Honor principles behind Fourth of July

[The following is a letter to the editor that was recently published in the South Bend Tribune. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights is an incredible document, visionary and still largely unfulfilled nearly 60 years after the US and many other countries adopted it through the UN General Assembly on December 10, 1948. --KJH]


Honor principles behind Fourth of July
VOICE OF THE PEOPLE - South Bend Tribune
June 25, 2008

July Fourth is a time of national reflection on the American promises of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Our Declaration of Independence attests to the value our nation's founders attached to the ideals of freedom and equality, and many other countries have established similar rights for their citizens.

In 1948, as the world was coming to terms with the horrors of World War II, citizens and world leaders hoping to prevent future wars established the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Former first lady Eleanor Roosevelt worked tirelessly to advance a world order based on freedom and tolerance rather than violence and oppression.

The UDHR proclaims all people have rights to education, desirable work, health care and other rights essential to human dignity. It crosses all national, ethnic and religious borders and has inspired proponents of democracy and freedom around the world.

Several Michiana civic organizations are launching a Human Rights Initiative to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the UDHR (see michianasocialforum.org) to encourage public conversation about the current state of human rights in our local, national and global communities.

We hope the principles celebrated this Fourth of July will inspire you to join us in working for human rights and dignity.

Karl Hardy
Michiana Social Forum
South Bend