, and is working to undermine the organization’s efforts to do so.
CNN obtained documents authored by Andrew Veprek, the deputy assistant secretary for refugees and migration.
In the papers, Veprek disputes the notion that world leaders have a duty to condemn hate speech and incitement of racial hatred.
The comments echo Trump’s own embrace of bigotry from the Oval Office, and his description of Nazis as “very fine people.”
For years, the U.N. Human Rights Council has adopted a resolution addressing “The incompatibility between democracy and racism.”
But now Veprek, empowered by Trump, has offered an amendment to the resolution, watering down its moral stance against bigotry. He writes that the “duty to condemn” racism, as stated by the United Nations, “goes too far.”
Veprek adds, “Our public figures can’t be obliged to police every intolerant thought.”
Veprek’s argument sounds tailor-made to appease Trump, who has been repeatedly chastised for supporting hate. Trump has a history of anti-black comments, he called Mexicans rapists, and he pushed for the ban on travel to America for Muslims.
At every turn, his administration has embraced the more hateful option, putting it at odds with other prominent governments around the world. Trump was even directly criticized by British Prime Minister Theresa May after he promoted videos from an anti-Muslim hate group.
Echoing Trump, Veprek railed against the U.N. policy for stating clearly the evils of xenophobia.
Rob Berschinski, a former deputy assistant secretary of state for human rights under President Barack Obama, told CNN that Veprek is trying to “reduce the power of the resolution, as relates to racism in politics.”
The episode is just one more example of Trump and his underlings turning away from America’s unique role in advocating for the global good, and instead making excuses for racism and bigotry.
Veprek’s comments show the current administration wants an America where only men who look like Trump have rights or power. It is an attempt to turn back the clock.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.
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