Law and Order: The Rules of the Game

Law and Order: The Rules of the Game

Aug 16, 2022

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) contains 30 separate articles each addressing a specific right. This blog post focuses on Articles 6-11 which are all related to law and order. Law and order are necessary to keep a civilization running smoothly. This is similar to a game where each person needs to know and follow the rules or there really is no game, only chaos.

These six articles read as follows:

Article 6: “Everyone has the right to recognition everywhere as a person before the law¹.”

Article 7: “All are equal before the law and are entitled without any discrimination³ to equal protection of the law. All are entitled to equal protection against any discrimination in violation of this Declaration and against any incitement⁴ to such discrimination.”

Article 8: “Everyone has the right to an effective remedy by the competent national tribunals⁵ for acts violating the fundamental rights granted him by the constitution or by law.”

Article 9: “No one shall be subjected to arbitrary⁶ arrest, detention or exile⁷.”

Article 10: “Everyone is entitled in full equality to a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal, in the determination of his rights and obligations and of any criminal charge against him.”

Article 11: “(1) Everyone charged with a penal offence has the right to be presumed innocent until proved guilty according to law in a public trial at which he has had all the guarantees necessary for his defence. (2) No one shall be held guilty of any penal offence on account of any act or omission which did not constitute a penal offence, under national or international law, at the time when it was committed. Nor shall a heavier penalty be imposed than the one that was applicable at the time the penal offence was committed.”

It is important in any society that citizens know what is considered acceptable behavior. Laws communicate that. A good justice system ensures laws are followed by everyone. No one, including those in charge, is above the law. And if the laws are broken, a working justice system administers the appropriate penalty for the violation.

As stated above, a game with no rules or people not following the rules is chaos and if it is not fixed, will eventually result in no game at all. Hence the need for law and order in society without which will result in no society or civilization at all. It is so important that the writers of the Declaration included six articles on this topic.

 

 

 

Definitions from: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/

¹Law

1  : a binding custom or practice of a community : a rule of conduct or action prescribed or formally recognized as binding or enforced by a controlling authority

²Law and Order

1  : the enactment of laws and their strict enforcement by police and the courts

³Discrimination

  • : prejudiced or prejudicial outlook, action, or treatment

: the act, practice, or an instance of discriminating categorically rather than individually

  • : the quality or power of finely distinguishing

3    : the act of making or perceiving a difference : the act of discriminating

⁴Incite

     : to move to action : stir up : spur on : urge on

⁵Tribunals

  • : a court or forum of justice
  • : something that decides or determines

⁶Arbitrary

  • : existing or coming about seemingly at random or by chance or as a capricious and unreasonable act of will
  • : not restrained or limited in the exercise of power : ruling by absolute authority

: marked by or resulting from the unrestrained and often tyrannical exercise of power

  • law : depending on individual discretion (as of a judge) and not fixed by law

⁷Exile

  • : to banish or expel from one’s country or home
Treat People with Kindness

Treat People with Kindness

Jul 7, 2022

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) contains 30 separate articles each addressing a specific right. This blog post focuses on Article 5 which reads: “No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.”

Again, for most human beings, it is crazy that this even has to be said. However, you can glance at news headlines nearly every day and find a story where this human right is violated somewhere in the world.

“A man arrested on suspicion of killing three people and wounding several others during a shooting at a shopping mall in Copenhagen, [Denmark] is being held in a psychiatric facility for 24 days, Danish police said on Monday. The 22-year-old Danish man was known to psychiatric professionals, police said earlier.” cnn.com/2022/07/03/europe/copenhagen-mall-shooting-intl/index.html

“Highland Park, Ill – Police launched a massive manhunt Monday for a rooftop shooter after at least six people were killed and 24 more were injured at a July Fourth parade in an affluent Chicago suburb, authorities said.” msn.com/en-us/news/us/at-least-6-dead-24-injured-after-shooting-at-highland-park-illinois-july-fourth-parade/ar-AAZbdjS

“Despite the many commitments and the various actions carried out over several years, the reality and the figures show that gender-based violence and harmful practices to girls, such as early or forced marriage, genital mutilation, economic explosion, servitude, force-feeding, alarmingly persist,” said Dr. Najat Maalla Majid.  violenceagainstchildren.un.org/news/third-african-girls-summit-ending-harmful-practices-human-rights-priority

“Beirut, 17 December 2021 – According to a new report from UNICEF, one in two children in Lebanon is at serious risk of physical, emotional, or sexual violence, as families struggle to cope with the country’s deepening crisis.”  violenceagainstchildren.un.org/news/least-one-million-children-danger-violence-crisis-intensifies-lebanon-%E2%80%93-srsg-maalla-mjid

Unfortunately, there are many forms of torture or cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment such as domestic violence, human trafficking, harmful drugging that deadens the spirit and can lead to addiction, dementia or violence; school and workplace bullying, mass shootings, electroshocking, elder abuse, and gender-based violence to name a few.

The question is, what can we do about it?

Every human being needs to know their 30 human rights so they can promote and protect these rights for themselves and others. If you see someone being treated poorly, report it to your local officials. In the USA, there is a National Hotline for reporting potential human trafficking at 1-888-373-7888. There is also a National Hotline for reporting Domestic Violence at 800-799-7233. If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, dial 911. There are websites to provide help for elder abuse. Schools and businesses have protocols for reporting bullying. Become familiar with these numbers, websites, and protocols so you can do your part to speak out and help yourself or another.

For a free online course to learn all 30 of your human rights, visit: https://www.youthforhumanrights.org/course/

 

“The purpose of human life is to serve and to show compassion and the will to help others.”—Albert Schweitzer

 

Definitions from: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/
¹Torture
1  : the infliction of intense pain (as from burning, crushing or wounding) to punish, coerce, or
      afford sadistic pleasure
2  : something that causes agony or pain
    : anguish of body or mind : AGONY
3  : distortion or overrefinement of a meaning or an argument : STRAINING
 
²Cruel
1  : disposed to inflict pain or suffering : devoid of humane feelings
2  : causing or conducive to injury, grief or pain
    : unrelieved by leniency
 
³Inhuman
  • : lacking pity, kindness or mercy : SAVAGE
: COLD, IMPERSONAL
: not worthy of or conforming to the needs of human beings
  • : of or suggesting a nonhuman class of beings
 
⁴Degrading
     : causing or associated with a low, destitute or demoralized state: causing someone to be
       or feel degraded
How Do We Gain Freedom for All?

How Do We Gain Freedom for All?

Jun 2, 2022

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) contains 30 separate articles each addressing a specific right. This blog will focus on Article 4 which reads: “No one shall be held in slavery¹ or servitude²; slavery and the slave trade shall be prohibited in all their forms.”

This is a right that most people would say, of course, you should not hold another human being in slavery or servitude! And yet, some estimates suggest over 40,000,000 people are enslaved in the world today in either labor trafficking or sex trafficking. It is a difficult statistic to actually track since perpetrators are not voluntarily reporting it.

To really understand what human trafficking is, I’ve found it best to learn from some real-life stories. It is far more impactful and makes it more real than just seeing a statistic or number on a page.

To learn about sex trafficking, I highly recommend the book “I Am Not Your Slave” by Tupa Tjipombo and Chris Lockhart.

“I Am Not Your Slave is the shocking true story of a young African girl, Tupa, who was abducted from southwestern Africa and funneled through an extensive yet almost completely unknown human trafficking network spanning the entire African continent. As she is transported from the point of her abduction on a remote farm near the Namibian-Angolan border and channeled to her ultimate destination in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, her three-year odyssey exposes the brutal horrors of a modern-day middle passage. During her ordeal, Tupa encounters members of Africa’s notorious gangs, terrifying witchdoctors, mysterious middlemen from China, corrupt police and border officials, Arab smugglers, and high-ranking United Nations officials. And of course, Tupa meets her fellow trafficking victims, young women and girls from around the world. Tupa’s harrowing experience, including her daring escape and eventual return home, sheds light on the most shocking aspects of modern-day slavery, as well as the essential determination to be free.”- Chris Lockhart

For education on labor trafficking, be on the lookout for a documentary that is currently in development titled, “To Be Free”.  The film shines a light on the pervasiveness of labor trafficking in the United States of America, how we can spot it in our neighborhoods, and the steps we can take to eradicate this form of modern-day slavery on a systemic level. You will hear the unbelievable story of Harold and Dancy D’Souza who endured more than 18 months of slavery in the state of Ohio. The film is produced and directed by Benjamin Ryan Nathan with Martin Sheen as Executive Producer. For more information on To Be Free and how to get involved, contact Ben@allofusfilms.com.

https://www.pingara.com/post/martin-sheen-executive-producer-film-be-free-feature-harold-dsouza

If this particular human right is one you are passionate about, there is likely an organization near you that is doing something about it. I’ve come into contact with quite a few groups that are doing great work, such as:  Philadelphia Anti-Trafficking Coalition, Eyes Open International, Operation Underground Railroad, and Zoe Ministries-Delaware. I’m sure there are many organizations that would appreciate your help!

Something else for us to consider in regards to slavery pertains to Merriam-Webster’s second definition which reads, “submission to a dominating influence (slavery to a habit)”. How many people in our society are held in slavery to drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, sugar, junk food, or any bad habit they just can’t seem to stop? The numbers are probably very high. If we include people enslaved to harmful habits or emotions in the slavery statistic, I wonder how many people are actually free. Even more important, what can we do to help each other be free?

Remember, it is not enough to just know your human rights (although that is a good start); we need to get into action to protect these human rights for ourselves and others.

For a free online course to learn all 30 of your human rights, visit: https://www.humanrights.com/course/

 

Definitions from: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/

¹Slavery

1  : the practice of slaveholding

    : the state of a person who is held in forced servitude

    : a situation or practice in which people are entrapped (as by debt) and exploited

2  : submission to a dominating influence (slavery to a habit)

 

²Servitude

  • : a condition in which one lacks liberty especially to determine one’s course of action or way of life
  • : a right by which something (such as a piece of land) owned by one person is subject to a specified use or enjoyment by another
Right to Life, Liberty, and Security of Person

Right to Life, Liberty, and Security of Person

Mar 28, 2022

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) contains 30 separate articles each addressing a specific right. This blog will focus on Article 3 which reads: “Everyone has the right to life, liberty, and security of person.”

Current events would make it seem like this right does not exist at all, especially for civilians in Ukraine. The truth is this human right belongs to everyone. The problem is there are not enough people who know their rights so it is difficult for them to stand up for these rights for themselves or others.

The people in charge in Russia are currently violating nearly all 30 of the UDHR articles or human rights for civilians in Ukraine. How could that be? Well, there is something called mutually assured destruction (MAD)* that is keeping freedom-loving countries from stepping in to help.

Brad Schaeffer in an article on dailywire.com said, “We are barely on the other side of the divide of the dawn of the Nuclear Age…the greatest moral challenge humankind has ever had to confront. What do I mean by this? I am not convinced that humanity has developed the moral grounding to be the wise stewards of such awesome power. There are currently over 13,000 nuclear warheads dotting the planet, and I am disconcerted by the notion that no weapons system has ever been developed that was left unused…

The great promise governing these weapons of mass destruction is that MAD (mutually assured destruction) will keep any conflicts hemmed in and local, for the risks of nuclear war in which both parties are annihilated is seen by all sides as unacceptable.”

If we had an ideal culture and a high level of ethics on this planet, something like an atomic weapon would never have been dreamed of, let alone produced! Its only purpose is to destroy lots of life—humans, plants, animals–all life over a widespread area. This could take us into a whole other level of discussion but I believe the point is made.

A few years ago, I attended a gathering with local non-profits in the Philadelphia area. One of the Organization Leaders came to me and said, if you are serious about human rights then you need to talk about atomic weapons and their threat to human rights. At the time I thought it was extreme but now in 2022, we have a Head of State threatening the use of atomic weapons and other Heads of States hesitant to get involved because of MAD. It is all MAD!! We are talking about extinction-level destruction.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights came into existence as a result of the atrocities of the Nazis and the destruction of World War II. We need to learn from History! Let’s be sure to bring these human rights to life and prevent human rights violations and anything even close to World War III from happening. I guarantee YOU will come more to life as well.

We can create an ideal culture where all life thrives!

To learn your 30 human rights, take a free online course here: https://www.humanrights.com/course/

The Right to Health and Well Being

The Right to Health and Well Being

Apr 5, 2021

Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Article 25: The Right to Health and Well Being

    • “Everyone has the right to a standard of living¹ adequate for the health² 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.
    • Motherhood and childhood are entitled to special care and assistance. All children, whether born in or out of wedlock, shall enjoy the same social protection.”

There is so much packed in this particular UDHR Article that it is difficult to address all in a short blog. This blog will touch on pieces of the Right to Health.

Merriam-Webster defines health as the condition of being sound in body, mind, or spirit; freedom from physical disease or pain; a condition in which someone or something is thriving or doing well².

If we can agree that there are 3 parts to a human being–body, mind and spirit–then, in order to have true healthcare or healing, we would need to consider and address all the parts–the whole–in any medication, treatment or therapy prescribed.

Some things to look at:

    • Are your medical care providers addressing you and/or your family members as whole human beings—body, mind, and spirit?
    • Is your current treatment or therapy getting to the source of the illness or injury resulting in true healing and you thriving and doing well?
    • Do you find yourself going deeper and deeper into the medical system (one doctor after another) or are you healed and thriving?
    • What kinds of things are you putting into your body, mind and spirit? Are they promoting health and healing or are they covering up symptoms, or worse, destructive?
    • Are you surrounded by people who build you up or people who have ways of nullifying³ you–making you feel smaller?
    • What changes do you need to make or actions do you need to take for you to thrive and do well?

Take time to answer the questions above and decide how much responsibility you are willing to take for your own health.

Another key point to consider about health is a famous quote by Greek physician, Hippocrates, “Let food be thy medicine and let medicine be thy food.” Not only does everyone have the right to food but the right to nutritious food so we are able to maintain healthy bodies and minds.

This quickly leads into the need to keep our environment clean (air, water and soil). Without nutrient-dense soil that is free from toxic pesticides and insecticides, our foods have little chance of being “medicine”. Organic foods tend to be more expensive, hence, the standard of living adequate for the health of self and family rises. However, one could argue that if nourishing foods are going into the body, it would reduce the high cost of medical care on the back end.

There is clearly plenty of work to do to bring this human right to life and make a fair and free world for us all. How do you want to help?

¹Standard of living – Standard of living refers to the material basis of well-being, which is reflected in a person’s consumption level. Standard of living of an individual or group of individuals is determined by their access to resources, which comprise of both cash and non-cash income. https://ophi.org.uk/policy/gross-national-happiness-index/
²The derivation or origin of ‘health’ is before 1000; Middle English helthe, Old English hǣlth. See hale, whole, from dictionary.com
³Nullify – to make null, to make of no value or consequence. invalidate or cancel the effectiveness of something; to deprive of effective or continued existence. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nullify

Post By:  Ellen Firestone