Human Rights Day – Engaging Peace

Today’s Assignment: Human Rights 365

Posted on December 8, 2014December 7, 2014 by kathiemm

Wednesday December 10 is Human Rights Day, a commemoration day for the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

The theme this year is Human Rights 365—that is, a reminder that every day should be a human rights day.

Brothers and sisters, we have a long way to go.

Racism violates human rights.
Slavery violates human rights.
Torture violates human rights.
Murder violates human rights.
Prolonged solitary confinement violates human rights.
Even severe poverty is a human rights violation.

Racism, slavery, torture, murder, prolonged solitary confinement, and severe poverty are not things people choose or desire. Nor, according to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, do people deserve such abominations, even if those people are different, annoying, foreign, other, scary.

The US government is fond of pointing the finger at human rights violations in selected other nations (not, generally, their allies), but such finger pointing is just another example of “Do as I say, not as I do.” All those human rights violations take place in the US today, every day, and all too many people are quick to find “justifications” concerning why racism , slavery, torture , murder, etc., are not human rights violations if done in or by the United States.

On Human Rights Day, 365 days a year, try to listen to a different drummer. Fight racism, fight slavery, fight torture. Raise your voice against murder, solitary confinement, poverty, forced feeding, unequal opportunity, and all the social injustices that infect our society and damage us all. Make the world a better place. Right here at home. Do what you can. 365.

Do you know your rights?

Posted on December 8, 2011December 7, 2011 by kathiemm

December 10 is Human Rights Day, a global day of observance, on which countries around the world honor the creation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the United Nations in the wake of World War II.

Before you watch this video, consider the statements below. Check off the statements you think are included in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, to which the United States is a signatory.

1. Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person.

2. Everyone has the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

3. No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile.

4. Everyone has the right to seek and to enjoy in other countries asylum from persecution.

5. Men and women of full age, without any limitation due to race, nationality or religion, have the right to marry and to found a family.

6. Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion.

7. Everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association.

8. Everyone has the right to equal access to public service in his country.

9. Everyone, without any discrimination, has the right to equal pay for equal work.

10. Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.

To determine the level of your knowledge concerning universal human rights, view the video at the beginning of this post, or read the Declaration itself.

Give yourself one point for each item that you correctly identified as being included in the UDHR and subtract one point for each item that you incorrectly included in the list.

Please let us know how you did.

Kathie Malley-Morrison, Professor of Psychology

Recognizing Human Rights Day

Posted on December 9, 2010July 6, 2011 by kathiemm

The United Nations has specified December 10 as international Human Rights Day in 2010. According to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, this year’s theme focuses on human rights defenders, who act “against discrimination, often at great personal risk to both themselves and their families” Such individuals are exactly the types of people whom we identify as morally engaged.

The High Commissioner also points out that, “Some human rights defenders are famous, but most are not. They are active in every part of the world, working alone and in groups, in local communities, in national politics and internationally.”

We invite you to contribute to the worldwide campaign for human rights by performing some act today that promotes those rights. One thing that you can do is join Amnesty International or at least participate in one of their letter writing campaigns on behalf of victims of human rights violations.

Human Rights Day comes just five days after International Volunteer Day (Dec. 5). It’s not too late to volunteer to help some human rights endeavor on a regular basis. As UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said, “Together, let us use the tenth anniversary of the International Year of Volunteers, which we mark in 2011 (IYV+10), to find new areas where volunteering can make a difference. Let us honour volunteering as an expression of our common humanity and a way to promote mutual respect, solidarity and reciprocity.”

Kathie Malley-Morrison, Professor of Psychology