Score another one for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris
On Wednesday, the White House marked Human Rights Day by issuing a detailed fact sheet that highlights the Biden-Harris administration’s global human rights accomplishments over the past four years. This document is a reflection of principled global leadership fueled by a commitment to prioritizing human dignity. Unfortunately, it may be years until we read such a document again.
The accomplishments are remarkable in both their breadth and depth, ranging from “protecting brave individuals defending life and liberty to securing some of the largest political prisoner releases in recent history, to holding account those who misuse technologies like commercial spyware for human rights violations and abuses” and working “to support human rights defenders, civil society and journalists.” Under the Biden-Harris administration, there have been three historic Summits for Democracy, which have generated millions of dollars in commitments to support democratic initiatives.
Under President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris’ leadership, they have held countries that have violated human rights accountable, and made strides toward improving the status of women and girls and protecting defenders of LGBTQI+ human rights. According to the White House, the “United States is strongest” when it leads the way in promoting human rights pursuing justice for Americans and people around the world.
By contrast, we can all just imagine what sort of human rights “commitment” we’ll see under the Trump-Vance administration. Trump’s first time in office showed his penchant for cozying up to authoritarian leaders like Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong-un while attacking democratic allies. His second term will no doubt continue the pattern of gravitating toward flatterers and favoring transactional dealings while ignoring or downplaying human rights abuses, such as the gruesome murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018 following his criticism of the Saudi government.
As this fact sheet makes clear, the Biden-Harris administration’s record in this one area in just a single term shows what a government known for its competence, moral compass, and empathy can accomplish even in such a short time. It’s the kind of leadership America needed after Trump’s failed, chaotic term—and it’s no doubt what this country will sorely need after the human wrecking ball has finished acting on his new round of tantrums.
Ron Leshnower is a lawyer and the author of several books, including President Trump’s Month