"We want a society in which all are physically safe, economically secure, properly nourished and adequately sheltered, with access to equal educational opportunities and health care; and in which freedom of expression and assembly and the right to privacy are understood and respected. We want the society articulated in the UN's Universal Declaration of Human rights, the document the US refused to ratify (because of the guarantees of economic rights) and which the USSR likewise refused to ratify (because of the guarantees of individual rights). The time has come for us as human beings to demand that society guarantee both, and to NEVER settle for anything less."
That was the general thesis-type statement with which I concluded my first post. Here is a link to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights itself. http://www.un.org/en/documents/udhr/
It is high time that we all were fed up with the "realism" of leaders who tell us we cannot have BOTH the economic rights AND the individual rights which would be guaranteed in a ratified and legally binding version of this document. That is not realism; it is blind loyalty to dogmas which only amount to a choice of prisons: "Which dungeon do you prefer? That of insecurity, poverty, and being the pawn of fortune? Or the dungeon of silence, intimidation, and confiscated individuality?" Human dignity REQUIRES BOTH AND.
Franklin D. Roosevelt understood this, and in 1944 expressed with his usual eloquence a proposal for a second Bill of Rights to the U. S. Constitution, that would have made that document a more complete and perfect guarantee of the rights to which every human being is entitled. Here is an excerpt from FDR's speech: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KmdW3hFPjC0
Here are the President's own typed notes for the 2nd bill of rights section of his speech:
http://www.fdrlibrary.marist.edu/archives/images/exerpt_c.jpg
http://www.fdrlibrary.marist.edu/archives/images/exerpt_d.jpg
Both FDR's speech and the UN Declaration were composed in the 40's at a time when depression and war had ravaged the world, and when it must have been especially clear that something needed to be done, on both the national and international scale, to provide what guarantees could be made to affirm human dignity, and to prevent such massive violations of it as had just occurred. Sadly, memory is short, and no decisive action was taken with respect to amending the US Constitution, or to ratifying the UN's Declaration.
But it's not too late. Perhaps now is the time for us to demand BOTH AND.
I agree with you 100%!
ReplyDeleteIt seems that the first logical step in resuming that direction, is to examine history even further, to see why it DIDN'T happen.
I think you touched on part of the main problem towards to ratification of these things: detractors.
Detractors are AFRAID of change, essentially, because they often believe it leads to enslavement or other tragic consequences, so even the word "revolution" brings up images of unrest, revolt, madness in the streets, and so on, rather than reminding people of the very origins of our nation, or when revolution represents advancement (like the digital revolution); revolutions are not always like the negative stereotype.
Many of the average people in our nation, know just enough history to make them AFRAID of major changes, but not enough history to realize that it doesn't have to involve the destruction of our society, or enslavement of our citizens.
In the 30's and 40's, they feared totalitarian regimes like Nazi Germany or the Empire of Japan. In the 40's and 50's, the fear of communism was embedded into the psyche of our nation.
By the 50's/60's, there was a major change in our society, with youth culture, technological advancements. Things were multi-layered, like the "Space Race" - technological on the surface, with an image of a strong sense of idealism and moving toward the future, yet was primarily motivated and driven (financially) by Cold War concepts of FEAR.
Instead of socializing at movie theaters, people stayed home and watched TV. Music became more than simple entertainment and a backdrop for dancers and lovers, Musicians began using lyrics to express deeper thoughts, they showed that reality could be perceived in many other ways, beyond what we were just told to believe.
These days, people often forget just how CONCERNED the conservative elements of that time, genuinely FEARED the effects of this music these artists were making.
The consistent thread in ALL of this, is FEAR. Not just fear of the unknown, but fear of the KNOWN - fear of totalitarianism, because people have SEEN governments like the USSR and Nazi Germany, and so they propegate this fear of "governmental interference".
This seems to be an essential "sticking point". People fearing government interference, yet they want - even EXPECT - the government to "fix" all of the problems. We CAN have it BOTH ways, we only need to subtract the fears.
We need not lose our privacy and personal freedoms, in order to also be ensured to have economic stability and a roof over our heads. We do not need to turn our country into a totalitarian regime, for there to be security for all.
Financial security for all, does NOT "destroy" the free market system, nor does it erase personal advancement. It does not create a ceiling on what people can achieve, but instead, creates a solid floor, so that those who do not achieve, don't fall too far, and are given the POTENTIAL to acheive.
To cite a FEAR that the lower classes would abuse the system, is a gross over-simplification. With financial stability and security, hope thrives.
The answers consistently are to be found in the mistakes of others in history. Learn your lessons. Many revolutions (French, Russian, etc) have had similar situations. It is a fast way to destroy a potentially good society.
Our country is great. I believe in this country, though I am not blind to its faults. One of the keys to moving forward, is not only educating people beyond these fears, but cooperation.
We need to arrive at a place where we can all sit down and rationally discuss these topics. Not just dilute the solution to a point where it does no good - THAT is partly what derailed FDR's idea for the constitution, and the UN's ratification. We all need to reasonably look to the FUTURE. We can't move forward, if some people drag their feet, or fear.