Yesterday, a statement on the decriminalization of homosexuality and protection of LGBT human rights was presented to the United Nations. The statement called on countries to protect LGBT from discrimination in hiring and housing, as well as a most important call to repeal laws the criminalized homosexuality or put a death penalty on it.

Among the Western nations that didn’t sign it, one name sticks out: The United States of America.

A report from The AP by writer David Crary tells us why:

According to some of the declaration’s backers, U.S. officials expressed concern in private talks that some parts of the declaration might be problematic in committing the federal government on matters that fall under state jurisdiction. In numerous states, landlords and private employers are allowed to discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation; on the federal level, gays are not allowed to serve openly in the military.

Oh, so it was a technicality. That makes me feel much better. On a day chock full of political B.S. — from Obama’s pick of Rick Warren to deliver the inaugural invocation to the news there’d be no openly gay cabinet posts — this story only adds to the frustration.

If it’s any consolation:

Carolyn Vadino, a spokeswoman for the U.S. mission to the U.N., stressed that the United States — despite its unwillingness to sign — condemned any human rights violations related to sexual orientation.

By the way, this is who the U.S. decided to side with:

A Bloomberg News report reveals the Islamic states’ preposterous reasoning behind their ongoing institutionalized homophobia and barbaric executions of queer people, women and children:

Syrian envoy Abdullah al-Hallaq, speaking on behalf of 58 nations, read an opposing statement warning that homosexuality could “usher into social normalization and possibly the legitimization, of many deplorable acts, including pedophilia.”

The envoy said espousing the rights of homosexuals infringes on guarantees of sovereignty in the UN Charter, and that the idea of “genetic factors” playing a role in sexual orientation has been “rebuffed repeatedly.”

Curious that the Islamic states and the American Christianists toe the identical party line, complete with precisely the same shameless lies about pedophilia, when it comes to equality for queer human beings.

I thought fundamentalist Christians didn’t like Muslims? I never thought they’d agree on anything. Ah… discrimination… it’s such a good commonly held belief to have.