The U.S. Should Lead in the Protection of Human Rights

DemocraticUnderground.com reprints an article by SAAD EDDIN IBRAHIM from the Wall Street Journal. Mr. Ibrahim was incarcerated by Egypt's Mubarak regime from 2000 to 2003. He is now a visiting professor at Harvard. I quote:

In 1948, the United Nations recognized the "inherent dignity" and "the equal and inalienable rights" of all human beings when it ratified the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Though this week's U.N. conference in Geneva claimed to stand for these noble values, the world's dictators were the real winners.

Too many official country delegates didn't come to Geneva to stand up for the oppressed. They came to condemn the "colonial powers" of the West and Israel. In so doing, they sought to guard against exposing their own regimes' human-rights records. While the delegates met in the official conference hall, the true defenders of human rights -- civil society organizations and dissidents -- gathered at their own conference where they examined today's most pressing human-rights issues.

Read more!

Comment: Not only are human rights under attack in many places, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is also under attack. The Universal Declaration was a great achievement of post World War II diplomacy, and particularly of Eleanor Roosevelt. While it is simply a declaration without force of treaty or law, it is the basis for a whole flock of treaties that implement its sentiments.

One attack is coming from religious leaders who feel that the freedom of expression should not extend to criticism of (their) religion. Certainly rights also imply responsibilities. I would say that the right to criticize religious beliefs demands responsibility to do so with care and concern for the feelings of others. It is, however, an important right. Think of the tragedy of Jonestown and other abuses of cults, not to mention the Inquisition and the Crusades. If we are not allowed to criticize that which is done in the name of religion, and indeed the beliefs of members of religions, how can we protect society from such abuses?

Now that the Obama administration is reversing Bush administration policies on torture and treatment of prisoners, and now that the Obama administration has announced that we are running for a seat on the United Nations Council on Human Rights, perhaps this country can again legitimately lead an international effort to protect the Universal Declaration and to promote respect for human rights. JAD

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Created by Seth Brau Produced by Amy Poncher Music by Rumspringa courtesy Cantora Records