| For years I have been amazed as I've listened to | | | | availability of important immunizations to help with |
| people here in the United States | | | | the health of everyone in the |
| demonstrate their complete ignorance of the | | | | community.Perhaps nowhere has the UN played a |
| purpose and tremendous value of the | | | | more important role than in the volatile |
| United Nations, even to the | | | | Middle East and particularly with Israel and its |
| point of our country not paying dues to the | | | | unceasing dispute with the |
| organization. Ambassador to the United | | | | Palestinians. The UN has been helping that powder |
| Nations has often been viewed as a second-class or | | | | keg from exploding over all of |
| B-level diplomatic job and with | | | | us since June of 1948: UN observers and missions |
| the current Presidential perspective, the UN has | | | | have been in the region for over |
| become a troublesome entity and | | | | fifty years and it was UN envoy Ralph Bunche who |
| the appointment of an Ambassador a hassle. John | | | | is widely credited with negotiating |
| Bolton, denied the appointment, | | | | the cease fire between the Arab nations and the |
| knows what I'm talking about here.To understand | | | | newly formed nation of Israel in |
| what value the United Nations brings to the world, | | | | 1949. I, for one, am darn appreciative.I don't dispute |
| you have to start | | | | that the United Nations is an imperfect organization |
| out by understanding where the UN came from...The | | | | and that some |
| year is 1919 and the nations of the world have just | | | | of its efforts and leaders let their zeal and personal |
| suffered the ravages of the | | | | politics get in the way of their |
| first truly worldwide war, World War I. In response, | | | | better judgment. "Let ye who is without sin cast the |
| the war-ending Treaty of | | | | first stone," however: I expect |
| Versailles spawns the League of Nations "to | | | | an organization that represents the vast majority of |
| promote international | | | | nations on our planet -- the |
| cooperation and to achieve peace and security." | | | | only organization that even tries to accomplish this |
| Brilliant idea, but the Treaty itself | | | | important task -- to be flawed. |
| was so fundamentally flawed that World War II | | | | It's about whether the value of the UN overcomes |
| occurred anyway, even with the | | | | any shortcomings and, of course, |
| efforts of the League, and so the League was | | | | it does.You can see from my writing here, I'm |
| disbanded during WWII.In 1942, during the worst | | | | passionate in my support of the United |
| hours of World War II, United States President | | | | Nations, and I'm proud to be a long-time supporter |
| Franklin D. | | | | of UNICEF and the other efforts |
| Roosevelt gave a speech to the nation, a speech | | | | of the United Nations.That's why it's remarkable to |
| called the "Declaration by United | | | | me that our government would not only attempt to |
| Nations" during which representatives of 26 nations | | | | appoint a mediocre candidate to the position of |
| pledged their Governments to | | | | United States Ambassador to the |
| continue fighting together against the Axis Powers. | | | | United Nations (and really, what position can be |
| That speech is commonly | | | | more important in terms of the US |
| considered the formative event of the United | | | | view being represented in the always-changing loose |
| Nations, and in 1945, when World War | | | | consensus of world peace?) |
| II was ending, representatives from 50 nations met | | | | but then that it be rumored that President Bush |
| and drew up the United | | | | would bypass Congress -- the voice |
| Nations Charter, formally creating the | | | | of our nation -- and consider appointing Bolten as |
| organization.The UN was not meant to bring | | | | temporary ambassador to |
| "permanent peace in our times" but from the | | | | the UN directly?The irony, of course, is that the |
| beginning to offer a venue for argument, dispute | | | | very myopia that causes members of the US |
| settlement and discussions about | | | | government to be blind to the tremendous value |
| how nations could both be responsible members of | | | | and import of an organization that |
| the global community and stand | | | | truly represents the views of the downtrodden, the |
| up for their own rights and needs as individual | | | | third world, the poorer nations |
| nations, as unique cultures and | | | | and the disenfranchised is also the same |
| communities of their own too.When I hear people | | | | government that would move to |
| say "but all people ever do in the UN is argue" I nod | | | | circumvent the representative voice of its own |
| my head, | | | | citizens and appoint someone who is |
| but I think "of course! That's the point, the very | | | | not suitable for the job, has never been part of the |
| essence, the true | | | | diplomatic corps, is clearly not a |
| value of the UN!" And it is: imagine a world without | | | | brilliant statesman, and who just doesn't really |
| the United Nations. How do | | | | understand the role of the United |
| countries then argue about border disputes or | | | | Nations and how it, not the United States, steers |
| settlers meandering onto unclaimed | | | | the ship of world peace, how it |
| lands or trade disparities, or refugees from warring | | | | frequently steers our volatile world away from the |
| areas, or ... all the many, many | | | | brink of World War III.But then again, we can't even |
| topics that are heard on the UN assembly floor? You | | | | pay our organizational dues and claim that unlike |
| and I both know how these | | | | other nations our efforts under the aegis of the |
| would all be settled: through bloody and violent | | | | United Nations (our troops being |
| warfare, warfare where innocent | | | | part of peacekeeping efforts, for example) should |
| third parties, where children, families and even | | | | nullify any debt. Yet the IRS, for |
| passionate young men and women | | | | example, has specific rulings saying that "payment in |
| would be killed, all because their governments had no | | | | services" cannot be deducted. |
| venue to yell and have a | | | | Some branches of government apparently think that |
| calmer third party offer a path towards peace, | | | | debt can be paid through |
| settlement and a solution.That the United Nations has | | | | services rendered, while others don't.My view? Let's |
| a peacekeeping force is brilliant, but even without it, | | | | figure out what we owe, probably something around |
| even if the UN were simply a meeting place where | | | | $1 billion (which |
| nations could argue, complain | | | | sounds like a lot until you look at how our national |
| and disagree, I would be adamant in my support. | | | | budget is allocated today and |
| How can you not support | | | | how much per day we spend in Iraq and |
| something so critical to the cause of world | | | | Afghanistan), pay it, even over 2-3 |
| peace?But the United Nations does so much more, | | | | years as necessary and get back in good standing |
| with its health and welfare efforts. One | | | | with the United Nations. Then, for |
| example: if you are a supporter of UNICEF, the | | | | our own sakes and the sake of our children and the |
| United Nations Children's Fund, did you know | | | | world at large, let's identify and |
| that the organization won the Nobel Peace Prize in | | | | put forward a truly global ambassador, a man or |
| 1965? Or that UNICEF always | | | | woman who will represent our own |
| rebuilds schools in countries affected by terrible | | | | interests at the United Nations and help create a |
| natural disasters so that children | | | | world that is more |
| can continue to learn and grow? No organization I | | | | peaceful, safer, and sane.That's the best thing we |
| know has been more active with | | | | can do to promote a better world, after all, isn't |
| AIDS education in the third world, with helping | | | | it?Dave Taylor is a well-known blogger and leader in |
| women -- and girls -- have a voice | | | | the business community and has |
| and see the same freedoms men see in different | | | | been involved with the Internet since 1980. |
| cultures, with ensuring widespread | | | | |