We Wish You a Merry Human Rights Day

The holidays are upon us and those neighbors who snub us of a salutation from January to November are greeting us again. Turkeys are in ovens and a crystal ball descends on the Big Apple, thus we get to feel that ephemeral benevolence once more. Since we’re already a few miles into our holiday marathon and since we’re all jolly and jovial, there’s one other holiday worth considering.

On December 10 the world will celebrate Human Rights Day. There’s no decorative lights or kitschy ornaments or grating songs. There’s just a belief that we are all created equal and that we are all entitled to “life, health, liberty, or possessions,” according to John Locke in his revolutionary Two Treatises of Government, or “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness,” as adapted by Thomas Jefferson for the Declaration of Independence (though his idea of rights extended only to rich white guys), or “life, liberty, and security of person,” as stated by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which was drafted by the United Nations sixty-one years ago this December 10.

To pursue this happiness and to have security of person there are many other human rights to consider like access to clean drinking water, affordable healthcare, a decent education, to name a few. But it’s hard to ensure these rights when we’re struggling to secure the most basic ones.

In the last century tens of millions of people have been exterminated in genocide and today 27 million people are in slavery, according to one of the world’s leading experts on modern day slavery, Kevin Bales, author of Disposable People: New Slavery in the Global Economy. Experts say that every five seconds a child dies from starvation; that’s 16,000 dead children a day.

In my daily interactions I hear people sympathizing with those less fortunate, but these same individuals feel stymied by the red tape they imagine blocking the path toward change. So instead they curl up on plush sofas in warm homes to sip clean tap water while taking their affordable prescription drugs and accept their futility. Maybe they sit with their laptop and read what Navi Pillay, High Commissioner for Human Rights at the United Nations, has to say: She encourages people to join hands on Human Rights Day, to embrace diversity and end discrimination.

That’s a nice “We are the World” image to snuggle up with; but it’s just a talking point. She barely touches upon the real issue. Take action. Ignore Pillay and drop out from that Kumbaya circle because you’re going to need both hands for Human Rights Day; forget those seasonal smiles because you’re going to need to fire up a little anger too.

Here are some rather simple ways you can get involved this Human Rights Day.

Genocide Intervention Network, empowering individuals and communities with the tools to prevent and stop genocide, and the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum are canvassing for support from December 1 to 7 (though their campaign for signatures will continue on until January). They’re simply asking for your pledge to end genocide.

What’s a signature going to do? you ask.

“There’s a lack of political will,” said Janessa Goldbeck, Director of Membership for the Network. Goldbeck explained that legislators perceive the cost of action against genocide to be greater than the cost of inaction because of a misconception by politicians that constituents are indifferent. “We need to show [politicians] there is a large support for action.”

With enough signatures the Genocide Intervention Network hopes to put pressure on lawmakers to force implementation of the thirty-four recommendations of the Genocide Prevention Task Force report, which was co-chaired by former Secretary of State Madeline Albright and former Secretary of Defense William Cohen. The report concludes that the existence of genocide and mass atrocities, aside from being tragic, also threaten the interests and values of the United States. The report states:

“There are ways to recognize [genocide's] signs and symptoms, and viable options to prevent it at every turn if we are committed and prepared. Preventing genocide is a goal that can be achieved with the right organizational structures, strategies, and partnerships.”

Your signature (as a constituent) is huge and it will cost you (as a taxpayer) little-less than one dollar a year per American, which is the increase necessary to carry out the thirty-four recommendations of the Task Force.

It doesn’t have to stop with your signature. Post on Facebook, tweet on Twitter, and with your laptop, solicit strangers in Starbucks to sign the petition.

Maybe genocide prevention is not where you want to invest your time, maybe it’s combating child labor or advocating for affordable healthcare and a quality education. Whichever it is social networking is upon us. Post or email or tweet the words “In honor of Human Rights Day…” and link it to an organization fighting for a cause you support.

If you want to help free detained human rights defenders and prisoners of conscience like Myanmar’s Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Aung San Suu Kyi, one of the many people worldwide that are unjustly imprisoned, then from December 5-13 join Amnesty International as they host hundreds of Write-a-thons nationwide. Participants write to the leaders of countries that are jailing these individuals on dubious charges and without due process of the law.

You can even fight to repeal “don’t ask, don’t tell” with the Human Rights Campaign. During their “No Excuses Campaign,” HRC will equip you with a toolkit and advise you on how to put pressure on your legislator.

For all the youngsters out there that want to capture injustice and broadcast it to the world (though it might be a little late to get this one finished for the December 10 deadline) Human Rights Watch and Adobe Youth Voices are seeking youth-produced films that expose human rights violations.

And to those of us jaded by the slow wheels of bureaucracy, then I suggest you go ahead and shop. Yeah, that’s right, shop. Buy your presents for the holidays, but do it responsibly. A few organizations have just the thing for you. The Human Rights Campaign consumer guide, “Buying for Equality,” rates businesses based on their treatment of LGBT employees. If you find yourself hungry while shopping, then skim the catalog for a non-discriminatory eatery. There’s also “Shop with a Conscience Consumer Guide” brought to you by Sweatfree Communities, an organization attempting to eradicate sweatshops. Since human rights should extend to future generations too, you can purchase with the planet’s preservation in mind by checking out GoodGuide.com. They also examine a company’s social responsibility and product safety. (Don’t forget your human rights).

“We can’t just make noise,” Goldbeck said. “We need to take action.” But the path to changing the world can often be a colossal and disheartening battle; therefore, Goldbeck recommends starting small. “Look at what you can change in your community and connect with the people who have the power.”

But if all you want to do is make some noise with your fleeting holiday cheer, then wish someone a happy Human Rights Day and let the word get around.

Photo by Art Makes Me Smile