OPINION:
The United Nations lowered its flag to half-staff outside its New York City building while all representatives of the Security Council joined in a moment of silence for the “Butcher of Tehran” — the now-dead Iranian president, Ebrahim Raisi, after he was killed in a helicopter crash along with his foreign minister and others.
That’s not so surprising. The United Nations is filled with anti-Israel antisemites. What is surprising — and outrageous — and disgusting — and horrific — is that America joined this expression of sympathy.
Where has America’s moral compass gone? It’s not as if the Joe Biden administration didn’t know of the butcher’s butchery.
The U.S. State Department, according to spokesman Matt Miller, has “been quite clear that Ebrahim Raisi was a brutal participant in the repression of the Iranian people for nearly four decades” and was responsible for “numerous horrific human rights abuses, including playing a key role in the extrajudicial killing of thousands of political prisoners in 1988,” Fox News reported.
And yet, when Russia and China and Algeria called for a moment of silence at the meeting of the Security Council, America’s deputy ambassador to the United Nations, Robert Wood, stood and bowed his head.
And yet, the State Department released a statement expressing, on behalf of the United States, “official condolences” for the butcher’s death, and ongoing “support for the Iranian people and their struggle for human rights and fundamental freedoms.”
And yet, Barry Black, the chaplain for the U.S. Senate, offered a prayer “for the Iranian people who mourn the death of their president.”
When evil dies, it’s a good thing.
That’s not to say Christians ought to be celebrating in the streets over the death of evil; Raisi, after all, was still a creation of God and for that reason alone, it’s sad to see souls lost to Satan.
But in between cheering in the streets and bowing heads in revered silence is plenty of gray area. Butchers do not merit moments of silence. Savages do not deserve flags lowered to half-staff.
That Joe Biden’s America does not recognize this moral boundary is frightening.
“I was an Iranian political prisoner,” Amir Fakhravar wrote at Fox News. “I know how horrible it was that [Joe] Biden honored the ‘Butcher of Tehran.’”
We all do.
Team Biden had a chance to stand tall on principle and moral righteousness — simply by refusing to stand during the moment of silence at the Security Council. Epic, meet fail. Once again, the message from this White House to the world is that terrorists, savages, brutal dictators and, yes, known and nicknamed butchers are worthy of honor.
That’s not just a slap in the face to Israel, to America’s allies, to all of civil and sane societies, to Americans who hold dear the notion of liberty and the spirit of freedom. It’s a slap in the face to God.
When evil is honored, God is dishonored. And that is what this White House has done.
• Cheryl Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com or on Twitter, @ckchumley. Listen to her podcast “Bold and Blunt” by clicking HERE. And never miss her column; subscribe to her newsletter and podcast by clicking HERE. Her latest book, “Lockdown: The Socialist Plan To Take Away Your Freedom,” is available by clicking HERE or clicking HERE or CLICKING HERE.
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