Link: Universal Declaration of Human Rights

In 1948, the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted and proclaimed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Why, then, should any member nation object to action which deposes a person or government of another member nation which has unquestionably violated this Declaration?

We take Human Rights for granted in the United States, but the nations of the world also recognize the concept. At least, they did in 1948. Have we lost this in the last 50 years?

Not only are we aware of countries still in violation of Human Rights, but we need to look more carefully at ourselves, here, in the United States.

Why aren't the nations of the world adhering to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights? Why aren't member nations enforcing this doctrine, particularly among member nations?

I can feel the holiday season ramping up. Always hectic, but usually fun too. I gotta remember to enjoy the journey and not let the dates on the calendar distort life too much, eh?

Frackinrassinfussingarflesnicket! <--- read: Frustration! I am SO frustrated when I see people working so hard to divide themselves up instead of coming together. It is completely exasperating, on any scale. WHY do humans work so hard to find differences when it would be so much better for all if they focused on similarities?

The latest annoyance (<--understatement) is in a dissertation written by the pastor of my mother's church. She's the secretary, and sends us a copy of their monthly bulletin. In this blurb the pastor says he's about to embark on a series of study which basically shows why everyone else but Christians are 'wrong' about God. PULEEEEZE.

Why are humans still doing this? Haven't we subdivided ourselves enough? Haven't we hurt and killed each other enough over this? More than enough? Way too much? Don't the various groups of extremists see that they are guilty of the very thing they're accusing the other extremists of doing?

Never in my life have I wanted so much to stand on top of the world and shout "QUIT IT!" Why must they pick on each other so? It seriously breaks my heart as I watch people using 'love' to judge each other, to malign each other, to beat each other up, and even kill each other.

Please, God, make it stop. You started it. They twisted it. Please, God, make it stop.

Dangit, Xan. Where do you find these things?
I've spent time in, or at least driven through, the states in red. I didn't count the states I've only seen from the inside of an airport terminal.

create your own visited states map

Mom & Dad arrived Thursday afternoon and they're visiting through Sunday!! So, I'm away and enjoying my folks in real life. :)

I am fiscally conservative and socially liberal, almost in the extreme in both cases. Do whatever you want, so long as it doesn't cost me anything, or hurt me, and don't try to make me be like you. I want this acid test to apply to all, not just to protect my own resources, my own well-being, my own individuality, but to protect all individuals in the same way.

I've noticed a reinforcement of one major thing during this election schtuff: People who think the government should redistribute wealth more evenly... usually have nothing.

The Have-Nots are the Gimmees, while they claim the Haves are on the Take.
The Haves just want to keep what they have, because they usually had to work to get it.

It's rather annoying irony really.
I wonder what it would take to make a viable Libertarian Party, and if it could be done without becoming politically zealous like the other two parties? I fear that may just be how sausage is made and my whole point is... I don't want a truly free-thinking, tolerant philosophy ground into mush and shoved into a casing. Dayam.

And now watch as the quicksilver churns... by making a political comment:
Kerry's concession today is an example of my problem with him and his credibility, or lack thereof. He and his group have been adamantly preaching that they would fight til the last, they would wait until every vote was counted, no matter what. They did not. I really do appreciate that they did not repeat the turmoil of 2000, BUT, neither did they DO what they SAID they would do, what they promised they would do. It's not so much that they had a choice, but that they made a big promise, had no idea if they would keep it, or even need too. It was reiterated in the wee hours of the night, emphatically. Then, a 'nevermind' came along with the concession today. For me, this is a classic example of saying what they think we want to hear, without the conviction of following through, without thought about what it is they're really promising. This is not what I want from government officials.

On top of Kerry's record of flip-flopping on issues, of saying he supported This, but he voted That way... I must say his last action as a presidential candidate has verified for me that I made the right decision. I guess it's the old addage, the reason the incumbent usually wins... It's the devil you know, vs the devil you don't. It's hard for me to know much about someone whose actions and words do not mesh.

Whether I agree with all of Bush's policies and decisions or not, I do feel that he is credible, that he believes what he says and will act on what he believes. That's all I want from a politician. Say what you mean and act accordingly. Alas, it appears to be a rare quality. If you want my support, you have to win my trust first. To win that, you have to walk your talk.

I'd like to be apolitical. I'd like for the whole country and the world to be apolitical. I'd like for all the walls to come down. We built 'em, let's break 'em. There is no Us and Them, there's only Us -- everyone and everything and every no-thing... all together as one thing. It would be really nice if this fact was recognized and honored, if we treated ourselves (therefore all) with respect and honor. Sure would cut out a lot of the violence. Let's argue over how best to be good to ourselves and each other, eh? I know a lot of factions think they've been doing that already, sometimes to the point of death, but they're really promoting "What I/We think is good for You..." We need to find goals and methods that work for the greater good, and eventually include most, if not all.

Yeah, I know, I'm a blind idealist and infernal optimist. But hey, I can dream, can't I?

Let's move on. Let's move forward. Let's learn to live together, and live well.