Rights and Responsibilities

Introduction

This post is one that I think needs to be written as it highlights something which needs to be stated and needs to be noted by many people as many people talk about Rights but few of the same people talk about Responsibilities, the other side of those Rights that they claim. I will start very simply with this discussion and then move on to deeper and more significant matters to present arguments which must be made and highlight elements which must be brought to light for all of us to act as real humans and real adults.

"Out on the Town"

So, a group of friends decide to go out and have a night on the town, have a few drinks and generally have a good time. This is their Right as adults. Unless they all decide that they will travel home by public transport this means that one of them will have to be the "designated driver". This is a Responsibility which goes hand in had with the Right which everyone is enjoying. Likewise if they decide to go home by public transport there is planning that needs to be done, that is also a Responsibility that one or all of the members must be involved in. Thus Rights and Responsibilities are interwoven here.

Universal Declaration of Human Rights

So now we will go to the other end of the scale of things and have a look at a very important document which states what Rights every person on the planet should have. This document can be found here: http://www.un.org/en/universal-declaration-human-rights/. This is a most interesting document as within some of the Rights which are stated there are also Responsibilities also present.

The Responsibilities within this document actually start within the Preamble, "that human rights should be protected by the rule of law". Thus within the beginnings of the document it requires as a Responsibility of signatory nations that these Rights are protected by the rule of law. This Responsibility to uphold this document goes even further than that in that it states,

"Whereas Member States have pledged themselves to achieve, in co-operation with the United Nations, the promotion of universal respect for and observance of human rights and fundamental freedoms,"

Thus the Preamble reminds the Member States of the United Nations that they have pledged themselves, i.e. promised, to co-operate with the UN to promote these human rights, thus again Responsible for doing so.

"All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood."

Article 1, unedited. everyone is Responsible to act toward everyon else in a spirit of brotherhood. It would seem that this Responsibility has gone by the way-side in many situations. This is the first one, admittedly the Responsibility is only implied, but it is present.

Several of the following Articles within the document place a heavy Responsibility upon Member States within the UN with regard to laws made and upholding these laws to ensure that their people are treated fairly. No doubt their are violations which could be cited in several places in several countries. Even several "respectable" nations could be creeping a little close due to Article 9, "No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile." when considering the current detainment conditions under various terror laws, but this is not the aim of this exercise.

Needless to say, it is a very involved document, where, if looked at closely there are all sorts of Rights detailed, and lots of State Responsibilities implied. However, there are few individual Responsibilities implied or stated within this document, which is a little cause of concern as there must be a balance. It is the lack of this balance, which causes issues

Rights Without Responsibilities

When people are given Rights but not Responsibilities there is an issue as they are given things but not expected to do anything in return for it. This can be seen in many different places. Many of our youths these days are given Rights but not Responsibilities and this leads them to flout their Rights all over the place and cause issues. This can be seen where adults have no power to discipline children or youths in any real fashion.

We often see that an individual will do something wrong but is never expected to take Responsibility for their actions as their are loop-holes through which they can slip. In many instances this is not just children and youths, but adults as well. Taking Responsibility for ones actions is how we grow and learn from our mistakes so that we do not make the same mistake over again.

There are issues which need to be tackled. There are real mental and social issues which impair groups and place them in a position where they will cause problems, but placing them back in the same situation cannot be the way out. Blanket legislation of "youths" or "criminal activity" is also not the way as it places vulnerable individuals in situations where they will not learn, or will only learn how to be more effective at doing the wrong thing. Here, again, is a failure of the teaching of Rights and Responsibilities.

One of the Responsibilities that most needs to be taught is Responsibilities for choices made and the consequences of those choices which go along with them. So often we hear complaints about situations where a person is in a situation where if they had made a different choice they would be in a better situation. More to the point the same person is blaming everyone else for their problems. This is a person cannot take Responsibility for their own choices. It needs to be taught and taught well, along with this is planning ahead to deal with the consequences of the choices made.

Trickle Down Effects

Legislation is devised by politicians to supposedly solve an issue when examined from their position. It is placed into law and then it does not work, no surprise. It is because they do not understand what is happening at the level where their legislation effects. They have the Right to make legislation which affects which ever part of the nation they govern, but they also have the Responsibility to make sure that it is the right legislation so that it will be for the advantage of their constituents.

The budget is too far in deficit, so the politicians use their Right to legislate a cut in spending. Where do they cut the spending? At the top? No, at the bottom. Social welfare programs get attacked. Pensions get attacked. Hospital funding gets attacked. Schools get attacked. Then they wonder why unemployment and crime increases. They also wonder why they all of a sudden become unpopular. It is because they have not been Responsible to all the people who they govern.

Conclusion

The whole thing may sound like the ramblings of some cranky old guy who dreams of a "better past when I was a lad", but there must be some balance between the Rights we give and the Responsibilities we expect of people otherwise things will simply be out of kilter. Responsibilities need to be taught just as the Rights do, and with the same emphasis. Both are important.

I have given a simple example of Rights and Responsibilites with the group going out on the town for a night, and I have given a much more complex example in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. What needs to be noted here is that both elements are present in both. What followed are examples of what happens when people forget about their Responsibilities, both to themselves and to others. The effects can be devastating. More to the point, not taking into account to consequences of a choice is also an effect which needs to be noted. Remember, you are Responsible for your choices and the consequences which come with them.

Cheers,

Henry.