Who is Michael Posner, and why is he apologizing to China?
Actually, I phrased the title question wrong.
Question: Who the hell is Michael Posner, and why the hell is he apologizing to China?!
Answer: Michael Posner is the former head agitator at the transnationalist Human Rights First, who represents the textbook State Department mindset of pandering to the worst America-bashers without hesitation or shame. Foggy Bottom isn’t just stuck on stupid. It’s stuck on American self-sabotage.
Longtime readers of this blog will recall that Posner had a significant role in the attempted George Soros-ization of Ground Zero in 2005.
Moreover, Discover The Networks reports:
Michael Posner has been the executive director of Human Rights First since its founding in 1978. HRF describes itself as a group that “works in the United States and abroad to create a secure and humane world by advancing justice, human dignity and respect for the rule of law.” In practice, HRF is an open borders group that opposes all government efforts to control illegal immigration and strengthen American national security. Posner received his B.A. in history from the University of Michigan and his J.D. from UC Berkeley; before coming to HRF, he worked for the law firm of Sonnenschein, Nath & Rosenthal. He has taught at Yale Law School and is a visiting Lecturer at Columbia Law School.
In September 2009, Posner became a key deputy of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s:
Michael H. Posner
Assistant Secretary
Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor
Term of Appointment: 09/23/2009 to presentMichael H. Posner was sworn in as Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor on September 23, 2009.
Prior to joining State Department, Mr. Posner was the Executive Director and then President of Human Rights First. As its Executive Director he helped the organization earn a reputation for leadership in the areas of refugee protection, advancing a rights-based approach to national security, challenging crimes against humanity, and combating discrimination. He has been a frequent public commentator on these and other issues, and has testified dozens of times before the U.S. Congress. In January 2006, Mr. Posner stepped down as Executive Director to become the President of Human Rights First, a position he held until his appointment as Assistant Secretary.
With all that background in mind, open-borders radical Posner’s trashing of Arizona’s immigration law at a meeting in China should come as no surprise. No surprise at all. The “Human Rights First” is to Blame America First. Posner has not disappointed his far Left colleagues in his new governmental position of authority.
The transcript via Lexis-Nexis:
Q Was there any areas in which China sort of turned the tables and raised its own complaints or concerns about U.S. practices around the globe or at home? Can you give some examples there –
MR. POSNER: Sure. You know, I think, again, this goes back to Ambassador Huntsman’s comment. Part of a mature relationship is, do you have an open discussion where you not only raise the other guy’s problems but you raise your own and you have a discussion about it? We did plenty of that.
We had experts from the U.S. side, for example, yesterday talking about treatment of Muslim Americans in an immigration context. We had discussion of racial discrimination. We had a back-and-forth about how each of our societies are dealing with those sorts of questions.
…Q (Off mike.)
MR. POSNER: I’m not going to get into the details.
We’ve expressed in the past, you know, our concern about the nature of the detention. And we certainly continue to be concerned about the fact that he’s in prison.
Q Did the recently passed Arizona immigration law come up? And if so, did they bring it up? Or did you bring it up?
MR. POSNER: We brought it up early and often. It was mentioned in the first session and as a troubling trend in our society, and an indication that we have to deal with issues of discrimination or potential discrimination. And these are issues very much being debated in our own society.
Q Did they — did they discuss anything about their concerns about Chinese visiting in Arizona? Any concerns raised?
MR. POSNER: No, that was not raised.
So: American diplomat Michael Posner, on a taxpayer-subsidized trip to Red China supposedly representing the best interests of Americans, proactively brought up the Arizona law “early and often” as an issue of “discrimination or potential discrimination” to smear his own countrymen in front of one of the world’s leading repressive regimes — so repressive, in fact, that Posner’s own boss, Hillary Clinton, once demanded that former President Bush boycott the Chicoms over their miserable human rights record.
Jay Nordlinger is rightly aghast: “Did we, the United States, talking to a government that maintains a gulag, that denies people their basic rights, that in all probability harvests organs, apologize for the newimmigration law in Arizona? Really, really?”
Yes, really.
Oh, and like Mexico (see “How Mexico Treats Illegal Aliens”), China has no qualms cracking down on illegal aliens:
For years, African traders seeking cheap goods direct from the source have flocked to Guangdong, the manufacturing province known as the “world’s factory.” For the most part, the African community in Guangzhou, Guangdong’s capital, has thrived. Markets are devoted to African buyers and whole neighborhoods cater to them. What was a community of a few hundred traders a decade ago now includes as many as 20,000.
But Guangzhou’s African community, China’s largest, is at a breaking point.
The country’s faltering economy is putting the squeeze on “Little Africa,” or “Chocolate City,” as locals call it. Numbers are down and business is suffering. All-important visas are being denied or granted only for the short term. Africans who allow their visas to expire — and many do — are often imprisoned and forced to pay a hefty fine.
In January, the Chinese government announced a crackdown on foreigners living illegally in Guangzhou, and, according to interviews with more than two dozen Africans working in the city, the community is facing increased persecution at the hands of police.
At the markets, talk of the crackdown is common.
“The knock on the door came very early in the morning and I knew straight away it was the police,” recalled Hugo, a 29-year-old trader from Aba City, Nigeria, who leans on a cane as he describes his most recent run-in with police.
“They’d been raiding homes and taking people away since August, so I knew they’d found me. I jammed the door shut and jumped out of the apartment window,” he said.
So when will the Soros-funded/Human Rights First mob be taking to the streets of Guangzhou with their “Stop the raids! Stop the deportations!” signs and condemning China’s immigration police in the middle of Tiananmen Square and hounding Chinese President Hu Juntao at his next public appearance as the new Hitler?
Oh, wait. They can’t do that, can they, Mr. Posner?
President O-bow-ma?
Anyone?
Like the Tea Party sign says:
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Categories: Immigration,Repression,War
Riehl World View
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Since Mr. Posner thinks America is so bad, I suggest he emigrate to the country of his choice.
ARIZONA: Illegal Mexican border crossers are asked for an ID card and sent home, after full rights of appeal.
CHINA: Illegal Afghani border crossing refugees are held without hearing in permanent detention, before having their organs harvested while still alive.
See… It’s just the same!
Obviously he wouldn’t want to move to China. He’d have so little to apologize for.
Yes. And afterwords, resign.
U.S. SOLDIERS GET highest medal for bravery Not from O admn., but from Germany. (mentioned it on another thread).
This is truly outrageous, unbelievable, until you consider who we are dealing with.
I heard this story last night, with the quotes from the interview.
As usual, Michelle quickly filled in the blanks about who this man is that I did not know.
Oh man, 2012 can’t come fast enough for me.
Imagine for a moment that we had a Conservative President who had appointed John Bolton as Sec of State, and he had filled this position with someone of his choosing.
How different would the message to the Chinese have been, and how different the response when they tried to obfuscate their own atrocities by smearing this country?
Now that BP has shown they can push a tube into a spewing hole from a mile away, let’s see what they can do to slow down these Obama Regime nut jobs.
I think this person would be happier employed by MSNBC.
There really is no possibility of living in the same country as these liberal, guilt-ridden nitwits. Sooner or later either they or freedom-lovers will have to leave. We cannot co-exist.
These liberals like Walter Duranty, the
attempt to skew history and uneducated people’s “perspective” of it to justify their existence.
Pitiful
A message needs to be sent to our liberal friends. They seem to have difficulty with the meaning of illegal as in Illegal Immigration.
il·le·gal /ɪˈligəl/ Show Spelled[ih-lee-guhl]
–adjective
1.forbidden by law or statute.
2.contrary to or forbidden by official rules, regulations, etc.: The referee ruled that it was an illegal forward pass.
I’m also confused as to how a federal agent would ascertain whether a person is in the USA legally or illegally. Wouldn they have to ask for their papers too based on the existing Federal Law?
I believe the United States brought up the question of Freedom of Religion to the Chinese. Had they been on top of their game, they would have asked the USA about the loss of it’s Freedom of Religion with regard to Christianity.
If the USA is such a terrible, awful, bad place then why are so many foreigners trying to come here?
Our enemies are now in control of this country.
In History? Whose History? It couldn’t have been American History! Posner is a poinyoin!
China is the perfect example country, they have a few rich people, no middle class the resat if not in abject poverty, are just one notch above.
As jjmurphy said: “”There really is no possibility of living in the same country as these liberal, guilt-ridden nitwits. Sooner or later either they or freedom-lovers will have to leave. We cannot co-exist.“”
I do not believe it will end well; there is no middle ground and I am not leaving.
===
An Armed Society is a polite society.
http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history-archaeology/Demolishing-Kashgars-History.html
If he and his former organization were truly concerned with Human Rights they would start by taking on the violators at the UN and that would keep them busy for generations.
As with George Bush l the UN is their god and without fault-it can not be wrong.
New World Order-GW Bush
and listen to former Presidential candidate Gary Hart.
They are to be feared.
===
Let your sidearm be like Master Card:
Don’t Leave home without it.
Make no mistake about it.
Team Obama isn’t just stuck on stuped. It’s stuck on American
selfsabatage.Just discovered I gave Ray Nagin way too much credit after Katrina … seems that he purloined the phrase “Chocolate City” from the Chi-Coms …
This is just another Obama Circus clown that should be arrested the instant he sets foot back on US soil and formally charged with “actions unbecoming a representative of the United States” …
That is exactly the same charge used by the military as the basis for charges when they court martial a member of our armed services for “actions unbecoming a member of the _______ (fill in your choice of military branch)” …
Everyone keeps saying they can’t wait for 2012 … that is too late … we have to start ridding our government of these anti-American officials in 2010 … if we don’t’ start now there won’t be much left to change in 2012 …
Everyone must stay involved … no more “silent majority” … if they won’t give us a “term limit” amendment then we have to enforce term limits by making sure no one is in office long enough to get entrenched with all the lobbyists … screw seniority in D.C.
Our government is working against us.
We either vote them out or they will sell us out.
People like this moron Posner simply take for granted the freedoms they have in America. The must think those freedoms exist in a vacuum. That is the only way that otherwise intellectually smart people, can be so mind numbingly stupid when it comes to putting something in perspective by making obvious distinctions that a third grader is capable of. These idiots act and speak as if they are ambassadors working for the United Federation of Planets in some old Star Trek episode, hopping the galaxy bringing their form of smug self-righteous indignation to all of us knuckle draggers.
I don’t care what some moderates say, for example, that Michael Medved radio guy… the truth is that obama really IS out to detroy America. This evil traitor hates America for some reason and is doing his best to bring us down.
He is the epitome of evil. Listen, if the Democrats win in November, and especially if obama wins in 2012, then I feel that it is safe to say that there is no God, because the God I believe in would simply never allow America to fall this way…
Errah, another mealy mouthed state department weasel, who has to check his spine at the door when he goes to work at foggy bottom. There’s a whole building of buffoons who tirelessly work 24/7 apologizing for the US. Its the same under both republican and demcratinc administrations
The problem is that people like Michael Posner subscribe to the idea of moral equivalence as a useful tool to engage other nations. They have this notion that America needs to be less arrogant in their condemnation of HR abuses by other countries and that by owning up to ‘abuses’ committed by the US takes away that attitude of arrogance. They have no idea that the image they actually portray is that of snivelling cowardice. It’s the Uriah Heep foreign policy position.
No, that’s not called ‘mature’–in politics/government that’s called suicide by stupidity. You, sir, are an idiot.
The administration has apologized to everyone else, Why not China? They’d even apologize to Satan because God kicked him out of heaven. After all, God was being discriminatory.
I’m agnostic, but if there is a God he is probably shaking his head thinking “I gave them free will and look what they did with it.” Or, he is thinking “Come on people, now is the time to show me what you are made of.”
Trashes AZ law to the Chinese Communists? Well, that fell on deaf ears.
Me thinks it’s getting more press in the west than in the east.
Maybe that’s the purpose.
China itself has an illegal immigration problem. Who are these border-jumping scofflaws that take jobs from native Chinese in China’s growing industrial cities?
Other Chinese citizens.
Rural peasants in China are restricted from moving to the big cities. Not only are they likely to be asked for their papers, they are likely to be returned to the countryside at best. Essentially they are deported within their own country. Where they are born determines what they are allowed to do and where they are allowed to live within their own county.
So much for migrants’ rights. But I’m sure it’s George Bush’s fault.
I guess they want to assure the Chinese we won’t be detaining and deporting the thousands of Chinese nationals that are now crossing the Mexican border.
Illegal immigration, it’s not just for Mexicans anymore……
VaPat, wow is that true?
There is not one vertebrate in this whole sorry administration.
Wow. University of Michigan. Doug Powers can’t be happy about that.
Let’s go wander around China as illegal immigrants, of course across their wide open borders, raise our USA flag, shout Viva USA and we demand amnesty, while some of our companions try to bomb Tienanmen Square. Then we’ll get an apology back from China. Heh, Heh.
America, please remember that when you vote and elect Democrats, you are giving guys like Posner the keys to the kingdom!
Elected Democrats fill too many appointed and staff position with these professional apologists who find it easier to blame the US for the world’s woes than those actually responsible; but then again, for this administration to do otherwise might mean they’d actually have to run the risk of offending their Chicom “$ugar daddie$.”
Wow, contradiction in less than a dozen words!
Posner mmmmm. Wonder if he is related to the that silver-tongued chief propagandist for Gorbachev back in the ’80s, Vladimir Posner?
Foggy Bottom and many elements of the Federal Government are thoroughly infiltrated by communists and similar sympathizer/collaborators. They have been undermining American interests and certainly Republican administrations for the last 50 years.
We need laws to pursue and prosecute people like this. Fine them or fire them at least, if not jail them…
Tre, no they are not, they just think they are. When the time comes Americans who believe in The Constitution will purge them from the landscape. Until we are unarmed, we are still in control.
Conservatives, the key is returning control to your state and neutering the Fed. The Constitution will show you the way. Read it, know it, and pass it along to the young. They will not learn it in public schools.
God is merciful and patient, but he is also a just God and will punish accordingly. He didn’t let his chosen people’s (Israel) sin go unpunished. He destroyed the wickely sinful and rebellious people’s of the Old Testament. He’s blessed every country, including the USA, that blessed Israel. And, He’s cursed every country that turned on Israel.
Why would the United States be any different? Those in power in this country have been removing God from all facets of our everyday life for over 50 years. The persecution and attacks have become relentless over the past decade or so. Christianity is the only safe target for the venom of the non-believers both publicly and privately.
The outcome has been foretold in the Bible. All one has to do is read and learn. The United States isn’t mentioned in end times prophecy. So it stands to reason this country will go downhill and from the looks of it, it’s happening quickly.
Regardless of what happens, I do know one thing – God is in control.
Cloward-Pivens strikes again…. Someone needs to slap this guy silly.
I wonder if posner bowed to this person before he started trashing our Republic? It is not china or the un business what the 50 states in our Republic does! How about you posner, this bho, and team clean up your act before you start trashing us before the world!
L
Gladys,
Yes, it’s true. Just in the last month the Border patrol stopped two trucks packed with Chinese illegal aliens.
VaPat, now the story gets more interesting and frightening!
I have a co-worker who used to be in the Border Patrol. He told me they caught people from just about any place you can think of. And this was back in the ’70s.
Or the ones coming by way of COSCO’s luxurious shipping containers at Long Beach harbor and other ports.
Yeah, he is all for the rule of law until he isn’t … typical leftist…
But only selected application of law.
I demand his resignation!
A Democrat doing what Democrats do?
When China holds so much of our debt, when china says jump, this administration asks how high.
Well, I’m a Michigan State fan, so the fact that he graduated from UofM isn’t surprising in the least. That place churns out so many lefties that Berkeley once sued them for copyright infringement.
My larger question is this: Why is Obama subcontracting his global apologies now? Too busy golfing?
http://hindenblog1.blogspot.com/2010/05/burn-chinese-apologize-for-human-rights.html
A few of my thoughts on this outrage de jour.
Plus, a look at Chinese immigration law…
http://hindenblog1.blogspot.com/2010/05/burn-fyi-chinese-immigration-lawsweet.html
Well, I’m stunned.
Who ever would have predicted this outcome?
Obama is not subcontracting. This is just blatant grandstanding by Posner to show The One that he has the right stuff to get ahead in this administration. He can grovel with the big boys.
He has the characteristics of a guy who wants to be on the fast track.
P.S. MSU grad? Just writing about Posner must give you a rash.
Huntsman should resign as ambassador or he risks becoming Ambassador Dumbass.
Too late…!!!!
Our leaders remind me of how I try to get dates. I start out by saying I’m selfish, childish, messy, and needy. . . so what you say we get together and do something we’ll both like.
I have no concept of what the state department expects to gain by publicly chastising America internationally without even mentioning the good things we have done around the world RECENTLY.
Um, yeah China, we do have Arizona, but we also helped Haiti to the point that they WANTED to become a state after their earthquakes, we helped Pakistan after their devastating earthquake, even after 9/11 was hatched on their soil. We helped Indonesia after their tsunami. We have given more AIDS relief help to Africa than any country ever in history.
We have done all of this without expecting anything in return. When we have an oil spill, hurricane, flood, or earthquake, we don’t expect help from anyone.
So if you want to talk about America internationally, talk about the incredibly selfless gestures we have done worldwide. . . INCLUDING Arizona where they teach kids of illegals, treat illegal medical needs, and police and protect their communities against people who would do them harm.
America is a place that people want to come to to become citizens. When China gets to that point, we can talk.
I’ll bet a pay check he is a CFR member.
I often look at financial statements from companies who have partnered up with China in pursuing commercial opportunities China and I am always astounded with how much money fools are willing to mix with the Chinese communists without any legal protection and knowing that there is no way they will make money without being on the same side of the government and cutting them in the deal. How much of this eyebrow-raising kow-towing is related to deals that are always “this close” to being poisoned if Obama doesn’t say this or that? Would it be impolite to ask?
This is what trillions of loose dollars floating in the vicinity of corrupt politicians looks like. But everyone is too polite to ask the question. Just like with all of those sanctuary city mayors in open-border states whose voters are near revolt demanding that the borders be brought under control. No chance that they are taking beaucoup dirty drug $$$$$? But let’s not ask the question. Obviously the system is corrupt but not the politicians.
I’ll let you go to Glenn Beck’s website if you want to see the worst case of all, the Cap and Trade deals corrupting almost every federal department at the very top levels.
No, that would President O-bow-Mao.
Posner: How many more apologies do I need to make?
China: With six you get eggroll!
There was no apology.
Mr Posner was less than helpful in volunteering the airing of our ‘dirty laundry’. Noting that we have issues is far different from apologizing for them.
Discussing facts is not apologizing.
So a Sovereign State wanting to protect it’s citizenry and enforce the rule of law is now “Dirty Laundry”? (yawn)
My favorite spelling is Owebowmao
No.
Talking about what is negative about what you are doing, or have done, in public (to the Chinese or anyone) is airing your dirty laundry.
Stating that we did not allow Women to vote is true, however it is also less than helpful to bring it up.
It is far more helpful to say that we have progressed, recognized that changes were made, and that we have successfully moved forward.
And, amazingly still, I offered no apology about Women lacking the vote, just stated the facts.
More importantly you have not challenged the truthfulness of my saying that there was no apology on the part of Mr. Posner. He merely stated facts and, acknowledged reality and history.
Will you acknowledge that we did not allow Women to vote? Should you publicly say so, will that be an apology from you, or simply a statement of fact?
Mr. Posner was not discussing “facts”. The “fact” is that the Arizona law is not discrimination. Since Posner is not discussing anything factual when it comes to Arizona, then your facts are flawed, non-existent and untruthful. You must work for the MSM.
***
HI VIRGINIA PATRIOT–#84. I think of our president as COMRADE OBAMA. Our State Department and government are filled with his liberal / socialist / statist / marxist / communist ilk.
***
Vote them out in the 2010 and 2012 elections. Losing an election is the only thing they worry about. They can ignore us at will until then.
***
John Bibb
***
Americans should never grovel in the presence of a Chinese Communist.
Discussing human rights with a ChiCom is like discussing abstinence with a serial rapist.
tinnamen is also a fact.
As I have mentioned before, Obama is not the problem. He’s simply the manifestation of it. Large swaths of our bureaucracy here in DC, especially in certain agencies like State, are overwhelmingly socialist. (EPA, HUD, HHS are others.) These bureaucrats are fully aware of Obama’s socialist agenda, and are fully supportive.
This man needs to be made an example by calling on the administration to fire this man. As to purging our government workforce of these individuals, it will take decades, if successful. And to begin, we need to reduce the size and scope of government to make it less attractive for socialists to work for it.
Did you read what Posner said? It was highlighted in bold. He said, “. . . issues of discrimination or potential discrimination.”
His saying ‘potential discrimination’ acknowledges that there might, or might not, be discrimination. Yep, he used weasel words and he gave himself wiggle room.
Now, where did he apologize? What were the words he used in his apology?
Agreed.
And, I would go even further. America should never grovel in the presence of any foreign country.
There is a certain irony in discussing human rights with China and caution should be used in presenting any moral equivalence to what they are doing, and have done, to what is happening in Arizona. It is not the same thing.
True, and I hope our representative brought it up in the discussions with the Chinese.
Well, I guess that would depend on how big a load of ‘Dirty Laundry’ he had to air, init tho?
Zig, your spinning is grotesque. Seriously, what media approved school did you get your degree from? The “potential issues of discrimination” tag came after he said issues of discrimination, as in he thinks the Arizona law is discrimination, but just in case it is proved to not be I don’t want to be on the record. I will bet as an Obama admin. person he, like Holder, has not read the bill. But, who cares, as long as public opinion is what we want it to be, doesn’t matter if it is wrong. Why would you ever excuse weasels handling foreign affairs? Don’t you think the President of the U.S. should pick better for us?
But, it is nice that the question was worded that what if Chinese go to Arizona and god forbid they be asked to prove their status? I guess someone messed up and implied that it won’t just be those Mexicans that will be targeted and is proving that the law was not written to be latino discrimination. I notice the media has been careful about that, slipped up here.
Your insistence that Posner did not “apologize” because he did not use the word sorry or some similar expression is splitting hairs. He was clearly justifying that the perceived “racial injustice” of one of the states deserves criticism and ergo, it was an apologia.
Not even his real name. It’s an acronym:
Piece
Of
Sh*t,
Never,
Ever
Right
Has any reporter asked Ms.Clinton what she thinks of her employee’s comments?
Why no blasting of Ms. Clinton!
No..no..no! Anyone who represents the United States to a foreign government has no right, none, zero, nada, to besmirch the names and the lives of Americans who shed blood protecting foreigners. When have the Chinese ever stood in defense with their blood of America. This is disgusting on so many levels and, even though I didn’t think it possible, sinks this Administration to a whole new low.