No Universal Definition of Human Rights Essay - 760 Words

In the minds of many people human rights are defined as a set of governmental Do’s and Don’ts that protect people from their governments in terms of the freedom of speech, assembly, etc. without infringement. Of course, most people would agree that these are fundamental rights and deserve to be upheld, however many feel that there are a set of universal human rights that can be used to secure the freedom of all people around the world. One such document, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights written by the United Nations, claims to be the â€Å"common standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations†. While I agree with most of the points made in the declaration, I simply do not believe that the human race is homogenous enough for a†¦show more content†¦There really is not much interpersonal violence in Iran (in other words, apart from the governmental abuses) and the people there would consider the right to bear arms in a society full of murd er to be a human rights violation. I have learned (in my opinion) that there is no clear-cut way to approach human rights for everyone. The schism between different cultures will never allow for everyone to see eye-to-eye on every opinion, which is my main grievance with the Universal Declaration for Human Rights. The document is intended to cover all people regardless of their governments, but then directly contradicts itself in numerous articles. First of all, the United Nations is not a democratic organization itself; the concept of â€Å"equal and inalienable rights† coming from an organization in which some members have a higher precedent of voting seems fallacious. The article says that people are entitled to the rights listed regardless of â€Å"political†¦ national or social† origins, but many articles contradict this basis. Article 5-7 deals with freedom from cruel and unusual punishment along with justice before the eyes of the law, however that is not possible with every government. A fascist government will commit acts of cruel punishment through their political ideology. This goes back to my main gripe that you cannot say that these rights should beShow MoreRelatedHuman Rights And The International Context807 Words   |  4 PagesHuman rights and universality, two terms often considered synonymous with each other within the international system. 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