Battlestar Gallactica actor Edward James Olmos describes his experience speaking on a panel at the United Nations a few months ago to mark the socially conscious television show’s finale. Bizarrely, Olmos claims the United Nations changed it’s charter to do away with the term “race” as a cultural determinant. He credits his appearance at the United Nations for this achievement. Via Airlock Alpha.
I’m not quite sure where Olmos gets this idea. Amending the United Nations charter is actually an enormous under taking. It requires approval and ratification by two-thirds of the member states of the UN General Assembly and each of the five permanent members of the Security Council according to each countries’ own constitutional process. Here in the United States, ratification of an amendment to the UN Charter (or any treaty) requires the support of two thirds of the senate. I appreciate Olmos’ sentiment, but needless to say, that has not happened in the last three weeks.