Privately, other Western governments were taken aback and
watched the weeks of negotiations with dismay as it became clear that
American negotiators wanted consensus at all costs. In introducing the
resolution on Thursday, October 1 — adopted by consensus the following
day — the ranking U.S. diplomat, Chargé d'Affaires Douglas Griffiths,
crowed:

"The United States is very pleased to present this joint
project with Egypt. This initiative is a manifestation of the Obama
administration's commitment to multilateral engagement throughout the
United Nations and of our genuine desire to seek and build cooperation
based upon mutual interest and mutual respect in pursuit of our...

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Privately, other Western governments were taken aback and
watched the weeks of negotiations with dismay as it became clear that
American negotiators wanted consensus at all costs. In introducing the
resolution on Thursday, October 1 — adopted by consensus the following
day — the ranking U.S. diplomat, Chargé d'Affaires Douglas Griffiths,
crowed:

"The United States is very pleased to present this joint
project with Egypt. This initiative is a manifestation of the Obama
administration's commitment to multilateral engagement throughout the
United Nations and of our genuine desire to seek and build cooperation
based upon mutual interest and mutual respect in pursuit of our shared
common [quack quack quack quack quack]."

The new resolution, championed by the Obama administration,
has a number of disturbing elements. It emphasizes that "the exercise
of the right to freedom of expression carries with it special duties
and responsibilities…" which include taking action against anything
meeting the description of "negative racial and religious
stereotyping." It also purports to "recognize … the moral and social
responsibilities of the media" and supports "the media's elaboration of
voluntary codes of professional ethical conduct" in relation to
"combating racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related
intolerance."