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We're going to be drowning in the Sochi Olympics
over the next couple of weeks.
So I loath to add to the suffocation, but I do have a preamble.
The Secretary General of the United Nations
made a fine speech in Sochi on the eve of the Olympics
affirming gay rights as part of Universal Human Rights
which he should do.
But from beginning to end of the speech,
he didn't mention the word Russia.
Not once.
Russia which has just passed, as everyone knows,
the contemptible legislation against gay rights.
Now, this is all part of UN strategy to utter tender diplomatic niceties
so as not to offend.
It's not working.
Countries aren't changing. It's 2014.
You have to name names.
You have to abandon this incestuous diplomatic caution.
But of course, the Secretary General of the United Nations
is a positive hero compared to outfits like the Vatican.
Oh, my god. It was delicious to see that come up and...
internationally this last week,
finally, the Committee on the Rights of the Child issuing a scalding report
indicting the Vatican for the tens of thousands of children who, over the years,
were tortured and emotionally and physically and sexually assaulted
by thousands of priests--many of whom are still uttering their pieties and love
from the pulpit protected by their bishops.
But that's only a part of it.
The question that must be asked is,
"Why does the Vatican have permanent observer status
at the United Nations at all?"
I mean, here's a group which is violently homophobic,
which is determinately anti-***.
God knows how many *** infections have occurred
as a result of the Vatican's anti-*** policy.
They have death on their hands.
And above all, they're virulently, pathologically anti-woman.
I mean, all of the international conferences I've attended,
and there had been many,
the Vatican in the background or the foreground
has been pushing anti-women policies.
Why should this little group of men at the Holy See in Rome
have permanent observer status at the United Nations?
No other religious credo has that.
They should be decertified and defrocked tomorrow morning.
And in last week, of course,
the Africa Union had its summit of presidential leaders,
and they elected as vice-president, Robert Mugabe,
the president of Zimbabwe, a murderer and a man who orchestrates rapes.
But, of course, he has nothing to worry about
because the group of presidents decided that they would fight
any future indictments for crimes against humanity
at the International Criminal Court.
In fact, they would try to frustrate the International Criminal Court
every step of the way.
I love Africa, and a lot of countries are doing well.
But this current group of presidents,
they make me ricochet between bewilderment and anguish.
That was last week. I'm Stephen Lewis.