I don’t know a whole lot about AI. I know the basics…that they are defenders of human rights.
I’m wondering what opinions people hold of AI. They claim that they are a non-partisan organization. I’m wondering whether those on the left and right would tend to agree with that, or whether one or the other would tend to view them as being either too conservative or too liberal.
Thoughts?
They are kind of like an international ACLU and are seen as a very liberal organization overall. They don’t strictly follow left-right political ideology but most of their support comes from the left.
I would say they are pretty strongly partisan at least in the types of people they attract.
I don’t think the organization itself is partisan. Perhaps more liberals tend to be interested in the particular issues AI addresses.
I hope we liberals don’t have a monopoly on support for human rights.
I remember a fair number of conservatives voicing support for AI during the 80’s and early 90’s. Once AI started raising criticisms about US activities, however, they were labelled an anti-American, left-wing fringe group.
AI used to be perceived as more non-partisan in the US back when AI was ragging on communist and socialist oligarchies for human rights abuses as well as right wing fascists in Central America and just about everybody in Africa and the Middle East (OK, I exaggerate here, but phew! what a lot of stinkers in that bunch!).
But when Bush and Co. turned the US into just aother bunch of fucking torturers, AI ragged on the US, too (since AI actually is non partisan). This was an implied criticism of the Bush Admin and pretty much turned the US right wing against AI since IOKIARDI.
I really hate hypocrites.
I thank you for your input. I’ve asked because I’m interested in becoming a member and becoming involved. As a Canadian conservative, I’m just wondering whether I’ll find myself with a group that embraces members of a diversity of viewpoints, which I believe important, or if the vast majority will be progressives against whom I’ll just constantly be on the defensive.
I have no problem with criticism of the U.S. or Canada or any other Western nation, provided that the criticism has merit. However, with anti-Americanism (mostly, in my opinion, of the uninformed variety) so common among the Canadian left – and some on the right, for that matter – I fear that I just won’t be able to stomach the rhetoric.
This, of course, is not meant to insult anyone, nor is this to be a debate on my beliefs or any other beliefs.
Would you say that as a conservative, I’ll find myself welcome in this organization?
Yes, without a doubt. I’ve been active in AI off and on since the 1980s and I’ve found them particularly adept at picking on both sides of the fence. They’re a single-issue advocacy group that will focus on human rights abuses regardless of where they appear. I’ve written letters and such against left-wing oppressors and right-wing oppressors. It’s very egalitarian that way.
I do agree that the people they tend to attract tend towards the left more than the right but I don’t think that’s their fault. I think that’s more a sociological phenomenon that anything they’ve done actively.
Also, you always have the right to pick and choose which issues and abuses you, personally, want to communicate about. No one will force you to do anything you don’t want to do.
Yes, there’s some beating up of the US lately but, frankly, with the detainees in Guantanamo it’s not really surprising. Even if you agree they should be there it appears on its surface to be a system ripe for human rights abuses.
Umm, no. AI has been “ragging” on the US long before even Bush I. The USA was listed years ago by AI as one of the nations that keeps “political prisoners”. AI can’t get any “cred” in the 3rd World unless it “hates” the USA also.
AI has always seemed to me to be a group that is very upfront and open about it’s view, aims, and goals. As such I’ve always had a great deal of respect for it.
There are times, however, that I do disagree with some of their specific projects. As a broad example, AI is adamantly anti-death penalty. Which is their privelege to feel and advocate that way. But I don’t always agree with their position that issue.
But that does nothing to change my view of AI as a group ‘fighting the good fight.’ Of course that’s also how I feel about the ACLU, too. I just wish I felt that more self-labelled conservatives would share my feelings about these groups.
On preview: To add to what DrDeth says: AI has always been very open about condemning the US for allowing any death penalty trials to be carried out, let alone executions.