Two weeks at the UN crafting language and monitoring what is going into important international documents can be somewhat grueling for representatives from United Families International. But the ones who really have it bad are the UN delegates and diplomats from around the world who are of the pro-family, pro-life persuasion. They are forced to sit through the negotiations listening to people pontificate, treat them in condescending ways, and they endure endless posturing and manipulation.
They have to solemnly nod their heads as other diplomats propose things that are outlandish, ineffectual, and sometimes downright stupid. They are constrained from speaking their mind—telling the gathered body exactly where their hearts and their values actually lie—by directives from their various capitols, by a desire to not alienate in order to retain funding for their country, by knowing that speaking out could jeopardize their careers, and oddly enough, they are constrained by diplomacy.
During a brief and insightful conversation with a “family friendly” delegate this week, I listened as she lamented all of the above. She elaborated on the silliness of diplomatic training and how “speaking the truth” was not part of the program. “So many bad things are passed here at the U.N., so many bad things are foisted upon the world, all in the name of diplomacy,” she said. “Too much diplomacy is evil.”
I asked her if I could quote her. “Sure!” she replied. “But just don’t use my name,” she continued with a wry smile. “I just wish people knew what really goes on …”