Anthony Blinken, the Secretary of the U.S. State Department, recently announced that the Biden administration would invite United Nations (UN) officials who investigate human rights issues, including racism, to the United States. The purpose of this invitation is for the UN to inform Americans, along with the rest of the global population, that the United States is presumably a highly racist country.
This invitation emerges after a recently released report from the UN regarding police brutality and racism. This report calls for reparations on a global scale for several incidents, including the passing of George Floyd in March 2020.
In a formal statement, Blinken claims such an invitation illustrates how the United States can engage in “leading by example,” adding that the Biden administration remains “deeply dedicated” to focusing on various “inequities” and “racial injustice” issues that presumably pervade the United States.
In the statement, Blinken issues “a formal, standing invitation” to all the experts at the UN who focus on various issues pertaining to human rights. Noting that this invitation is merely “a first step,” Blinken adds that the Biden administration has extended an offer to both the UN Special Rapporteur, which focuses on on modern forms of racism, as well as the UN special Special Rapporteur, which focuses on issues related to minorities.
Blinken continues on to say that the Biden administration also “[welcomes] the UN Human Rights Council’s adoption” that was recently adopted in Geneva, noting that this convention is focused on “[addressing] systemic racism” against individuals “of African descent” within the context of policing and law enforcement.
Blinken concluded by saying that the Biden administration is looking forward “to engaging with the new mechanism” in order to advance “equity” and “racial justice.”
Responsible nations must not shrink from scrutiny of their human rights record. Rather, they should be transparent with the intent to grow and do better. That is why I'm announcing a formal invitation for @UN Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism to visit the U.S.
— Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) July 14, 2021
GOP Sen. Josh Hawley (MO), however, inquired why the Biden administration has opted to prioritize the invitation to the UN investigators. Perhaps Biden “should devote some energy to investing the origins of [the coronavirus] instead,” Hawley suggested.
Joe Biden’s priorities: getting the UN to investigate America for racism. Maybe the President should devote some energy to investigating the origins of #COVID19 https://t.co/xzgrQUqxoB
— Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) July 14, 2021
In addition, other critics pointed out that the UN tends to demonstrate a special soft spot for various despots around the world while simultaneously opposing some of the United States’ strongest allies, including Israel.
U.S. State Department invites “U.N. racism investigators” to visit U.S. The same UN that has an obsession with/targets the only free country in the Middle East https://t.co/QqE9m7dsRd
— Logan Ratick (@Logan_Ratick) July 14, 2021
Let me get this straight, on an island about 90 miles from Florida, a communist government is cracking down on its own citizens for peacefully protesting, but the Biden admin wants the U.N. to investigate the United States? https://t.co/8X8EcG9vwX
— Michele Perez Exner (@michelepexner) July 14, 2021
In the past, the UN has a checkered history with dictators, given its toleration of various leaders across different nations that routinely violate citizens’ human rights. These nations include Saudi Arabia, Cuba, China, and Venezuela, all of whom have been legitimized by the UN as members who are presumably dedicated to enforcing human rights.
