Obama Addresses Racism, Climate Change on New York Visit

Barack Obama appeared on The Late Show with David Letterman last night, on the eve of his address to the United Nations on climate change.

Said Obama of allegations of racism from the right-wing: "First of all I think it's important to realize that I was actually Black before the election."

This morning, Obama talked to the UN General Assembly about taking action on climate change:

"We also cannot allow the old divisions that have characterized the climate debate for so many years to block our progress. Yes, the developed nations that caused much of the damage to our climate over the last century still have a responsibility to lead. And we will continue to do so – by investing in renewable energy, promoting greater efficiency, and slashing our emissions to reach the targets we set for 2020 and our long-term goal for 2050. But those rapidly-growing developing nations that will produce nearly all the growth in global carbon emissions in the decades ahead must do their part as well. Some of these nations have already made great strides with the development and deployment of clean energy. Still, they will need to commit to strong measures at home and agree to stand behind those commitments just as the developed nations must stand behind their own. We cannot meet this challenge unless all the largest emitters of greenhouse gas pollution act together. There is no other way."

Highlights from the Letterman appearance and the UN speech, AFTER THE JUMP...

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Obama Administration to Endorse UN Declaration on LGBT Human Rights Refused by Bush

A United Nations declaration on human rights which calls for the global decriminalization of homosexuality which the U.S. declined to sign under Bush last December will be endorsed by the Obama administration, the AP reports:

"U.S. officials said Tuesday they had notified the declaration's French sponsors that the administration wants to be added as a supporter. The Bush administration was criticized in December when it was the only western government that refused to sign on. The move was made after an interagency review of the Bush administration's position on the nonbinding document, which was signed by all 27 European Union members as well as Japan, Australia, Mexico and three dozen other countries, the officials said. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because Congress was still being notified of the decision. They said the administration had decided to sign the declaration to demonstrate that the United States supports human rights for all. 'The United States is an outspoken defender of human rights and critic of human rights abuses around the world,' said one official. 'As such, we join with the other supporters of this statement and we will continue to remind countries of the importance of respecting the human rights of all people in all appropriate international fora,' the official said. The official added that the United States was concerned about 'violence and human rights abuses against gay, lesbian, transsexual and bisexual individuals" and was also "troubled by the criminalization of sexual orientation in many countries.' ... 'In the words of the United States Supreme Court, the right to be free from criminalization on the basis of sexual orientation 'has been accepted as an integral part of human freedom',' the official said."

The Vatican and the Organisation of Islamic States have been vocal in their opposition to the declaration.

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Said Peter Tatchell of London's activist group OutRage! in December: "It will be the first time in its history that the UN General Assembly has ever considered the issue of lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender (LGBT) human rights."

The text of the declaration, AFTER THE JUMP...

Reversing Bush Policy, U.S. Backs UN Condemnation of Discrimination Based on Sexual Orientation

Via UN Dispatch:

"In late December the United Nations General Assembly held a symbolic vote on a statement calling for the universal decriminalization of homosexuality. France spearheaded the resolution, which was a 13 point declaration "to ensure that sexual orientation or gender identity may under no circumstances be the basis for criminal penalties, in particular executions, arrests or detention." The statement received 60 votes in support, mostly from Europe and South America. Opposing the resolution, were the United States, the Holy See, and members of the Organization of the Islamic Conference. At the time, the Bush administration couched its objection to the measure in legal technicalities. Well, that was then. This is now: At the so-called 'Durban Review Conference' on racism and xenophonia underway in Geneva, Europe again put forward language condemning 'all forms of discrimination and all other human rights violations based on sexual orientation.' According to UN Watch, 'The Czech Republic on behalf of the E.U., with the support of New Zealand, the United States, Colombia, Chili (sic) on behalf of the South American states, the Netherlands, Argentina and a few others, took the floor in support.'"

The efforts unfortunately failed due to lack of support from non-European countries (South Africa on behalf of the African Group, China, Egypt, Nigeria,Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, Botswana, Iran, Algeria, and Syria), but the U.S. appears to be back on the correct side of the issue now.

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