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Greg in the Afternoon: Natasha Richardson taken off life support; U.S. to support U.N. gay rights declaration
*** After a day of conflicting reports, it seems the saddest news is true: the family of film and stage actress Natasha Richardson has gathered in a New York hospital to say goodbye. The 45-year-old Tony winner was critically injured in a freak ski accident in Canada that resulted in a brain injury leaving her on life support, according to various news stories. Her husband Liam Neeson, mother Vanessa Redgrave and sister Joely Richardson were among those with her. Columnist Liz Smith reports: that Natasha has been taken off life support at Lenox Hill Hospital writing that”Word is in at 1:30 PM WEDNESDAY they have taken Natasha off of life support.”
*** I must say, so nice to not have George Bush in office anymore for so many, many, many reasons. Here’s something that would have never happened during our eight-year national nightmare: The Obama administration will support a United Nations declaration affirming that sexual orientation and gender identity are included in international human rights protections, according to the Associated Press.
According to officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because Congress was still being notified, the Obama administration had reviewed the reasons why the Bush administration opposed the declaration, and had decided to notify its French sponsors that the United States would support it. One official said that the United States was concerned about “violence and human rights abuses against gay, lesbian, transsexual, and bisexual individuals” and was also “troubled by the criminalization of sexual orientation in many countries.”
The Bush administration rejected the non-binding declaration on technical legal grounds concerning federal and state jurisdiction over gay rights.
Here is a statement from the State Department: “The United States supports the UN Statement on “Human Rights, Sexual Orientation, and Gender Identity,” and is pleased to join the other 66 UN member states who have declared their support of this Statement that condemns human rights violations based on sexual orientation and gender identity wherever they occur. The United States is an outspoken defender of human rights and critic of human rights abuses around the world. As such, we join with the other supporters of this Statement and we will continue to remind countries of the importance of respecting the human rights of all people in all appropriate international fora.”You can read the exact statement from the U.N. on Advocate.com.
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