Shawn Lees-Carr

Web Drop-In #1 Universal Human Rights

Connected to 9^th grade novels/texts

June 19, 2009

Should Everyone in Every Country Have Equal Human Rights?

Introduction: Sometimes, we take the things we have for granted. For example, how would your life be different if your home had no running water? How would your life be different if you were forced to work 12 hours every day and only earn a few pennies? How would your life be different if soldiers were constantly hunting you and your family? How would your life be different if your parents and you could never own any property? Does this sound like an unfair life? Many people in many different countries, including the United States, must endure unjust situations. What can we do? What should we do? Should we help or not?

Information – You will be investigating and evaluating an international declaration of human rights. You also will be considering the current living situation in a given country and determine if the country is violating human rights. Finally, you will need to decide whether or not intervention should occur.

Question or activity to be completed: Many young people are very sensitive about their rights. They believe they have rights and these rights are undeniable. However, with rights also come responsibilities. Part of that responsibility should be to help maintain those rights.

What should happen to countries/governments that violate basic human rights? What are the basic human rights that should never be violated? How far should an outsider go to intervene when basic rights are violated?

Activity: First, we will need to find out about the universal human rights. Before locating the information, let’s read through the questions you will need to answer.

SOURCE PAGE: United Nations - Universal Declaration of Human Rights - http://www.un.org/en/documents/udhr/index.shtml

You may change the language if English is not your preferred language.

1. Read the first paragraph at the top of the page and tell when this document was formed and what organization adopted it.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2. Based on who agreed to it and when it was developed, what conclusions can you make about its intentions or purposes? _______________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

When reading the preamble, you may find some of the language unfamiliar and very formal. Try to look for words and phrases you do recognize. Break down the longer sentences and passages. Don’t quit!

3. All countries are now members of the United Nations. Because they are members, what are all the many different responsibilities they have to their citizens?

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

4. Now examine the rights. There are 30 of them. In your team, have one person record the first 10 on a piece of paper, the second person records the second 10 and the last person records the last 10. SUMMARIZE each one in your own words.

5. As a group determine which 10 rights are the most important.

Summarize the RIGHT	RANK	Why?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

6. What is your opinion about how well member countries are upholding their pledges made in the preamble?

7. Are there any countries you have heard of that violate any of the top 10 you selected? How about any of the 30?

8. Should other countries, including the United States intervene to help the citizens of these countries?

YES NO

REASON we should or shouldn’t	Example? Other details? Evidence? Data?

Think about and record times in the history of the United States that our government has violated some of these human rights. Remember to consider all populations of people, all religions, races, ages, abilities, gender, sexuality, etc.

TIME PERIOD/EVENT/ERA	RIGHT(s) violated	WHY?

In a future activity, you will be examining the United State’s past record of human rights violations and also consider current concerns regarding the treatment of some citizens, including juveniles!

FUTURE RESOURCES WE WILL BE EXPLORING:

http://netnebraska.org/extras/humanrights/01/0105/0105_01.htm

What is the connection between human rights here and in other countries?

http://www.hrw.org/en/node/79365

The international organization, Human Rights Watch, finds flaws in how the United States government treats some of its citizens.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_rights_in_the_United_States

What makes Wikipedia a wacky resource? How can we use its strengths and avoid its pitfalls?

http://www2.mcdaniel.edu/slm/student/lees-carrs/SLM521leescarrwebbibliography.htm http://www2.mcdaniel.edu/slm/student/lees-carrs/SLM521leescarrwebbibliography.htm