Human Rights

[Comrade J]

Apologies if this is the wrong part of the forum, but I was wondering what everybody's opinion of so called 'Human Rights' were?

In my Religious Studies & Philosophy Class, we will soon be debating Human Rights, and my teacher does not like them and claims there is no such thing, so I was wondering what other people believed about this?

Here is the wikipedia link for a general look at Human Rights (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_rights).

[the_last_straw]

While I do not believe that people are "born" with rights, I do believe it is immoral to violate those rights. From a logical standpoint, human rights violations are just oppression (and so far every oppressive government has failed).

[Jesus Christ!]

Your teacher doesn't like them? or he doesn't believe that htey exist? two very contrasting things.

[bolshevik butcher]

I think that it's worth noting that these rights were not giving by anyone. They were won in struggle by the working class. Rights show how far the concessions of the bourgeoirse in attempts to apease the working class have gone. It's no conincedence that the concept of human rights emereged as the labour movment in western Europe grew in strength.

[Comrade J]

Originally posted by Jesus Christ!@Jun 25 2006, 05:29 AM
Your teacher doesn't like them? or he doesn't believe that htey exist? two very contrasting things.
Well she says there is no such thing as a 'human right' but she doesn't like the set of rules which are given the title of 'human rights' I just don't know why yet.

[Brekisonphilous]

We were born with human rights. long long ago when we were nothing but hunters and gatherers, when we were really free, before any of this society came to be, people were able to get food and water as they needed, and shelter.
Now you have to pay for all of that stuff.
Human rights may not exist to some because the bourgeois took them all away and slapped price tags on everything a person needs to survive.
Ridding us of our human rights is how capitalism functions.

[Hit The North]

Originally posted by Comrade J+Jun 25 2006, 04:33 PM--> (Comrade J @ Jun 25 2006, 04:33 PM)
Jesus Christ!@Jun 25 2006, 05:29 AM
Your teacher doesn't like them? or he doesn't believe that htey exist? two very contrasting things.
Well she says there is no such thing as a 'human right' but she doesn't like the set of rules which are given the title of 'human rights' I just don't know why yet. [/b]
The she doesn't believe in any rights. As rights are legal constructions, only humans can conceive of and implement them.

[Dreckt]

I believe that the US have broken many of these points:


A certain race, creed, or group is denied recognition as a "person". (Article 2)

The United States treat people of African or Middle Eastern origins as criminals and terrorists, despite the fact that mostly white people commit most of the crimes.


Different racial or religious groups are not treated as equal. (Article 2)

Jews and Judaism is pictured as a conspiracy to take over the US, while Moslems are looked at as terrorists and fundamentalists.


Life, liberty or security of person are threatened. (Article 3)

In the US, you are not alive if you do not have money. Unless you're rich, you don't have liberty, and with the Patriot Act and all survelliance programs, the US is probably one of the worst places in terms of security for ordinary workers.


A person is sold as or used as a slave. (Article 4)

Prostitution in Nevada, for example. Capitalism as a whole.


Cruel, inhuman or degrading punishment is used on a person (such as torture or execution). (Article 5)

Guntanamo Bay, death penalty...


Punishments are dealt arbitrarily or unilaterally, without a proper and fair trial. (Article 11)

Microsoft Corps versus one worker - who wins?


Arbitrary interference into personal, or private lives by agents of the state. (Article 12)

Duh, what else are the FBI, CIA and NSA for?


Freedom of speech or religion are denied. (Articles 18 & 19)

How much freedom of speach? For the corporations, this is clear. But how can ordinary people get their voice on radio or TV? Oh, and you will be better of if you tell them that you are a Christian - other religions are treated as foreign and dangerous, instruments of Satan, while atheism is not respected at all.


The right to join a trade union is denied. (Article 23)

Trade unions are largely clamped down on, and hugely discouraged.


Education is denied. (Article 26)

Education with truth and factual evidence is denied. The right to study communism or socialism is largely discouraged.

[socialistpunk]

I consider human rights to be anything not taken from me by the goverment. For example freedom to protest peacfully and without harasment from facists. Also anything that is not limited by laws and other such devices. But i don't count the 2nd american amendment as a human right because i think guns are a way to take people's freedom not increase it.

[*[email protected]*]

I think its just a smokescreen created to make people believe that the countries that created it really abide by it and are 'the good guys'. :rolleyes:

[FriedFrog]

Human Rights are a victory when it comes to working class struggle. To quote George W Bush, "If this were a dictatorship, it'd be a heck of a lot easier".

Could you imagine if a government didn't have to (theoretically, in the case of certain countries) abide by international conventions? Abuses such as Guantanamo Bay would be far more common place. The norm, probably.

If human rights didnt exist, things would be a lot grimmer than they are now.

I fully support the notion that every human has "universal rights, or status, regardless of legal jurisdiction or other localizing factors, such as ethnicity and nationality."

[Avtomatov]

Human rights are said to be imbued in all of us by god. There is no proof that god exists, therefore no proof that human rights exist. Atheism or Agnosticism are both incompatible with the beleif of human rights. Only the categorical imperative decides what is right and what is not.

[FriedFrog]

Human rights are said to be imbued in all of us by god. There is no proof that god exists, therefore no proof that human rights exist. Atheism or Agnosticism are both incompatible with the beleif of human rights. Only the categorical imperative decides what is right and what is not.

Is that not natural rights? I could be wrong, like.

And what is "catagorical imperative"?

"Legally, human rights are defined in international law and covenants, and further, in the domestic laws of many states. However, for many people the doctrine of human rights goes beyond law and forms a fundamental moral basis for regulating the contemporary geo-political order. For them, they are democratic ideals."

Nothing Godly about them. Theyre just moral standards, and we dont need god or religion for morals, as far as I'm concerned.

[Avtomatov]

In the United States constitution it says they come from god.

[Hit The North]

Originally posted by [email protected] 27 2006, 12:16 AM
In the United States constitution it says they come from god.
Then it must be true. :wacko:

[Hate Is Art]

While I do not believe that people are "born" with rights, I do believe it is immoral to violate those rights.

Thats a contradiction in terms.

If human rights exist then they are subjective and really cannot defined by anything exept your own internal compass. Therefor the concept of a state 'giving' or 'taking' away human rights is absurd.

A more practical definition would sureley be - 'things we believe humans should have' Which is something I agree with, there are something's human beings shouldn't be subjected to. Calling them 'rights' assumes they come from a higher knowledge or some such.

we dont need god or religion for morals, as far as I'm concerned.

The concepts are so entwined together, religion and morality, one has to discard both or accept both.