Human Rights

Wed - April 6, 2005

Peace Not Poverty Declaration

Friends, it has been some time since I've posted.

Not for a lack of something to say; in fact, at times it has been difficult to keep myself from engaging in verbal dysentery. Rather than join the fray in ranting about this and that (Tsunami Relief, Terry Schiavo, Gannongate, WMD intelligence fingerpointing, etc, etc), I've been trying to adhere to the old adage of "If you don't have something nice to say, don't say anything at all."

I haven't had too many nice things to say about very many things, so I've kept my trap shut.

So... what, you ask, has motivated me to get off my sizeable duff and post? Well, I took part in helping write the Peace Not Poverty Declaration.

This was a cool experience, which resulted in a powerful and heartfelt call to the end of the war in Iraq. It was an online work of collaboration, with several revisions and changes over the course of two hours.

The complete declaration follows...

Posted at 11:25 PM Read More

Fri - December 10, 2004

Celebrate Human Rights Day!

From Amnesty International USA:

December 10, 2004 marks the 56th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). This is a great opportunity to bring awareness to and take action around human rights issues.

Posted at 04:10 PM Read More

Wed - September 29, 2004

Ohio Secretary of State trying to limit ballot access

Ohio Secretary of State Ken Blackwell is trying to refuse thousands of new voters the right to cast a ballot in the upcoming election -- partially based on the weight of the paper their voter application is printed on. He is also in violation of federal law and the 14th Amendment by refusing to accept provisional ballots in most instances.

If this upsets you as much as it does me, go sign the Paper Stock Petition hosted by America Coming Together

The Dayton Daily News has the story:

Ohio Democrats took Republican Secretary of State J. Kenneth Blackwell to court Monday, charging that he is trying to limit where some voters may cast their ballots in violation of the federal Help America Vote Act.

The lawsuit focuses primarily on a Sept. 16 directive from Blackwell to county boards of election and what it said about voters who move from one precinct to another within the same county, but don't update their registration with the address change.

The directive said that under Ohio law, these voters may update the address change at their new precinct on Election Day and cast a provisional ballot at that precinct. The vote would be counted when election officials verify the registration. According to the directive, if the poll worker determines the voter's address is not in the precinct where he or she shows up to vote, the poll worker must call the elections board and get the location of the polling place for the correct precinct for the voter.

The directive also said that before a poll worker provides a provisional ballot, the worker must confirm that the voter's address is within the precinct.

The lawsuit alleges the federal Help America Vote Act requires that states permit voters to cast a provisional ballot upon "affirmation" the voter is registered in the proper jurisdiction – county – and is eligible to vote in the federal election, even if the voter resides in another precinct.

Posted at 10:36 AM Read More

Wed - June 30, 2004

Universal Declaration of Human Rights: Article 30

There are 30 articles in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Adopted by UN General Assembly Resolution 217A (III) of 10 December 1948. For each day of June, I will post the corresponding article:

30. Nothing in this Declaration may be interpreted as implying for any State, group or person any right to engage in any activity or to perform any act aimed at the destruction of any of the rights and freedoms set forth herein.

Posted at 07:30 PM Read More

Tue - June 29, 2004

Universal Declaration of Human Rights: Article 29

There are 30 articles in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Adopted by UN General Assembly Resolution 217A (III) of 10 December 1948. For each day of June, I will post the corresponding article:

29 - 1. Everyone has duties to the community in which alone the free and full development of his personality is possible.

29 - 2. In the exercise of his rights and freedoms, everyone shall be subject only to such limitations as are determined by law solely for the purpose of securing due recognition and respect for the rights and freedoms of others and of meeting the just requirements of morality, public order and the general welfare in a democratic society.

29 - 3. These rights and freedoms may in no case be exercised contrary to the purposes and principles of the United Nations.

Posted at 07:27 PM Read More

Mon - June 28, 2004

Supreme Court Deals Blow to Bush 'War on Terror'

Just when you thought there wasn't any hope left, the Supreme Court comes to its senses...

from Reuters.com:

The U.S. Supreme Court placed the first limits on President Bush's war on terrorism on Monday and ruled that terror suspects can use the American judicial system to challenge their confinement.

The historic moves on the day before the end of the high court's term marked a bitter defeat for Bush's assertion of sweeping presidential powers to indefinitely hold "enemy combatants" after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. It was the court's first rulings on Bush's terrorism policies.

Posted at 07:42 PM Read More

Universal Declaration of Human Rights: Article 28

There are 30 articles in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Adopted by UN General Assembly Resolution 217A (III) of 10 December 1948. For each day of June, I will post the corresponding article:

28. Everyone is entitled to a social and international order in which the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration can be fully realized.

Posted at 07:24 PM Read More

Sun - June 27, 2004

Universal Declaration of Human Rights: Article 27

There are 30 articles in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Adopted by UN General Assembly Resolution 217A (III) of 10 December 1948. For each day of June, I will post the corresponding article:

27 - 1. Everyone has the right freely to participate in the cultural life of the community, to enjoy the arts and to share in scientific advancement and its benefits.

27 - 2. Everyone has the right to the protection of the moral and material interests resulting from any scientific, literary or artistic production of which he is the author.

Posted at 07:21 PM Read More

Sat - June 26, 2004

Universal Declaration of Human Rights: Article 26

There are 30 articles in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Adopted by UN General Assembly Resolution 217A (III) of 10 December 1948. For each day of June, I will post the corresponding article:

26 - 1. Everyone has the right to education. Education shall be free, at least in the elementary and fundamental stages. Elementary education shall be compulsory. Technical and professional education shall be made generally available and higher education shall be equally accessible to all on the basis of merit.

26 - 2. Education shall be directed to the full development of the human personality and to the strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. It shall promote understanding, tolerance and friendship among all nations, racial or religious groups, and shall further the activities of the United Nations for the maintenance of peace.

26 - 3. Parents have a prior right to choose the kind of education that shall be given to their children.

Posted at 07:18 PM Read More

Fri - June 25, 2004

Universal Declaration of Human Rights: Article 25

There are 30 articles in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Adopted by UN General Assembly Resolution 217A (III) of 10 December 1948. For each day of June, I will post the corresponding article:

25 - 1. Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health 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.

25 - 2. 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.

Posted at 07:13 PM Read More

Thu - June 24, 2004

Universal Declaration of Human Rights: Article 24

There are 30 articles in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Adopted by UN General Assembly Resolution 217A (III) of 10 December 1948. For each day of June, I will post the corresponding article:

24. Everyone has the right to rest and leisure, including reasonable limitation of working hours and periodic holidays with pay.

Posted at 07:09 PM Read More

Wed - June 23, 2004

Universal Declaration of Human Rights: Article 23

There are 30 articles in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Adopted by UN General Assembly Resolution 217A (III) of 10 December 1948. For each day of June, I will post the corresponding article:

23 - 1. Everyone has the right to work, to free choice of employment, to just and favorable conditions of work and to protection against unemployment.

23 - 2. Everyone, without any discrimination, has the right to equal pay for equal work.

23 - 3. Everyone who works has the right to just and favorable remuneration ensuring for himself and his family an existence worthy of human dignity, and supplemented, if necessary, by other means of social protection.

23 - 4. Everyone has the right to form and to join trade unions for the protection of his interests.

Posted at 07:04 PM Read More

Tue - June 22, 2004

Universal Declaration of Human Rights: Article 22

There are 30 articles in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Adopted by UN General Assembly Resolution 217A (III) of 10 December 1948. For each day of June, I will post the corresponding article:

22. Everyone, as a member of society, has the right to social security and is entitled to realization, through national effort and international cooperation and in accordance with the organization and resources of each State, of the economic, social and cultural rights indispensable for his dignity and the free development of his personality.

Posted at 06:58 PM Read More

Mon - June 21, 2004

Universal Declaration of Human Rights: Article 21

There are 30 articles in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Adopted by UN General Assembly Resolution 217A (III) of 10 December 1948. For each day of June, I will post the corresponding article:

21 - 1. Everyone has the right to take part in the government of his country, directly or through freely chosen representatives.

21 - 2. Everyone has the right of equal access to public service in his country.

21 - 3. The will of the people shall be the basis of the authority of government; this will shall be expressed in periodic and genuine elections which shall be by universal and equal suffrage and shall be held by secret vote or by equivalent free voting procedures.

Posted at 06:55 PM Read More

Sun - June 20, 2004

Universal Declaration of Human Rights: Article 20

There are 30 articles in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Adopted by UN General Assembly Resolution 217A (III) of 10 December 1948. For each day of June, I will post the corresponding article:

20 - 1. Everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association.

20 - 2. No one may be compelled to belong to an association.

Posted at 06:52 PM Read More

Universal Declaration of Human Rights: Article 19

Universal Declaration of Human Rights: Article 18

Universal Declaration of Human Rights: Article 17

Universal Declaration of Human Rights: Article 16

Universal Declaration of Human Rights: Article 15

Universal Declaration of Human Rights: Article 14

Universal Declaration of Human Rights: Article 13

Miranda rights began on this day in 1966

Universal Declaration of Human Rights: Article 12

Universal Declaration of Human Rights: Article 11