RELIGION -- GROUP BLASTS ADMINISTRATION REMOVAL OF VIETNAM FROM LIST OF RELIGIOUS FREEDOM ABUSERS

[Don_1967]

On the eve of President Bush's first visit to Vietnam, the State Department yesterday dropped the country from its list of "countries of particular concern" (CPC) that are designated under the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 because of their governments' "systematic, ongoing and egregious violations of religious freedom." The State Department's decision came despite opposition from the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (UNCIRF), a bipartisan, independent government agency. "Severe restrictions on religious freedom and abuses continue in Vietnam in all of the areas cited by the State Department when Vietnam was designated a CPC in 2004," the group said in a letter to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. "Violations such as forced renunciation of faith and new arrests and detentions of religious leaders continue in Vietnam." In an interview, State Department spokesman Edgar Vasquez said that "Vietnam had released all religious prisoners -- one of the main reasons for its designation as a CPC." But according to UNCIRF, "although the Vietnamese have released prominent prisoners of concern, in the last year a dozen new arrests have been made and prominent leaders remain under house arrest."

[rpannier]

1. ...And karl rove says....

"HAHAHAHAHA...f**king whacko fundies really believed we gave a damn about them. We only wanted their votes."

[justinaforjustice]

2. Great Move, Bush, Say Goodbye to More Fundies.

This is terrific for Dems. Many more religious fundamentalists will desert the GOP. If the Republicans nominate Rudy for President, with his three messy divorces and gay room-mates, maybe the Fundies will even start their own party in time for 2008!