Online Human Rights petition
p2p news / p2pnet: Tracie Morrow believes kids in the US are deprived of an essential ingredient in their educations instruction on issues concerning human rights.
“The United States is known for being a forwarding force in the cause of human rights, yet the average school children never learns exactly what his human rights are,” she says in her petition, “to make human rights education and application a part of every child`s life“.
It reads:
We, the undersigned citizens draw your attention to these facts:
That abuses of human rights are a widespread problem and give rise to ethnic, racial and religious conflicts;
That in 1984, in the wake of the devastation wrought by World War II, the United Nations adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights;
That the Declaration represents a common standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations, and is endorsed by 191 U.N. member states;
That despite its truly universal character, it is little known by most citizens, and no nation diligently promotes and sees to its full application;
Therefore, we, the petitioners, call upon the government of this nation to implement in full the United Nations’ General Assembly’s appeal to all Member States to cause the Declaration
“…to be disseminated, displayed, read and expounded principally in schools and other educational instituations, without distinction based on the political status of countries or territories.”
and to:
“…strive by teaching and education to promote respect for these rights and freedoms… and to secure their universal and effective recognition and observance.”
(Thanks, DaBlade)
March 20th, 2006 at 10:34 pm
“The United States is known for being a forwarding force in the cause of human rights”
Do ya reckon>>? – so long as its in other countries
March 20th, 2006 at 10:56 pm
it has a small typo in it, it should read 1948
http://www.un.org/Overview/rights.html
March 21st, 2006 at 12:34 am
In addition to typos, the article has one glaring non-agreement between subject and verb!
>>> The average school children [sic!] never learns exactly what his human rights are.<<<
Make that either: children … learn … [their] … rights
or child … learns … his … rights.
Sorry to be so critical; but it seems that in addition to learning what our rights are, we need to learn some of the basic precepts of grammar.
Between Dan Quayle and George W. Bush, our leaders certainly butcher the language enough for all of us.
March 21st, 2006 at 4:08 am
It is the Creator, not Governments that gives human rights. It is the jon of governments to secure and protect these human rights. The U.S. Constitution explains these rights and the limitations of government. This is what should be taught. The U.S. Government as well as that of the U.N. is hopelessly corrupt.
March 21st, 2006 at 7:53 am
“The United States is known for being a forwarding force in the cause of human rights….”
The statement is not remotely true.
Actually, all over the world the United States along with many others is known for being a a repressive force in the cause of human rights. Just think: Slavery, Religious indoctrination of children, copyright cartels suing kids and their parents, drug cartel and crime control of neighborhoods, Irak, Vitnam, Cuba, perpetual politicians, lobby purchase of politicians, arms sale to poor countries, Saudi Arabia, Bush. Actually the list is endless.
Forward force? Betrayal is more like it and only naive Americans swallow the story line.
March 21st, 2006 at 8:15 pm
nuff said
March 22nd, 2006 at 12:43 am
Allow me to congratulate the human rights education petition and would like to call attention to the initiator of this petition that it is essential for the young, as well as for their parents to learn that human rights not just as a litany of violations but as the realization of a human rights way of life⦖learning to live in community in dignity with one another; as per Nelson Mandela: we have to develop a new political culture based on human rights. Young people preparing to join the world of adults need to know that the holistic human rights framework contain norms and standards which are moral, political and legal and provide a guideline for every age and on all daily concerns. We have no other option but human rights to have us all live in one world. It is absolutely essential that we call for human rights education but initiate a porcess with the children themselves together to develop human rights not as a form of âschoolingâ and the displaying of human rights documents, but as a form of socialization where attitudes are changed and human rights become a way of life. The young will tell us how to do it. I speak form experience having facilitated directly and indirectly program in more then 60 countries where the learning about human rights and the development of human rights cities is a way for people to move from charity to dignity from pessimism to hope. As we convince the authorities that human rights education is an imperative we need to take the responsibility and learn what we mean when we say: Human rights education? What are the methodologies, pedagogies and strategies that will make it a process for young people become agents of change. Let us develop this discourse further.
Shulamith Koenig, Recipient of the 2003 United Nations Human Rights Award. pdhre@igc.org http://www.pdhre.org