That's Not Right

The U.S. recently held meetings with China about human rights. Did they talk about China's record of brutal repression? Varying views of what human rights actually are? I'm not sure, but for some reason, Secretary of State official Michael Posner thought this was a good time to discuss Arizona's immigration law:

We brought it up early and often. It was mentioned in the first session and as a troubling trend in our society, and an indication that we have to deal with issues of discrimination or potential discrimination. And these are issues very much being debated in our own society.

It's one thing for Americans to discuss the wisdom of this law among themselves, but what has this to do with the price of human rights in China? Why would Posner be wasting anyone's time with this? (Even looking at immigration alone, China's policies are far worse than ours.)

I understand the strategy of not coming on too strong, not being too accusatory. (Though the quote above is from a press conference where Posner was beaming about how he put down America.) But it doesn't justify saying this nonsense. When you make these false parallels (as we've done before with other nations--"we don't let our homosexuals marry, you kill yours, we both have problems") all it does is make the other side think we're chumps who'll let them get away with anything.

We can make whatever points we need to make quietly, if that's the plan. But you don't have to believe we're perfect, or even wonderful, to recognize there is a signifcant gulf between us and non-democracies regarding human rights, one we should never forget or downplay.