UPDATED: Worst Possible Person Selected to Run Refugee Division of State Department; Tells U.N. Racism & Xenophobia Not Important

In March 2018, Smart Dissent wrote about Andrew Veprek. Please click here to read that post.

We said Veprek is an example of the worst possible person being selected to lead a division charged with making humanitarian decisions and saving lives. He had been working in the White House closely with heinously evil Stephen Miller prior to being appointed by Trump to a top State Department post overseeing refugee admissions.  And yet, Veprek holds very strong anti-immigration views.

This is going exactly how you would expect which is horrifying and infuriating.  This is what happens when literally the worst people possible are appointed by the Trump White House.

A Trump administration appointee to the State Department tore into standard UN documents that condemn racism as a threat to democracy. 

The deputy assistant secretary for refugees and migration....disputed the idea that leaders have a "duty" to condemn hate speech and incitement, and repeatedly rejected use of the words nationalism, populism, and xenophobia....repeatedly argues against using the word "xenophobia," or the fear of foreigners....

Veprek also pushed to soften language about fighting racism and about racism in politics in his proposed amendments to a UN Human Rights Council resolution titled "The Incompatibility between Democracy and Racism" that is adopted without a vote, with much of the same language, every few years.

These are racist, xenophobic, terrible people with the ultimate power until we vote them out.  Just read these words below:

Veprek....struck out an entire section that links fighting racism with building a diverse democracy, crossing out the language, "acknowledging the linkage and complementarity of the combat against racism, racial discrimination and xenophobia with the long-term construction of a democratic, non-discriminatory and multicultural society, based on the recognition, respect and promotion of cultural, ethnic and religious diversity."

Veprek instead makes a case against multiculturalism in his comments. "What's the evidence for such 'complementarity?' Some commentators assert that a unifying culture (as opposed to multiculturalism) is the best way to promote social trust and combat racism."

Wow. Why does Veprek get any say in this?

It's unclear if Veprek has the authority within the State Department to make changes to the documents, which are full of crossed out sentences and other comments vigorously contesting the UN statements.  Shortly after the edits were suggested, the US announced it was leaving the Geneva-based Human Rights Council.

 It's as if this administation is actually aware of their own racism and therefore wants the language removed.

Rob Berschinski, a former deputy assistant secretary of state for human rights and member of the National Security Council under President Barack Obama, called Veprek's changes to the documents "explosive."  "It seems clear (Veprek) feels the UN language is targeted at the Trump administration, when it mentions racism in political circles," Berschinski told CNN. "Clearly, he is making these edits to reduce the power of the resolution, as relates to racism in politics."

Source:

http://smartdissent.com/article/worst-possible-person-selected-run-refugee-division-state

https://www.cnn.com/2018/06/29/politics/veprek-state-dept-un-racism/index.html