Introduction
Besides being a way of thinking, human rights are also a set of political and legal doctrines. These doctrines limit the government power to shape citizens expectations. As such, they benefit ascribe behaviors and proscribe others. The structure of human rights reflects meticulous historical milieu out of which they have evolved and their contours have stretched and changed with the erratic landscape of global society. The general awareness of human rights was gradually formed on the existence of rights that are inherent in all human beings. These rights pre-exist and are superior to the State and all political affiliations. The universal community has moved by the universal juridical conscience bestowed on universal declaration. This is the dimension that is contemporarily recognized by the international case law and is also incorporated in the sphere of expected international law.
Human rights also give expression to general principle of law that is globally recognized. Human rights have been established as universal language of humankind. In this paper analysis the role of writers in human rights crisis looking at five characters (Jane, Anthony, Lisa, Morrison, and Bale) conversation here in to broadly understand the topic.
- What are possible effects of irresponsible writing?
- What are the philosophical and historical foundations for human rights?
- What are the primary principles of the Universal declaration of human rights?
- What are the roles of a writer in the society?
- What are the measures taken by the government to streamline responsible writing?
While the above stated questions distinctively cover some of the issues present in the society today, people have many writers have failed to adhere to responsible writing. Irresponsible writing and journalism has been the course of conflicts in different parts of the world like in Rwanda, and even during the WWII. As indicated by Philip Gourevitch writing from pure imagination instead of reporting facts from the source can create tension. Jane a blogger has repeatedly been trying to understand the extent of responsive writing and how it can help to avoid conflict t in the society. Her first question of writing regards to the effects of irresponsible writing.
Jane: What are the effects of irresponsible writing on human rights?
Morrison: The hoary problem with negative writing has affected the society in different ways. Such writing fuel wide spread violence and conflicts among people like in the case of Rwanda genocide in may cases writing that is inclined to criminal behavior and media insistence in mentioning ethnicity, racism in reporting credence to the criminal nature of a particular group of people or government personnel. It does not only give false image but it is also dangerous because it tense the relations between different groups of people within a society.
Anthony: The United Nations General Assembly adopted the renowned Universal Declaration of Human Rights with it chief concern being the protection of human rights on a global scale. It is a common achievement that corresponds to globally deepest and most legitimate aspirations.
Bale: Besides, Universal Declaration has served as a model that is useful in enacting numerous human rights norms in many nations and legislations.
Jane: And so how can who avoid or cub irresponsible writing?
Lisa: Arguably, law is broadly assumed to guard the society with it decisive means of organizing responsibility. These rules cover an expansive area of social life from State activities, to business to private relations. Notably, laws that govern responsible writing focus on large scale harms, vast human rights violations.
Morrison: Irresponsible writing is a big obstacle that has hindered introduction of universal principles that all media associations must abide by. These organizations abide to the universal writing and journalism ethics. These organization believe that media has unlimited freedom and thus they must act ethically to keep up with human rights spirit.
Bale: not only that, the writing community is subjected into serious pressure that is exerted upon them by the government over what they publicize. This paradoxical situation to a certain extent stems from the media structures that engage the owners concerning state tenders. Conspicuously, this structure play important role in influencing writers in regard to what to write and what not to. Writing something that jeopardize the business can lead to sacking and more so without compensation.
Jane: Anthony you talked about the Universal declaration of human rights what are the responsibilities of this organization?
Anthony: the Universal declaration of human rights is a unified declaration against blatant violation of human rights was indispensable in order to prevent violation like those that happened in WWII from recurring. Arguably, the declaration is a profoundly important document for people in the entire globe since it was founded on three elemental principal. (1) This rights are inalienable – they can never be taken away from anybody (2) they are indivisible - they are inseparable (3) human right are interdependent – the right are part of the larger structure and they work collectively.
In keeping with Toni Morrison, media ought to be controlled through surveillance, arrest, writers and journalist spreading disturbing messages. The work and life of the writers on the other hand must be protected. Writing has played a focal point in protection of human rights. Notably, writers expose human rights violations and provide a playing ground for various voices to be heard in the public discourse. It is eminent that writers can not be given full freedom without check due to the vulnerability writing comes with (Toni Morrison) Nonetheless, the power of writers has been misused to an extent that many societies have been destabilized. It also happens that many writers unfairly and unnecessarily abuse the integrity and the privacy of common people through sensationalism and carelessness course great damage to them. More so, some writers publish propaganda megaphone for personnel in power. Other writers stir violence and xenophobic hatred against vulnerable groups in the society. As such, the Universal declaration of human rights stands to guard these vulnerable people in the society against irresponsible writing.
Work cited
Brannigan. M. Human Rights. Encyclopedia of Applied Ethics (Second Edition), 2012, Pages 665-673
Liisi Keedus. ‘Human and nothing but human’: How Schmittian is Hannah Arendt's critique of human rights and international law? Original Research Article. History of European Ideas, Volume 37, Issue 2, 2011, Pages 190-196
Keedus L. ‘Human and nothing but human’: How Schmittian is Hannah Arendt's critique of human rights and international law? Original Research Article. History of European Ideas, Volume 37, Issue 2, June 2011, Pages 190-196
Toni Morrison Discusses Freedom of Expression and the Writer's Role – cited from: http://www.pen.org/video/toni-morrison-discusses-freedom-expression-and-writers-role#sthash.7gf6TDDF.dpuf
Philip Gourevitch. Writer's Responsibility in Reporting cited from: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WInwfBeJOg4&feature=youtu.be
