Mary Robinson defends herself amidst Medal of Freedom firestorm

[Scurrilous]

<snip>

"Former Irish President Mary Robinson has hit back at scathing attacks from American pro-Israel groups critical of President Barack Obama’s decision to award her the Medal of Freedom, America’s highest civilian accolade.

Describing the attacks as “unjust and unwarranted” Robinson rejected the notion that she has sided solely with Palestinians and insisted that, as a former United Nations Human Rights Commissioner, her role was to address human rights violations in a fair and unbiased fashion.

"I have made it absolutely clear and I’ve been totally consistent on this, that human rights is not on the side of either the Israelis or the Palestinians - it’s on the side of both,” Robinson said in a recent interview with the Irish Times. “If you’re a human rights person, you have to be fair; you have to be unbiased when you’re addressing situations of human rights violations. That’s the pledge of my life and that’s what I live by."

Leading the charge to have President Obama rethink his decision to honor Robinson is influential Washington lobby group the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). They join the Anti Defamation League, the Republican Jewish Coalition, the Zionist Organization of America and several politicians including Rep. Shelley Berkley (D. NV) and Rep. Eliot Engel (D. NY) in condemning the president’s decision."

<snip>

"The decision to award Robinson with the Presidential Medal of Freedom was defended by the White House.

"Mary Robinson was the first female president of Ireland, and she is somebody whom we are honoring as a prominent crusader of women's rights in Ireland and throughout the world,” said White House press secretary Robert Gibbs. “There are statements that obviously that she has made that the president doesn't agree with, and that's probably true for a number of the people that the president is recognizing for their lifetime contributions.”

Robinson will receive her award along with 15 other celebrated world figures at a White House ceremony on Wednesday, August 12."

http://www.irishemigrant.com/ie/go.asp?p=story&storyID=4915

[snagglepuss]

1. Glad she's fighting back, and that admin isnt backing down. nt

[aranthus]

6. The fact that she was a UN Human Rights Commissioner

is reason alone to deny her the award.

[bemildred]

2. I think "firestorm" inflates the issue.

"Fart in a windstorm" seems much closer to the case. But I'm glad to see she is taking the trouble to "defend herself" against these "accusations".

[IndianaGreen]

3. It is only a firestorm inside the heads of a bunch of psychopaths

The rational world applauds Mary Robinson.

[Kurska]

4. Applauds her sitting on her ass while anti-semitic thugs ran a UN conference. n/t

[azurnoir]

5. Is that what the WH said?

oh wait that's all that matters right?

[IndianaGreen]

8. Calling out Israel for the racism inherent in what passes for Zionism nowadays

was rather right on target.

[Tripmann]

7. I've said it before on this forum,

70 years ago Mary Robinson would be front and centre speaking about nazi germany. If we woke up tomorrow in a world where the Israelis found themselves imprisoned and blockaded Mary Robinson would speak out for them as well, make no mistake. She has served with absolute distinction in her UN role and deserves her honour.

The fact AIPAC take issue with this reflects infinitely more on them than it does on Mary Robinson. It has certainly been a PR disaster for them where I live anyways.

It IS possible guys, to disagree with the way the palestinians are being treated simply because it is wrong, WITHOUT there being any ulterior motive or malice towards anybody else.

This rediculous attempt to stifle and intimidate is as disgusting as when anybody disagreeing with the invasion of Iraq publically was labelled 'unpatriotic'.

[Violet_Crumble]

9. She doesn't need to defend herself against those whinyarse bullies....

First, she got her award for her work on women's rights. To some clearly women's rights mean zero compared to their neverending obsession about Israel, but to everyone else, winning an award for women's rights is a great thing to be applauded. Secondly, she got the award despite the incessant whining from those noisy twits, so let's all hope that eventually the lesson will sink in for them that they can't bully others into submission and they just end up making themselves look like complete tools...