Written by Frank Li
“Human Rights” is a good idea, but the American version is a big lie. Two main reasons:
- America preaches it loudly abroad, but does not even fundamentally practice it well at home – Two recent events (i.e. Killing of George Floyd and Shooting of Jacob Blake) have made it abundantly clear.
- It is just not of primary importance in much of the world, which is wrestling with even more fundamental problems such as abject poverty.
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1. What is “human rights”?
Below is an excerpt from Wikipedia – Human rights.
Human rights are moral principles or norms[1] that describe certain standards of human behaviour and are regularly protected in municipal and international law.[2] They are commonly understood as inalienable,[3] fundamental rights “to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being”[4] and which are “inherent in all human beings”,[5] regardless of their age, ethnic origin, location, language, religion, ethnicity, or any other status.[3] They are applicable everywhere and at every time in the sense of being universal,[1] and they are egalitarian in the sense of being the same for everyone.[3] They are regarded as requiring empathy and the rule of law[6] and imposing an obligation on persons to respect the human rights of others,[1][3] and it is generally considered that they should not be taken away except as a result of due process based on specific circumstances.[3]
This is, of course, the theory.
2. Human rights: theory vs. practice
In theory, “human rights” looks great. In practice, however, it is very problematic. Two highlights:
- It is not even fundamentally well practiced in America.
- It has been used by America as a tool against the rest of the world, such as the war on terror (Jimmy Carter Accuses U.S. of ‘Widespread Abuse of Human Rights) and the attempt to contain China (China accuses US of human rights ‘double-standards’).
Three big examples:
- America’s inhumane treatment of Black Americans.
- America’s inhumane treatment of migrants at the southern borders.
- America’s mistreatment of China.
Let me highlight each …
2.1 America’s inhumane treatment of Black Americans
The image below is worth more than 1,000 words.
For more, read: American “Law & Order” Is a Lie!
2.2 America’s inhumane treatment of migrants at the southern borders
If “human rights” is truly universal, apply it universally!
How, then, do you explain the image below?
For more, read: At Mexico border, US mayors say humanitarian crisis persists.
2.3 America’s mistreatment of China
What is America’s real concern about China?
Its record on human rights or its dramatic comeback as an economic competitor?
The latter, of course, at least for the American government, which, unfortunately, pretends to be [more] concerned about the former! As a result, America has been trying to take down China by any and all means, from “human right” accusations (Attempt of US, other countries to smear China’s human rights record fails) to commercial sabotage (The U.S. vs. China: From the Trade War to Commercial Sabotage!), Tonya Harding style!
Basic reasoning: if “human rights” is truly universal, should not the Chinese have the same inalienable rights of “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” as Americans do?
Specifically, has China done anything wrong on trade, for example?
President Trump answered it the best!
Why, then, does America initiate a trade war against China?
China is beating America in America’s game: free trade!
Furthermore, China may also be winning against America at the United Nations …
3. The United Nations
On June 19, 2018, the U.S. withdrew from the U.N. Human Rights Council (U.S. Quits UN Human Rights Council, Saying It’s Anti-Israel).
The U.N. is mostly democratic (other than the veto power afforded to the big five, for example), with 193 nations enjoying equal voting rights (i.e. one nation, one vote).
Of the 193 nations in the U.N., most belong to the rest (vs. the West).
Still wondering why and how the U.S. is out of the Human Rights Council?
Wonder not – The majority rules!
In other words, China is beating America in America’s game: democracy!
More profoundly, read the image below.
4. “Human rights” is a big western lie!
It is a big lie, as big as western [liberal] democracy!
Western democracy has been a lie for one main reason: It was built on top of capitalism (Okay), colonialism (not Okay), and imperialism (not Okay), without which it has failed everywhere else (e.g. Egypt and Iraq), without exception!
Worse yet, it is even failing in the West, especially in America – See image below. For more, read: Holocaust survivor slams Trump’s ‘Heil Hitler’ salute: ‘He’s asking them to swear allegiance to him’.
The rest of the world (vs. the West) cannot afford “human rights” per se, just like they can’t afford democracy, because of the lack of the excessive richness the West has accumulated over the past several hundred years, thanks to capitalism, colonialism, and imperialism!
The rest has a very basic issue to address: poverty. To solve it before rising up, the rest needs capitalism and order, not chaos (i.e. democracy) and human rights per se!
Better yet for the rest, there is now a real model to emulate: state capitalism, exemplified by China!
Specifically, China has lifted some 800 million people out of poverty over the past four decades. It is such a huge advancement for mankind that it is shifting the balance of power from the West to the East, with no end in sight!
For more, read: History 2.0: Human Races.
5. Discussion
China’s dramatic comeback over the past few decades has ended western dominance of the past 200 years (The Entire Western World Lives in Cognitive Dissonance).
What does that mean to the world?
It impacts almost everything, from economics to politics, including western liberal democracy (End of Democracy?) and human rights per se.
Now, is America, the leader of the West, finished?
No, not yet!
America, reform our failing political system, as I have suggested (American Democracy – Why is it failing & how to fix it?), or become a fiddle, second to China!
6. Closing
The American version of “Human rights” is a big lie!
Now, please sit back and enjoy the video below.
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