Part 2 of Human Rights

Part 2 of Human Rights blog (here’s a link to the first part: http://dontthinkaboutittoomuch.blogspot.com/2011/11/that-staggering-number.html)

Article 1: All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.

There are 29 other essential articles in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: made by the UN in 1948. Since then, there have been over a hundred million (about the population of Pakistan) deaths that could have been prevented if everybody followed this document. I know when I hear "follow this document" I wince and contemplate whether I'll have to compromise my own opinion. But don't worry: this particular document isn't hard to adapt to. This is simply because it takes the most basic components of our elementary Homo sapiens soul and literally, spells it out on paper. So, unlike what I originally planned (which was to yell at some of the leaders of the world in an angry rant), I’m going to be rational. I’m going to try my hardest to make as many people aware of the fact that practically 1% of the world’s population (40,000,000 people) is still a slave. And that about 80% of the world’s population is persecuted in some way (race, color, religion, gender- you name it) every day. And like I said before, it isn’t just being treated fairly that I’m anxious about- people’s lives hang in the balance. They say about two people die every second… every ten seconds: somebody dies from human rights related issue. An issue that could’ve been resolved by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: if only somebody important paid any attention to it.

The majority of the document takes our worst mistakes in all of history (i.e. child labor) and transforms them into a self-explanatory guideline like: no slavery for example. Now, watch as I dissect this two word statement of "no slavery" into manageable parts of any human’s personality. Correct me I'm wrong but isn't slavery basically the ownership of another of your species? First of all, if you have the guts to call yourself "better" than any other- you display outward signs of severe Narcissism (and you wouldn't want that). Second of all, you lack the full capacity to love which goes against our very nature. I can do this “analysis” for every other Article in the Declaration of Human Rights and come up with similar results.  

Unless you are a heartless, selfish, greedy person with absolute no interest in preservation of human life, you’re probably asking yourself right now, “So why hasn’t anybody done anything about it?” The unfortunate answer is a lot of people either don’t care or they don’t care enough to do something about it. There hasn’t been one president, leader, dictator, or whatever you want to call it that has even considered making human rights one of its highest priorities. And here is where I can give you no more theories, hypothesis, or even answers because I’m confused as well. If every leader of the world isn’t greedy, selfish, or heartless then why haven’t they done something about it yet. Unfortunately, I don’t have access to ask these questions but I do know one, long, grueling process that will make a difference.

So now you’ve come to the end of an eye-opening report about the lack of human rights in this world and you don’t know what to do with yourself. Well, do what some people consider humans to do best: let your vocal chords run rampant. Say something. Fight back.  Whisper about it to someone in class. Yell your frustration to anybody that will listen. Use your words to entrance somebody in a mind-numbing state that asks: Why haven’t I done anything about it yet? Call your friend. Call the president and explain that something needs to happen pronto. The more people that know about this crisis, the stronger “the better angels of nature” will eventually subdue that overwhelming stench of what’s evil.

The phrase in the quotation came from the man who helped abolish slavery: Abraham Lincoln. Here’s the excerpt of his First Inaugural Address that I think sums up this week’s blog nicely.

“I am loath to close. We are not enemies, but friends. We must not be enemies. Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds of affection. The mystic chords of memory, stretching from every battle-field, and patriot grave, to every living heart and hearthstone, all over this broad land, will yet swell the chorus of the Union, when again touched, as surely they will be, by the better angels of our nature.”

This is where I got the picture:

AntiSlaveryLogo.gif

To see the whole Declaration:

http://www.un.org/en/documents/udhr/

This is the project I'm most currently working on in my own efforts to help   human rights:

http://www.freethechildren.com/

Whether you want to blather, complain, wail, yell, voice, clamor, bark or bellow at the presiden (actually about anything): call this number-

202-456-1111

 

Thank you to Mr. Rast who first presented me this neglected but important document, and thank you to those who already have done something about this and our currently taking a stand: you got my vote.