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UN Gives U.S. Flunking Grades on Privacy
For a nation that goes out of its way to tell everybody else what to do about freedomism, and which still has, on paper at least, Constitutional Fourth Amendment guarantees against unlawful search and seizure, America fails miserably in assuring its citizens their rights.
In fact, according to a UN study, the self-proclaimed “Exceptional Nation” ranks with China, Bolivia and Djibouti. Yea us!A United Nations Human Rights Committee issued midterm report cards for several countries based on how well they adhered to and implemented its recommendations related to the International Covenant of Civil and Political Rights, an international treaty outlining the rights of all individuals. The U.S. performance overall was “not satisfactory.”
In particular, the committee noted that the U.S. government failed to establish an adequate oversight system to make sure privacy rights are being upheld, and failed to make sure that any breaches of privacy were regulated and authorized by law, such as requiring a warrant. The lowest grade reflected America’s failure to “ensure affected persons have access to effective remedies in cases of abuse.”
The committee also expressed dismay at the U.S. failure to “establish the responsibility of those who provided legal pretexts for manifestly illegal behavior.”
Last year, the Human Rights Committee submitted recommendations to the United States on areas where it could improve the privacy rights of its citizens, following revelations made by NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden. But according to the midterm review, many of those suggestions were not addressed.
So shut the hell up Americans. You’ll get your freedom when and if the authorities decide to give any to you.
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teri said...
1Re: detention of prisoners in Guantanamo and Afghanistan (and elsewhere? Do we know for sure there aren’t still other sites still being run?): Interesting little article on the latest ruling:
Afghan War Is Not Over, Says Judge, So Indefinite Detention Can Continue
A federal judge on Thursday rejected the petition of a Guantanamo detainee who had requested to be freed after spending nearly a decade and a half in the U.S. offshore prison without trial.[…]
The Supreme Court has said such detention is legal as long as “active hostilities” continue.
U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth said in a 14-page opinion issued Thursday that it was clear that hostilities still persist. […]
In the long run, continues Feldman [a columnist for Bloomberg], the legal system that has enabled the U.S. government to hold these men not only defies logic, but actually undermines the legitimacy of the entire justice system.
He concludes:
The U.S. government says it’s within its rights to keep them as prisoners of war in the conflict with al-Qaida. But the POW rules assume a conflict between international parties that might conceivably be ended by a peace treaty. There will be no such end to the legal conflict between al-Qaida and the U.S. That means the detainees can be held forever. […]
http://www.commondreams.org/news/2015/07/30/afghan-war-not-over-says-judge-so-indefinite-detention-can-continue
07/31/15 9:36 AM | Comment Link
RICH BAUER said...
2Freedumb is just another word for nothing left to lose.
The latest OPM hacking fiasco serves notice that we are own worst enemies. And Edward Snowden was just the messenger.
07/31/15 11:00 AM | Comment Link
Chuck Nasmith said...
3Pass me the freedom fries! We are #1 at saying we R free. Snowden/Manning2016
07/31/15 11:55 AM | Comment Link
John Poole said...
4Teri- the legitmacy of the American Justice system can’t really be undermined since it currently resides in a sink hole deeper than the Grand Canyon.
07/31/15 12:33 PM | Comment Link
teri said...
5This week, the House passed a bill, after only 15 minutes of debate and having only a voice vote (so you can’t tell who voted which way), that allows the Secretary of State to revoke your passport if he/she decides that you have “aided” a “terrorist organization”. “Aided” is not defined. “Terrorist” is not defined beyond the idea that a “terrorist organization” is determined by the current Sec. State. There is no disputing the Sec. State’s decision, no chance to present evidence, no trial or hearing. Any “evidence” the state has against you can be classified as secret so that you don’t even get to find out what it is you supposedly did to have “aided” a “terrorist organization” and so had your passport revoked or your application turned down.
“In effect the Secretary of State can unilaterally consign you to internal exile and there is nothing you can do about it.” – Ron Paul Institute. (I don’t find a whole lot I agree with Ron Paul about, but this is a pithy quote that sums it up well.)
In the Senate, they stuck a provision in the highway funding bill (LOTS of shit being stuck to the bottom of that particular shoe) that allows the IRS to revoke your passport – or to refuse issuance or limit the use of the passport to a return to the US only trip – for unpaid tax monies. You have to owe over $50,000 and who feels sorry for tax-dodgers, right? But, come on, the IRS can cancel your passport??
http://www.washingtonsblog.com/2015/07/congress-passes-bill-in-15-minutes-to-revoke-americans-passports-without-due-process.html
08/1/15 6:53 AM | Comment Link
teri said...
6John Poole @ comment #4,
Yeah, ain’t THAT the sad truth.
08/1/15 6:55 AM | Comment Link
bloodypitchfork said...
7from teri’s post:
quote”In the long run, continues Feldman [a columnist for Bloomberg], the legal system that has enabled the U.S. government to hold these men not only defies logic, but actually undermines the legitimacy of the entire justice system.”unquote
USG:”Logic? We don nee no stinking logic. We have nukes. So fuck off”.
me: Logic? Haha. If logic were geological, the USG would be the Sahara desert. What it really is.. is a LEGAL
IMPERIALISM.
As for the “legitimacy” of the justice system? Hahahahaha. Meanwhile, the FISC raises it’s middle finger to the 2nd Circuit’s ruling the entire phone “metadata” collection program illegal. Legitimate. Right. Bwahahahahahah…hohohohohoho.. hahahahahahaha!
quote:
“He concludes:
The U.S. government says it’s within its rights to keep them as prisoners of war in the conflict with al-Qaida. “unquote
RIGHTS????????? ummm.. can someone point me to some kind of world wide body that has defined these alleged governmental “rights” and has the authority and power to enforce it?
sheeezushfuckingchrist. I’ve seen everything now. Government rights. Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha! Fucking spare me.
I bet King George lll is rolling on the floor in gut splitting laughter.
Next they’ll be telling us they have the “right” to murder you…er…wait…haha.. my bad. I must have been dreaming…
http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2012/10/how-team-obama-justifies-the-killing-of-a-16-year-old-american/264028/
bartender..give me a shot of Abdulrahman al-Awlaki. I want to spit it in Gibbs face.
08/1/15 9:23 AM | Comment Link
bloodypitchfork said...
8I forgot…
“For a nation that goes out of its way to tell everybody else what to do about freedomism, and which still has, on paper at least, Constitutional Fourth Amendment guarantees against unlawful search and seizure, America fails miserably in assuring its citizens their rights.”unquote
Hahahahahahahahaha! Goes out of it’s way is an understatement. Obama’s trip to Africa is living proof. His speechs will go down as numero uno in the historical annuls of Great Moments in USG Hypocrisy. But this little gem kills me…
“I actually think I’m a pretty good President. I think if I ran, I could win. But I can’t,” Obama ad-libbed during a speech in Ethiopia. “There’s a lot that I’d like to do to keep America moving. But the law is the law, and no person is above the law, not even the president.”
But the law is the law, and no person is above the law, not even the president. right. You fucking liar.
Abdulrahman al-Awlaki is living …er…dead proof.
08/1/15 9:57 AM | Comment Link
bloodypitchfork said...
9ps…from the “for what it’s worth” department.
So..Obama thinks he’s a “pretty good president” and thinks he could win if he could run again. right
I’ve got $1k that says he’s fucking delusional.
08/1/15 10:15 AM | Comment Link
starknakedtruth said...
10I’ll take your bet BPF and see you another $1k. Obama has been delusional since day one in the WH.
Never forget that absolute power corrupts…
08/1/15 9:32 PM | Comment Link
Independent Assessment: Human Rights Rapidly Eroding | The Contrary Perspective said...
11[…] The article below by Peter Van Buren originally appeared in a July 31, 2015 post to his We Meant Well blog. […]
08/4/15 6:30 AM | Comment Link
Even UN notices human rights erosion in US | The Contrary Perspective said...
12[…] The article below by Peter Van Buren originally appeared in a July 31, 2015 post to his We Meant Well blog. […]
08/4/15 6:52 AM | Comment Link