Welcome to Day 23 of our countdown to the #StandUp4HumanRightsCT rally on September 8!
Today’s post is about Article 5 of the UDHR, which states: No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.
This right is very clear and should be very simple enact, as merely requires governments and others NOT to do so something—something that ought to shock their conscience if they even considered it. Nonetheless, some governments throughout the ages and up to today have found it irresistible to try to break the will of people through torture and unjust punishment, so as to maintain their grip on power. It’s essential that people around the world speak out against torture and inhumane punishment wherever and whenever it occurs.
A particular shameful episode in recent American history was the condoning of waterboarding and other torturous interrogation methods during the Bush administration’s “war on terror.” It was right for conscientious politicians and people across the political spectrum to condemn their techniques and get the government to stop them. Americans must remain vigilant not to return to the rationalizations of the 2000’s.
Lastly, it’s worth thinking about the death penalty in light of this article. While the death penalty is not specifically condemned in the 1949 Declaration, almost every developed, democratic nation of the world considers the death penalty to be a violation of human rights. Last year, the UN Secretary General said it “has no place in the 21st century” and last week, Pope Francis said that the death penalty is unacceptable in all cases because it is an attack on human dignity. Do you think the U.S. should join the near-global consensus? Or stay with China, Iran, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia as the top 5 countries for executions?
—–
Be sure to spread the word about the celebration event on September 8th!
Follow the event countdown on Facebook and Instagram, and be sure to repost with #StandUp4HumanRightsCT
This will be a great venue for you to hear from local activists, network with others, and find out what you can do in your own community to create change!