On the recordJuly 8, 2013
When President Obama was awarded the Nobel Prize for his commitment to human rights, the decision was based on a misplaced hope rather than actual record. In fact, the Obama administration has been silent or inept in country after country when it comes to advocating for the oppressed, the marginalized, and the vulnerable. On Obama's watch, more than 118 Tibetans have set themselves aflame, and yet human rights was barely mentioned at the recent U.S.-China summit. On Obama's watch, genocide persists in Darfur, and thousands are starving in the Nuba Mountains, and yet the Sudan special envoy position has been vacant for nearly 4 months. On Obama's watch, Christians, including Egypt's ancient Coptic Christian community, have experienced escalating persecution throughout the Middle East, and yet religious freedom is relegated to the back burner in our dealings with Islamist governments. In the days ahead, I will highlight this administration's abject failure to champion human rights and religious freedom around the world. ____________________
