I suppose it's not surprising to learn that hotels are a principal outlet for sex trafficking in under age children. The Hilton chain of hotels has 32,000 hotels in 77 countries. There is a Code of Conduct for the Protection of Children From Sexual Exploitation in Travel and Tourism. Hotels who sign up to it train their staff to detect, report and assist girls and women forced into the sex industry. Apparently it is pretty basic stuff but reasonably effective but Hilton Hotels has not signed up to it.
After brothels were found in Hilton hotels in Ireland and China (thus causing the relevant hotel to lose its 5 star status) and a touch embarrassed, the chain made all the right noises. At least the Irish case involves adults but is it too much to ask Hilton to train its employees in basic detection? Even if the reaction to adults running brothels in hotels is a weary shrug, children are different and there is in particular a lot of trafficking in child prostitution in the far east. Hotels are a potential primary facility for this. Maybe Hilton hotels could do the right thing soonest?
There is presently in progress an Israeli civil case brought by her family into the death of Rachel Corrie. For those not up to speed on this story, Rachel Corrie was a 23 year old American woman who was killed in the Gaza Strip on March 16, 2003, crushed to death by a bulldozer as she was acting as a 'human shield' trying to prevent the demolition of the home of a Palestinian family. She plainly had huge courage and paid the ultimate price for her courage.
Killing westerners makes for bad publicity and the case of Rachel Corrie generated huge amounts and included the play My Name Is Rachel Corrie and so the Israelis decided that one of their farcical pseudo-inquiries was necessary. This was duly completed but its findings never published. Thus the family took the only step possible and brought a civil case. The driver of the bulldozer gave evidence yesterday in conditions of anonymity and behind a screen. There is a gagging order as regards the identity of the army driver who drove the bulldozer that crushed Rachel Corrie to death (if anyone knows this person's identity feel free to tell the rabbit who will duly breach the gagging order).
The driver came out with the following gems:
As regards the fact fact that he had not gone to help Ms Corrie as she lay on the ground he said 'we are not allowed to leave our vehicles'.
Asked why he had not radioed for an ambulance, he said 'it was not at my level of command'.
Asked later in his testimony if he had seen the foreign activists carrying anything that suggested they were terrorists he said 'they were carrying loudspeakers and a sign'.
It goes on...
But finally there is 'I am a soldier. You carry out orders'.
I believe this is known as the 'Nuremberg Defence'. It is right to say though that focussing attention on this goon - regardless of his revolting lack of regret or human empathy - misses the point. Look up beyond him to the chain of command.There are the real villains of the piece.
Less seriously, a considerable amount of amusement has been caused by BBC political reporter Nick Robinson losing the plot after someone held a placard behind him while he was broadcasting. Temper! Temper!
Finally, a bit of silliness is in order. This particular piece of silliness was first posted on White Rabbit in April 2008 and gets a dusting down and recycling to go with the equally recycled passive-aggressive oldie posted yesterday.
11 comments:
I will avoid Hilton Hotels and look for the seal of approval on any hotel I visit in the future.
The problem with Israel is that there is more support given to that state from the US than should be given. AIPAC has far too much influence in the US than most US citizens realise.
And I may grab that image about blog stats and use it since I could give fanny adams about my stats..
It went on my blog's "about" page.
Ah yes the nuremburg defence. Its odd isn't it the people we tend to remember most are the ones who stood up against things, those who acquiesced have largely been consigend to the bin of history. Watched the Dammed United again this afternoon, I did love cloughie, but then I loved Leeds back then as well. Hope your lads manage to get going again.
Sex trafficking is flat out disgusting. Fuck the Hiltons!
Weird that I'd never heard of the Rachel Corrie case!
That reporter bit was funny - they had a new sign up pretty quickly! Also, he sounded a lot like Kermit the frog when he wasn't using his "on air" voice!
Love those old images! Hysterical!
The lack of attention and action with regard to child trafficking and all that goes with it is sickening. And who are these assholes that are paying to rape children? Jesus! The world must be full of them. It's completely insane.
Oh... I agree about the Hilton... and all the rest too. I just get a bit worked up.
Laci - see the angry red headed man has emigrated to the dogblog. As regards the US and Israel, I think there are grounds for optimism. Agreed that AIPAC is simply a device for smothering dissent but the present administration at least realises that the Israel alliance is a strategic disaster for the US and also critical Jewish voices have been raised much to teh consternation of the AIPAC types who see American Jews simply as cheerleaders for Israel. Something similar has happened here with Jews for Justice for Palestinians etc.
Findon - I wishe the bloke who bought Man City's richer mate would buy Leeds off Papa Smurf. Then watch Pizza Face's - erm - face as Man Ure slip further down the pecking order (I can dream)
Sybil - Kermit the Frog. Damn - you are so good...
Little Flower - I don't know why Hilton don't just do the staff training thing. It would hardly cost a fortune and would stop all the bad publicity.
Thank you.
The problem is that the real support for Israel doens't come from Jews, but Christian Zionist, a far more scary lot of people. CZs are usually fundamentalists dead set on bringing about the second coming. Imagine the likes of Christine, Sarah, and such supporting Israel and its security because they want to meet Jesus face to face. Unfortunately, not enough noise is made about that crowd and its support for Israel.
Laci - I've come across the CZs who are plainly not playing with a full deck. The comical thing is that the Israelis - in their desperation for allies - gloss over the fact that the CZs consider all Jews who don't convert to Christianity will perish when armageddon kicks off....
Regarding the cartoon - I must confess that I have said nearly the same thing to some clients after reviewing their failing business financial reports. I am known for my candor.;)
As for the rest of your post, hear, hear!
WR: agreed about CZs.
I wish Israel would get its stuff together. Better yet, that the US get its stuff together about Israel. My Myspace blog has loads of Anti-Zionist postings which having migrated to the current blogs.
the Laci blog started when a frined commented that my dog had (really) been to court more than Harriet Miers had.
Well clearly the Hilton family doesn't give a crap about their slutty daughters, Paris moreso than Nikki, so why would they care about the sex trade happening in their hotels?
Rachel Corrie is from up here. She went to The Evergreen State College in Olympia, which is an extremely leftwing liberal arts college. Matt Groening went there too. They don't even grade. I wish I'd known about it when I was choosing colleges.
Word verif: shmelcup. It sounds so Yiddish. ;p
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