There is a rising sentiment against the United Nations (UN).
The response to my last post about the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) was immediate. Comments were left directly on my blog and on my Facebook feed as well.
Other than their work on climate change and Indigenous relations, I’ve never had strong feelings about the UN either way.
But, increasingly the growing frustration with the “globalist UN” has been a featured topic of conversation of my podcast playlist. And, as my writing has been focused on the UNDRIP over the last few weeks, I have an increasing awareness to the attitude, of some aspects of the public, toward the UN.
People are reacting very strongly to the United Nations. As a result, the work that they did on Indigenous rights around the world is taking a hit.
Personally, I think we can separate the two.
At least in my mind, the thorough and decades-long process of deliberative democracy, including people from many countries around the world, in an effort to change our collective behaviour with respect to Indigenous people, can be held up for what it is. And, we can be deeply, and thoughtfully, critical of the United Nations.
Removing (UN) from the (DRIP)
My challenge is with the wholesale approach to some of the comments. UN = Waste Heap. So, as an extension everything they do, equals a waste heap.
To some, and I am fully prepared to understand this perspective better, because the (UN) is in front of the (DRIP), then the 46 articles that make up the Declaration are less valid. From my perspective, we either agree with the articles because they are worthy and true, or there are specific concerns that need to be addressed.
If the latter is the case, let’s have that discussion.
So, if the (UN) in front of the (DRIP) is holding a considerable number of people from developing better relationships with Indigenous people then let’s just call it the DRIP. The DRIP it is.
Fact remains, we need to get on with changing our relationships in Canada.
The growing frustration with the UN will be something else to watch all together.
The Rational Wiki offers a pretty good summary in the section called “The UN and conspiracy theories” at this link — https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/United_Nations#The_New_World_Order_and_other_current_theories
While appreciating that the UN falls far short of a global mandate to bring any kind of political unity to our planet, recognizing what it has achieved would be an appropriate response. Like it’s predecessor, the League of Nations, the UN will find new meaning and new life when humanity reaches a crisis state that makes unity of purpose and thought, rather than greed and vested interest, the main impulse to work together.
In the meantime, we must honour and carry forward the good work it puts out, such as DRIP. The UN has been responsible for much good change in the world, but is now overwhelmed by both the increased need, and the lack of support. Until we recognize ourselves as one people, there is little progress they can make.