UN Fact-Finding Mission to Investigate Racial Discrimination in the United States

[BlueMTexpat]

http://therealnews.com/t2/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=31&Itemid=74&jumival=15486

In 2014, the United Nations declared this decade as the International Decade for People of African Descent. The UN Human Rights Council has established a Working Group of Experts on people of African descent. The working group is mandated to carry out a factfinding visit to the United States, and they will be traveling to Washington, DC, Baltimore, Jackson, Mississippi, and New York City in the coming days, and they plan to gather firsthand information about the current human rights situation of African-Americans and follow up on recommendations that they may have to fight racism. The panel of experts is headed by Mireille Fanon-Mendes France. She's the daughter of Frantz Fanon, the revolutionary philosopher, and the author of many books, among them The Wretched of the Earth, Black Skin, White Mask.

So to discuss the work of this working group headed to the United States I'm joined by Kali Akuno, and he's a co-director of Cooperation Jackson, and one of the authors of the Jackson plan. Kali, so good to have you with us again.

More on Cooperation Jackson: http://www.cooperationjackson.org/

This should be interesting.

[Recursion]

1. They need to get to India post-haste

Though obviously the Americas (not just the US) will give them grist for 20 years or so. Or even just the US.

[BlueMTexpat]

2. Tragically, discrimination is a global problem.

But it hurts most when the US - supposedly a beacon of "freedom" - has both active and passive discrimination still in the 21st century, even after nearly eight years of leadership from a remarkable bi-racial President.

I like to believe that, in spite of the long road yet to go, there is still forward movement, much of it due to his example, as well as the example of countless others who have fought continuously against discrimination.

[JustAnotherGen]

5. Very well said

[Number23]

3. The UN has been incredibly busy investigating the US over the last few months. First women now this

The organization created to investigate despots and dictators the world over has been investigating the US.

We have so much to be proud of.

[BlueMTexpat]

4. While it is true that there are many

regimes - many of which we have sponsored or supported - around the world that are much worse in their treatment of their own minorities, what is tragic is that the US actually believes its myths of "exceptionality," "freedom," and "justice" when we are not at all the role model that we purport to be.

Where I have faith in the US is that I still believe that most of us actually aspire for our country to be and do better and are working towards such goals.