The Meat of the Matter

Untied Nations

No, the heading is not a typo. Forbes has reported that the UN is "aiming to bring a "modern day epidemic" of junk e-mail under control within the next two years by standardizing of legislation around the world to make it easier to bring prosecutions ... " This article made me pause for several reasons. In 2000, the UN made it's Millenium Declaration, organizing its goals under seven categories: 1. peace, security and disarmament; 2. development and poverty eradication; 3. protecting our common environment; 4. human rights, democracy and good governance; 5. protecting the vulnerable; 6. meeting the special needs of Africa; and 7. strengthening the United Nations. Under which category would "decreasing e-mail spam" fall under? Arguably "protecting the vulnerable" but still this announcement by the UN makes me wonder if it isn't trying to reinvent itself. Did GWB's snubbing of the UN prior to our war with Iraq give the UN the desire to reinvent itself? Granted, a world-wide governing body designed to aid global standardization and legislation to protect the effectiveness of the internet is necessary. I applaud anyone who attempts such a titanic feat. But is this really a role for the UN? Not as I remember the UN from my history class. But recent history has most certainly changed the UN's role, whether any of us wanted it to or not.