UDHR anniversary shows disconnect
Jonathan Wolinsky '10
Issue date: 12/3/08 Section: Commentary
Dec. 10 of this year will see the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). Around the world diplomats and dignitaries will mark this event in their calendars. Other than that, pretty much no one will care.
There are no signatories to the Declaration, because it is not legally binding, but it has been adopted by the United Nations General Assembly. This is part of the problem.
The United Nations is seen as many things in this country. Some would call it a joke. Others (i.e. Republicans) might call it unconstitutional. So it comes as no surprise that any product of that body is viewed with equal disdain.
The question I always ask is, why? Why does no one take this seriously? Why do we scorn an entity that embodies so many of our own ideals and aspirations? Arguments have been made that the UN, and thus anything relating to it, is toothless. As far as international law goes, there is very little we can do to enforce it in general, let alone when it comes to such things as the Declaration of Human Rights.
Believe it or not, that is actually beside the point. Like the United Nations in general, the Declaration of Human Rights is aspirational. It is something we know we must strive for in order to achieve. It is the bar we have set for ourselves, knowing that it is too high, but also knowing we must reach it.
We as a nation and culture obviously stand for freedom from oppression in any form and the right to own property. And we (used to) believe torture was morally repugnant. Since we believe in these things we must also believe in the UDHR for they are enumerated there just as they are in our own Constitution.
But we don't believe in the UDHR. For some reason there is a disconnect between America and international attempts to instill morality throughout the world. I don't mean morality in terms of abstinence only sex education or polygamy. I'm referring to much more fundamental rights such as the right to life.
Why do we laugh at this like we laugh at the rest of the UN? Why do we look down at those who are feeding the hungry and aiding the sick on a level no other organization in the history of humanity has ever been able to do?
Its un-American, it's inhuman of us to ignore what the UN stands for and what it does. For those are the same things we stand for and claim to believe are important.
There are no signatories to the Declaration, because it is not legally binding, but it has been adopted by the United Nations General Assembly. This is part of the problem.
The United Nations is seen as many things in this country. Some would call it a joke. Others (i.e. Republicans) might call it unconstitutional. So it comes as no surprise that any product of that body is viewed with equal disdain.
The question I always ask is, why? Why does no one take this seriously? Why do we scorn an entity that embodies so many of our own ideals and aspirations? Arguments have been made that the UN, and thus anything relating to it, is toothless. As far as international law goes, there is very little we can do to enforce it in general, let alone when it comes to such things as the Declaration of Human Rights.
Believe it or not, that is actually beside the point. Like the United Nations in general, the Declaration of Human Rights is aspirational. It is something we know we must strive for in order to achieve. It is the bar we have set for ourselves, knowing that it is too high, but also knowing we must reach it.
We as a nation and culture obviously stand for freedom from oppression in any form and the right to own property. And we (used to) believe torture was morally repugnant. Since we believe in these things we must also believe in the UDHR for they are enumerated there just as they are in our own Constitution.
But we don't believe in the UDHR. For some reason there is a disconnect between America and international attempts to instill morality throughout the world. I don't mean morality in terms of abstinence only sex education or polygamy. I'm referring to much more fundamental rights such as the right to life.
Why do we laugh at this like we laugh at the rest of the UN? Why do we look down at those who are feeding the hungry and aiding the sick on a level no other organization in the history of humanity has ever been able to do?
Its un-American, it's inhuman of us to ignore what the UN stands for and what it does. For those are the same things we stand for and claim to believe are important.
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