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Blog Action Day 2013

Today is Blog Action Day. This year's topic is human rights and the aim is to encourage bloggers from around the world to raise awareness about human rights by posting something about it. I posted a Blog Action Day badge in my left hand column last week. I hope you guys have been clicking on it.


You may think that's a stupid question but it happens every day all around the world.  Sadly, the chief targets are women, children and the poor. Violence, human trafficking, ethnic cleansing, child labour, the arrest, torture and in some cases killing of demonstrators against abuses of human rights are just some of the types of activities which impact on individuals' human rights.

But it doesn't just happen somewhere else. It happens in our own backyards too. Here in Canada I think of the plight of the poor and of Aboriginal people as two examples. In my province of Quebec, the government has come up with a Charter of Values that would forbid public employees from wearing religious and cultural artifacts in the workplace. This would include such items as kippas, turbans, burkas, hijabs and large crosses.

That's just plain silly. And it makes about as much sense as the following.

In one African nation, government officers wrap themselves in a cloak of invisibility while it tramples the human rights of their people. But I see through that.

Elsewhere, a Middle Eastern nation issues leather uniforms to their officers as Human Rights offences mount. But they can't hide from me.

Meanwhile, in a somewhat odd approach to force the population to bend to the will of the government enforcement officers' uniforms in another nation bear the digits 666 on the front and back. Ah, but I've got their number.

The issue of human rights violations is far more serious than my punny attempt at humour betrays. Think about it today. Visit the Blog Action Day website and see what other bloggers are saying. And leave your views in my comments.

In the meantime, take two and a half minutes to view this thoughtful video which summarizes the 30 articles of human rights...



Comments

Cheryl said…
Very nicely done, John. That video was inspiring.
Chelle B. said…
I agree with Cheryl. This whole post is awesome, as are you. :)
madmadmargo said…
Very nicely done, John. The video was such an excellent choice to get the message across. Peace.
nonamedufus said…
Thanks, Cheryl. Tough to be funny about such a tragic issue.
nonamedufus said…
Oh my. High praise indeed. Thanks, Chelle.
Nicky said…
And you, mon ami, deserve a 31st article just for you... the freedom to pun to your heart's content. :-)


That whole Charter of Values thing makes me crazy. Whose values? Certainly not mine. Sigh.
nonamedufus said…
I'd go for that!


That charter of values is so bogus. Where does a government get off telling me what to wear. It should have no say in what reflects my culture or religion.

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