The Horizon of Human Rights

From: John Ames Birch Sent: Thursday, April 29, 2021 7:53:08 PM To: justin.trudeau@parl.gc.ca <justin.trudeau@parl.gc.ca>; Chrystia.Freeland@parl.gc.ca <Chrystia.Freeland@parl.gc.ca>; dujarric@un.org <dujarric@un.org>; antonio.ferrari@un.org <antonio.ferrari@un.org>; Rota, Anthony - Riding 1 <Anthony.Rota.C1@parl.gc.ca>; ANKRA-Consular@international.gc.ca <ANKRA-Consular@international.gc.ca>; accredit@gov.ru <accredit@gov.ru>; actso@naacpnet.org <actso@naacpnet.org>; Naacp <washingtonbureau@naacpnet.org>; Blanchet, Yves-François - Député <Yves-Francois.Blanchet@parl.gc.ca>; beril.aktas@hurriyet.com.tr <beril.aktas@hurriyet.com.tr>; Kate Brown For Oregon Information <info@katebrownfororegon.com>; contact.nbcnews@nbcuni.com <contact.nbcnews@nbcuni.com>; correspondence@council.nyc.gov <correspondence@council.nyc.gov>; ctvottawa@ctv.ca <ctvottawa@ctv.ca>; contactus@newfoundlandlabrador.com <contactus@newfoundlandlabrador.com>; doug.fordco@pc.ola.org <doug.fordco@pc.ola.org>; dir_enq@cso.gov.hk <dir_enq@cso.gov.hk>; david.penberthy@news.com.au <david.penberthy@news.com.au>; dan@jpost.com <dan@jpost.com>; eurohealthycities@who.int <eurohealthycities@who.int>; English@mail.gov.cn <English@mail.gov.cn>; education@nasa.gov <education@nasa.gov>; edpubs@edpubs.ed.gov <edpubs@edpubs.ed.gov>; edumitru@amnesty.ca <edumitru@amnesty.ca>; Francois-Philippe.Champagne@parl.gc.ca <Francois-Philippe.Champagne@parl.gc.ca>; Francois.Legault.ASSO@assnat.qc.ca <Francois.Legault.ASSO@assnat.qc.ca>; fkalmbach@theadvocate.com <fkalmbach@theadvocate.com>; FEMA-News-Desk@fema.dhs.gov <FEMA-News-Desk@fema.dhs.gov>; Fisher, Gordon <gfisher@postmedia.com>; GlobalOttawa@globalnews.ca <GlobalOttawa@globalnews.ca>; governor@governor.ca.gov <governor@governor.ca.gov>; govpress@la.gov <govpress@la.gov>; govsec@nanoq.gl <govsec@nanoq.gl>; HaveYourSay <haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk>; harjit.sajjan@parl.gc.ca <harjit.sajjan@parl.gc.ca>; help@ellentube-support.com <help@ellentube-support.com>; health@ctv.ca <health@ctv.ca>; info@bnn.ca <info@bnn.ca>; Info@hc-sc.gc.ca <Info@hc-sc.gc.ca>; Info@PMOindia.gov.in <Info@PMOindia.gov.in>; Info@narendramod.in <Info@narendramod.in>; jedmiston@nationalpost.com <jedmiston@nationalpost.com>; Jagmeet.Singh@parl.gc.ca <Jagmeet.Singh@parl.gc.ca>; jsavikataaq@gov.nu.ca <jsavikataaq@gov.nu.ca>; KathyCrawford@house.mi.gov <KathyCrawford@house.mi.gov>; kdundar@hdn.com.tr <kdundar@hdn.com.tr>; letters@jpost.com <letters@jpost.com>; letters@theaustralian.com.au <letters@theaustralian.com.au>; letters@lasvegassun.com <letters@lasvegassun.com>; LetsDoThis@ellentv.com <LetsDoThis@ellentv.com>; lansing@mlive.com <lansing@mlive.com>; media@sputniknews.com <media@sputniknews.com>; media@gatesfoundation.org <media@gatesfoundation.org>; minister.edu@ontario.ca <minister.edu@ontario.ca>; matt.eldredge@kolotv.com <matt.eldredge@kolotv.com>; mediainquiries <mediainquiries@who.int>; news@skynews.com <news@skynews.com>; nytnews@nytimes.com <nytnews@nytimes.com>; newsonline@ctv.ca <newsonline@ctv.ca>; news@thelocal.se <news@thelocal.se>; News@KelownaNow.com <News@KelownaNow.com>; Oprah@oprah.com <Oprah@oprah.com>; osd.pentagonpressbadges@mail.mil <osd.pentagonpressbadges@mail.mil>; online@theaustralian.com.au <online@theaustralian.com.au>; PARIS-MEDIA@international.gc.ca <PARIS-MEDIA@international.gc.ca>; premier@gov.pe.ca <premier@gov.pe.ca>; pm_eng@pmo.gov.il <pm_eng@pmo.gov.il>; public-inquiries@hq.nasa.gov <public-inquiries@hq.nasa.gov>; Robert.g.daniels@cbp.dhs.gov <Robert.g.daniels@cbp.dhs.gov>; ryan.schleeter@greenpeace.org <ryan.schleeter@greenpeace.org>; Sky.Today <Sky.Today@sky.uk>; Secretary@HHS.gov <Secretary@HHS.gov>; submit@calgaryherald.com <submit@calgaryherald.com>; tips@GlobalTVBC.com <tips@GlobalTVBC.com>; travis.nichols@greenpeace.org <travis.nichols@greenpeace.org>; tracy.mcphee@gov.yk.ca <tracy.mcphee@gov.yk.ca>; NCTE <ncte@transequality.org> Subject: The Horizon of Human Rights (Opinion)

Hey everyone, I have been reading reports about ending racism and inequality but most have not looked at the grander picture. Human rights and human dignity are paramount for every single man, woman and child on this planet and beyond. This standard that we set, this rubric of protections equates to the potential of every single one of us. This is not some single arguement or cause, each and every single battle has sought to create equal status and opportunity for all of us. Each battle, be it the civil rights movement, the suffragette struggle, the rainbow road or the discovery of identity has been fought in this war we wage against ourselves. We have come too far down the road to human rights we cannot go back, we will not. We will not go back into submission, the closet or the back of the damn bus. Instead we will stand as one. Every time we stand for one another, set right injustice or create new protections we evolve the standard of what it means to be human and the protections contained within. Many people talk that they have moved on from those long nights of our inhumanity and that a change has come. While we may have come far from slavery, segregation, submission and silence we still have miles to tread. The road of human rights is an endless journey where we must always be watchful towards that distant horizon. We must always stand for one another whenever we are left unequal, we must be there for one another whenever we are threatened because this fight is for everyone. We are one people. When one of us bleeds, we all bleed. When one of us suffers, we all suffer. When even one of us lies unlawfully or immorally in chains, none of us are free. Injustice must not stand anywhere. Injustice, a word many of us now know or are learning. Many thankfully, have never known its sting or lived through its reign. For those that do, they know all to well that injustice still reigns in our society. Every day that they live their lives they are faced with a world that propagates it. Through silence, inaction, corruption or negligence our society has left some of us wanting. In order for us to cleanse our society of injustice, inequality and ignorance we must create a society that is not beholden to bias. This means a full review of our judiciary, corporate culture, education system, social support system, media, health care system and every other aspect of our society. This struggle must be known and understood by every generation so the mistakes of the past remain there. This inequality has been constructed over generations and therefore it can be easily overlooked by those who do not face it daily. Therefore we must if need be, rebuild these institutions with a focus on equality of opportunity. All people deserve equal rights and equal opportunity no matter their color, orientation, gender, identity, religion or any other distinction. This will take a coordinated continuous review of what we do in relation to bias. We need to not only remove inequality from our entrenched systems but ensure steps to protect those systems from further corruption. This is work that will never be finished but must always be done. There is no ending to our fight for equality and human dignity, we must be ever vigilant today to ensure the tomorrow we build includes all of us. All for one and one for all. The work continues. Stay safe, stay sanitized and stay supportive, John Ames Birch @johneames2