Heal This World
The cultural world is evolving more rapidly than ever today. Along with the cultural revolution is also the evolution of human rights. As we know, we are at a point right now where we still can not agree on what to define as a complete set of human rights. Because of this societal and cultural conflict, in the past few decades we have seen a whole new set of human rights issues rise to the surface. As social media becomes more involved with human rights issues, we are now facing these issues head on, as opposed to sweeping them under the rug as we once had. Although this is a significant step forward for humanity, it does not come without a price. Social upheavals and violence involving human rights issues have boiled over in the past few decades involving everything from race to homosexuality. So what is at the root of these human rights issues?
One of the main reasons for these human rights issues involve the instatement of the human rights acts itself. At one point in time, it had been socially acceptable and encouraged to take what you can from the indigenous peoples. Before reservations were formed, their land was free for the taking. The damage done to the culture of these indigenous peoples had been irreversible. By the time their rights were protected under the human rights acts, it became hard for these indigenous peoples to assimilate into mainstream society. Generation after generation of these people had their land taken from them, and those who survived the killings and indignation of their people learned only to distrust those who were unlike them. Due to this fact, most of the indigenous peoples were relocated to reservations where they had their own school system and associated only amongst themselves. However, when problems began to get passed down from generation to generation within the group, they had no other option than to accept it because they knew no other way of life. At one point in time, they were prisoners of those who stole their land and banished them. Now they have become prisoners of their own culture. How does one begin to understand the human rights issues that underlie this affliction so that they can get the help they need? It is still a human rights issue plaguing these indigenous people today.
Similarly, there are human rights issue we may deal with everyday and not realize. Every time we pass an underprivileged person, they may be a victim of these human rights issues. There are many people who cannot afford to provide themselves or their families with adequate housing or food, yet it seems, that those who make decisions based on this human rights issue have absolutely no understanding of what these underprivileged people go through or need. They are not consulted for the most part and many view it as treating the underprivileged population as no deserving of dignity.
These are but a few of the human rights issues that plague our world today. As the laws continue to evolve, we will undoubtedly encounter more of these issues. However, we must make the effort to be more compassionate and understanding of others in the human race. Everyone is different but equally deserving of respect, and understanding that is the first step to solving human rights issues.