Have You Done Your Anti-Corruption Day Shopping?

Following hard on the heels of Love Your Lawyer Day comes its ideological twin.  The United Nations has announced that December 9th will be Anti-Corruption Day.  That's right quinoa got an entire year but anti-corruption gets twenty four hours.

For those of you who can't help thinking that the UN promoting Anti-Corruption Day is rather like hyenas promoting Anti-Scavenger Day I would respectfully point out that this is the same organisation that put Cuba, Kazakhstan and Saudi Arabia on its human rights commission.  For those of you who think that western civilisation is the source of all evil in the world I might just mention that the USA and the UK are members too so no matter what your ideological bent the human rights commission has something to disgust everybody.

Anti Corruption Day is being sponsored (if that's the right word) by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Organised Crime.  I didn't realise that the UN had such a body and I must admit I fail to see its point.  Drug trafficking and organised crime have been flourishing for years, I'm sure they don't need the assistance of the UN.  Nevertheless its good to see them raising awareness about corruption.

This is what the day is all about, raising awareness.   Essentially it is a UN organised shout out; "Hey! Corruption happens!  And, on balance, its probably a bad thing!  Can I have some money now?"  With such weapons does the UN fight the ingrained habits of several thousand years of human behaviour. 

Let's face it, corruption has been with us a long time.  The opportunity to abuse a position of trust is traditionally one of the perks of having it.  Its only in the last few centuries that people, or at least some people, have been getting all uppity about the fact that their office bearers and civil servants are no more trustworthy than they are.  Indeed corruption has been woven in with the human condition for so long that we could probably claim any attempt to remove it is an act of cultural genocide and utterly disrespectful of the traditional rites and practices of the indigenous population (whoever and wherever they may be).  I would love to see the UN trying to wrap their collective skulls around that one.

One would think most people would be pretty aware of corruption whether its because some sleazebag politician rezoned the land next to the local school for a lead refinery or because a friend who's a police officer just helped you out with a speeding ticket.  Nevertheless the UN feels that awareness needs to be raised and I'm doing my little bit to help.  So with corruption dealt a mortal blow at the hands of the crusaders (or jihadists if you prefer) at the UN we can all look forward to a happier, healthier and wealthier tomorrow.  Except, of course, for all of the people who used to be corrupt.  Those suckers are going to starve.