On August 28, 1963 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech in front of thousands of people (King). The speech voiced the demands of the civil rights movement--equal rights for all citizens, including those who were born black and brown. During that time, African Americans’ civil rights were being violated day in and day out for. Like King, Omar Khadr, a Canadian born man, had is rights violated. Khadr has been in U.S. custody since he was 15 years old (War on Terror). And after 8 years of torture and abuse, he now faces an unfair military trial at Guantánamo where he will be tried as an adult, even though he was only a teenager when the alleged offenses occurred (War on Terror). Khadr’s human rights have been violated and he will suffer unfairly for the rest of his life. Both of these men were robbed of their rights, in one case civil rights were violated. In the other, human rights were violated. Civil and human rights are guaranteed upon birth; these rights differ slightly among women, children and minorities but are similar in the sense that they protect the lives of human beings.
Children across the world are entitled to all the rights guaranteed by the Universal Declaration on Human Rights, but children need special protection and care. They must be able to depend on the adult world to take care of their needs, to defend their rights and to help them to develop (Children’s Rights). Children have the right to food, shelter, healthcare, education, freedom of thought, protection rights and freedom of religion. All of these human rights are granted to children as soon as they are brought into this world. Children also have similar rights known as their civil rights. These rights cover the basic rights (food, shelter, education, etc.) and also more legal concepts such as children needing to be at least 18 to enlist in armed forces, employment restrictions and the rights of children with separated parents. Children are protected under the law by their civil rights and human rights so that cases like Omar Khadr’s won’t happen.
Like children, women are also protected by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). The UDHR has 30 articles; one of which states that “Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.”(The Universal Declaration of Human Rights) This pretty much means that people have the freedom to think what they want without being chastised. During the 19th century, women were not allowed to vote nor participate in law making. This changed June 4, 1919 when the 19th amendment gave women the civil right to vote (The Nineteenth Amendment). Now, women have the civil right to vote and run for office.
Ethnic minorities have always been at the bottom of the totem pole when it comes to civil and human rights. Minorities have the human right to be protected from racial discrimination, hatred and violence, the right to equal protection of the law irrespective of racial or ethnic origin and the right to enjoy their own culture (The Rights of Ethnic and Racial Minorities). These human rights may seem simple to the everyday Caucasian person, but to a minority, these rights are sacred. Like women and children, ethnic minorities are covered under the UNHR which states:
“Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, color, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status. Furthermore, no distinction shall be made on the basis of the political, jurisdictional or international status of the country or territory to which a person belongs, whether it be independent, trust, non-self-governing or under any other limitation of sovereignty.” (The Universal Declaration of Human Rights).
From the moment we are welcomed into this Earth, we all have rights that protect us. Unfortunately, Omar Khadr’s and Martin Luther King Junior’s rights were not respected and their lives ended tragically. Civil rights and human rights protect against different things but both are put in place so that human beings can coexist in this world peacefully.
Works Cited
"Children's Rights: Human Rights Goals." Amnesty International USA - Protect Human Rights. Web. 04 Oct. 2010. http://www.amnestyusa.org/children/page.do?id=1011016
"Martin Luther King's Dream of Racial Equality." America - Engaging the World - America.gov. 17 Jan. 2008. Web. 04 Oct. 2010. http://www.america.gov/st/peopleplace-english/2008/January/20080117180904bpuh9.322757e-02.html
"The Nineteenth Amendment." UMKC School of Law. 05 Oct. 2010 http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/conlaw/nineteentham.htm
"The Rights of Ethnic and Racial Minorities." Human Rights Education Associates. 05 Oct. 2010 http://www.hrea.org/index.php?doc_id=360
“The Universal Declaration of Human Rights." Welcome to the United Nations: It's Your World. 05 Oct. 2010 http://www.un.org/en/documents/udhr/index.shtml
"War on Terror | Global War on Terrorism." Amnesty International USA - Protect Human Rights. Web. 04 Oct. 2010. http://www.amnestyusa.org/counter-terror-with-justice/page.do?id=1011329
