Rather than discuss the issue of Human Rights, how they are abused, and any discussion of specific instances, I choose to address “How do we change the world to NOT abuse Human Rights.”

To eliminate, or minimize, the abuse of Human Rights in a culture, the attitudes and values of that culture must change. This means that each individual in that culture must have the same change of attitude and values. These have to change to be dominated by respect for all human beings, no matter what the age, sex, race, name, or nationality.

What does this respect entail? We have to respect that everyone deserves to be able to live peacefully, make a living, provide for their families, be able to practice their religious beliefs as long as they don’t take away rights from others. For example, if a person’s religion involves human sacrifice – the person being sacrifice (or killed) is having their right to live taken away from them. This would not be acceptable.

Everyone deserves the opportunity to excel – that means education, choosing their occupation, given opportunities to improve and advance. No one should be treated as being inferior, even if they are a garbage collector, or maid, or waitress/waiter. If a person has a disability, physical, mental, or emotional, they still deserve their human rights.

The abusers of this world need to focus their self-worth on doing a good job rather than on the domination of others. They should get self-worth in being a good example rather than being mean.

On the other hand, the abused needs to realize that he/she does have worth other than making someone else feel superior. The abused also needs to realize that he/she does deserve to be treated with respect and to be given the same human rights as everyone else.

We all, abusers and abused, each need to have a healthy respect for authority. Even if you do not ‘respect’ the person in authority, you need to respect the office or position they hold.

How do we change the whole world and all of its cultures? Change the belief systems of everyone? While new values can be learned outside of the home, people are most influenced by the teachings in the home – while they are still children. A child’s values are pretty well set by the age of 5 years. They can be modified and strengthened after that, but the base – or stem wall – has been poured.

A child learns by what he observes. By nature, the child learns the most from his parents, grandparents, and older siblings. They watch and listen to what is done and said in any given situation. To teach a child respect for other, the teacher has to show respect for others. The teaching can be verified and strengthened by verbalizing the values, but as the saying goes “actions speak louder than words”.

What is involved in respect for others? The values to tell the truth, be honest in your dealings, to be willing to help others, to honor others commitments (like marriage), to respect your elders and those in authority, to speak well of others. To NOT make up stories, be jealous of what others have, treat anyone with disgust or distain, force yourself or your will on others, steal, or take out your anger or frustration on another living thing.

These things are not taught in a home where there is physical and verbal abuse, where wives and children are treated as inferior, where there is incest and domination.

Bottom line: Respect for Human Rights begins at home – and with each individual. Even you and I.

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