Bloggers Unite For Human Rights

Today, bloggers around the world have been asked to write about human rights. It seems fitting that there are advances today--the rejection of the same-sex marriage ban by the California Supreme Court--as well as set-backs--the natural disasters in China and Myanmar made tragedies by the difficulty getting food, water, and shelter to those affected. Listening to NPR, I heard that Obama volunteers, especially those in high school, are being subjected to overt racism, which is just maddening.

Many people believe that vegans or animal rights activists care only about animals, but the truth is that we aim for compassion and respect for all beings. Regardless of our political or religious beliefs, I believe this is the mindset to which we must all aspire.

Organizations with more information (taken from Bloggers Unite site):

• Amnesty International (http://www.amnesty.org/) is a worldwide movement of people who campaign for internationally recognized human rights for all. They work to improve human rights through campaigning and international solidarity.
• Human Right Watch (http://www.hrw.org/) is dedicated to protecting human rights of people around the world. They stand with victims and activists to prevent discrimination, uphold political freedom, protect people from inhumane conduct in wartime, and to bring offenders to justice.
• Youth For Human Rights (http://www.youthforhumanrights.org/) is an independent non-profit that educates people about the Universal Declaration of Human Rights so they become valuable advocates for tolerance and peace. [Shalya, one of my students last semester, loaned me a DVD with 30 public service announcements, each one focusing on one of the rights. Gut-wrenching, though a little funny when UN officers screech into a frame to rescue a man in danger of being executed. But maybe UN officers are more active than I give them credit for.]
• The Unitarian Universalist Service Committee [my addition (http://www.uusc.org/)] advances human rights and social justice across the world.