More Talk Radio on 12/10/12

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Produced by: 
KBOO
Program:: 
Air date: 
Mon, 12/10/2012 - 8:00am to 9:00am
A look at human rights across the world on Human Rights Day

Hosts Celeste Carey and Cecil Prescod honor the International The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the foundation of international human rights law. Adopted in 1948, the UDHR has inspired a rich body of legally binding international human rights treaties. 

Today is Human Rights Day, an annual celebration of human rights and a day of advocating for the full enjoyment of all human rights by everyone everywhere.

In 2012 the focus is the rights of all people — women, youth, minorities, persons with disabilities, indigenous people, the poor and marginalized — to make their voices heard in public life and be included in political decision-making.

 

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Comments

Randy was the first caller just after 8am 12/10/12.  I asserted that (at least some of) the Founding Fathers and Framers of the Constitution wanted slavery to end and expected that eventually it would.  Celeste disputed this and asked for a blog posting citing my source(s).  A quick Google search yielded ample evidence to support my view: 
http://www.earstohear.net/Heritage/FoundersAndSlavery.html
http://american_almanac.tripod.com/ffslave.htm
Also, when I asked "do human rights come from God or man?" they asked what I thought rather than answer the question.  Our friends on the left tend not to acknowledge that human rights must be "endowed by our Creator."
 
Randy

<p>@ Randy: Thanks for your response and citations about the the slavery debate during the formation of the American republic. I think we can all acknowledge that the status of enslaved peoples was debated&nbsp; before and during the formation of the United States. The compromise that the framers of the US Constitution came up with was an attempt to maintain the union of the northern and southern states.&nbsp; While one can acknowledge the disagreements among the framers, and the desire of some to end this inhumane practice,&nbsp; one can not ignore the fact that the adopted constitution maintained slavery, asserted that Africans did not enjoy the same human rights as white people,&nbsp; and permitted the slave trade to continue for twenty years. As a descendant of captured enslaved Africans I have little sympathy for those who failed to resist this hideous institution. The practices of the Founding Fathers speak louder than the words they may have written or doubts they may have had about slavery.&nbsp; Few of these gentlemen who owned slaves freed them. If leaders such as Washington and Jefferson would have been willing to suffer the economic consequences by freeing their bonded servants, I might have more sympathy and respect for them.</p>
<p>I have been a Christian pastor for almost 20 years and a professed member of a religious order for over seven years. I do not refrain from acknowledging all life comes from God. However, whether people acknowledge that "human rights" come from God or humanity is less important to me than how their beliefs impact their actions.&nbsp; In a diverse world, separated by religion, culture, social and political philosophies, it is difficult to reach consensus on origins.&nbsp; However different our religious and&nbsp; politcal views on origins may be, we may find common ground regarding our hopes and aspirations. &nbsp; Atheists, Buddhists, Socialists, and Christians&nbsp; disagree on where human rights originate, but&nbsp; find agreement affirming that human rights are universal. It might be more useful to find those common ground, than to engage in endless existential discussions. Can we agree that all humans are entitled to certain basic rights and work to ensure them?&nbsp; One thing I find attracted about the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is that&nbsp; people of various religious faiths (and no faith) were able to reach agreements about what rights every man, woman, and child should have.&nbsp; As one religious leader (who I bowed down to in prayer and adoration) stated," by their fruits you shall know them."</p>
<p>I appreciate you taking the time to comment, and willingness to share your thoughts on the air. I look&nbsp; forward to continuing our discussions.</p>

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