There are less than four months left in our calendar year! You may say “that’s 1/3 of the year, a significant amount of time.” But we all know how fast the end of the year passes. With the beginning of a new school year school activities can distract the entire family. Then there are Fall sports and Halloween, followed closely by the Holidays. Lots to focus on in addition to our day-to-day responsibilities.
Further reflection: A Year of Human Rights; What I Learned.
To date we have had a little more than 8 months to explore this year’s educational theme – Human Rights. It’s not like this year has been one of great peace and progress for humankind. So there are many examples of human rights challenges which we have witnessed. Can the conditions that foster these challenges be corrected. What do we do about them?
I think we have learned that human rights violations are common where power is concentrated. At the same time, where people are guaranteed basic human rights the result is a more educated population and a greater degree of economic development. Democracies take pride in dispersing power to various groups as a form of checks and balance against any one group concentrating power. Most of the time this democratic principle works effectively.
In countries where power is concentrated it is also jealously guarded and fanatically defended. So how do we convince those who would deny human rights and do not fear local retribution, to share power and realize the benefits of guaranteeing basic human rights to those they govern?
For the rest of the year I would like to offer this space in the newsletter to all of those JBers who are inspired to write about a solution to this problem. Consider what you have learned. Please share your thoughts and conclusions by email with the editor. If we are to make a difference, an important first step is to propose solutions to the challenges we recognize.