Human Rights and the Right to be Human

Today marks the 60th anniversary of the UN’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights. As its title implies, it is a declaration with thirty articles that detail the basic rights and freedoms all humans in the world are entitled to regardless of which country they may live in, or governs them. It is a well thought out and brilliant document that represents the basic right to freedom that everyone should have—that is, of course, if you are considered a human.

Since the dark days of slavery, the world has tried to justify the enslavement and oppression of people by not giving them the full title of “human.” If their slaves were considered less than human, they were therefore not entitled to the same rights and privileges they were entitled to. It was an intellectually dishonest argument, but one that served them well for hundreds of years, and continues to do so till this day. But one does not need to look at only the repressive regimes that enslave entire nations of people, but also at those who enable them and support them.

Eleven years after the signing of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Fidel Castro and his gang of murderous thugs took control of the island nation of Cuba. And for nearly fifty years, they have violated every tenet and every principle described in the declaration. They have murdered, oppressed, silenced, and intimidated their opposition with reckless abandon and impunity. All the while enjoying the support and receiving encouragement from the leftists in this country and elsewhere. Human rights—or better said the rights of Cubans—took a back seat to the “revolution,” and the murders, the tortures, and the oppression that began in January of 1959, has continued unfettered to this day. To these enablers, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights may apply to Americans, or to the French, or to Bosnians, or even to the terrorists captured on the field of battle trying to kill Americans being held in Guantanamo Bay, but they apparently do not apply to the 11-million+ Cubans who have suffered for half a century under a dictatorial regime. It seems that to these people, Cubans do not qualify for the status of “human,” and therefore are not entitled to the same rights they enjoy.

This justification, though it may not be articulated by its practitioners so blatantly, is no different from the justification used by slave owners to own slaves. They were not really human, they reasoned, and therefore were considered property, chattel if you will, to be bought, sold, and traded like heads of cattle or bushels of corn. Just like the way one enjoys a lobster dinner without wondering where the lobster came from, these people can enjoy a Cuban cigar without thinking of the Cubans that planted, picked, and rolled the tobacco for that cigar that have been denied the title of human.

The list of enablers and defenders of Cuba’s vile dictatorship is too long to list here, but they are well-known and numerous. From heads of state such as Spain’s Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, to prominent and powerful businessmen such as Ted Turner, to influential news providers such as the New York Times, to popular filmmakers such as Michael Moore, the list seems almost endless. Yet they all have one thing in common; they honestly believe Cubans are not deserved of the same rights they have.

I believe Michael Moore articulated this point the best when he was asked about the repressive dictatorship in Cuba after premiering his wildly inaccurate portrayal of healthcare on the island: “there are various levels of freedom in the world,” he said. I am sure he thought the answer would justify the oppression that exists in Cuba, but it only served to show that Mr. Moore does not believe that Cubans are as human as he, and thus not entitled to the same level of freedom he and those of his ilk enjoy.

Until Cubans—and all others suffering under totalitarian regimes—are endowed with the title of human, they will never enjoy the rights described in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Perhaps the UN should consider a Universal Declaration of Humanity.

Posted by Alberto de la Cruz at December 10, 2008 07:46 AM