Reaction #8: The Universal Declaration of Human Rights

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights arose from the actions of the Second World War. This document is the first to recognize all of the rights humans have from birth. The approval of the Declaration came on December 10, 1948; with 48 voting in favor and 8 abstaining from the vote. Broken up into two covenants, the United States approved the first in 1992 and has yet to approve the second covenant.
The many principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights conflicted with many US policies and practices. First of which is the known fact of slavery. In many documents, the US has allowed the ownership of and enslavement of other people by people. This conflicted completely with the Declaration because the Declaration refers to all people, no matter their origin. Also, the Declaration allowed for the ownership of property, but within the US it was very hard for minorities to be allowed this right. The lack of equality within the US borders created many of these problems with the Declaration.
Another conflict with the Declaration was the inclusion of women. Women had very little rights still when this was ratified, and it made some people very upset. The Declaration gives the right to equal pay for equal work, and for the protection of employment. Neither of these was seen in the US at the time the Declaration was drafted. Women were forced out of their jobs once the men came back from war, and women were never paid as much as a man for their work.

Reaction #7: The Truth About Comfort Women

It was shameful to have been a part of the Comfort Women in Japanese history. Many stayed silent simply for this fact. Many who were a part of the raping were left to live lonely, solitary lives for the rest of their lives. The worth tied with a woman being a virgin in those days is astoundingly more so than the thought people give it today here in the States. Thus, when the women were finally released from the wartime Comfort stations, the women were left on their own. They’re status in life had been stolen from them, leaving them as the worst class of unclean women. Not only did others view them as unclean and unworthy, but their own views of themselves created a downfall in their own minds. The value placed on a virgin status of a woman only heightened the affects that the Comfort Women saw after they were released from their station.
In one astounding recollection from a Comfort Woman’s diary, she claimed to have been recruited forcibly by the government to go work in a factory. If any family member argued with or tried to keep the officials from taking their girl, they would be brutally beaten or even killed. But, of course, they did not take her to a factory. They took her to China, and placed her in one of the Comfort stations available for soldiers. The deception involved in taking these women was just a small part of the trouble these stations caused.
Many of the government officials viewed all of these rapes as just an “unfortunate consequence” of war and nothing more. They never thought about the status that was placed on the women after the stations closed, or the inflicting pain put upon the women. After the war, the women forced into these stations were released into a world that saw these women as unclean. They were left to live the rest of their lives seen as dirty, even though they did not willingly give up their bodies for sex. The pain that these women were put through is unreal. Being raped once in a lifetime is mentally challenging enough in today’s world, but these women saw between 20-30 men in a day. Even if they fought the men, they were not strong enough to fight them off. If they got pregnant, they were given a shot of the antibiotic Terramycin which would induce a swelling throughout her body and usually an abortion. The same antibiotic was given to those in pain after the rapes. The many rapes made many of the women sterile, and heightened their rank of outcast after the war. The view shared by so many countries that rape is always going to be an outcome of war are so highly untouched by the occurrence of rape. The emotional toll it takes on a woman to be over powered and have taken from her the one thing that makes her a woman is unbelievable.
These words and actions from the Japanese officials can be seen as another attempt to silence them because it degrades those that speak up against them. It puts them in a worse social situation and makes them feel worse of themselves because they think that it is such a big deal to be raped continuously day in and day out. The feelings of the women were never heard for so long mainly because of the degrading views of the social community, their old friends, and the government. The government would do anything in order to keep these women from pointing out the actions they have put upon them during wartime.

FDR's Four Freedoms

FDR initially meant the “freedom from want” to relate to the elimination of trading barriers to international trade. But, the people saw this “freedom from want” as more of an economic promise of stability after the war. This idea was appealing to all the classes, assuring they would have enough to eat, schools to send their kids to, and really being able to share in the American dream of life. The effects of the Great Depression heightened this “freedom from want” because just about everybody wanted during this time period. Fighting for this idea was a way to think that they will be better once they get out of the Depression and be able to move on towards a better life.
The “freedom from fear” that FDR fought for referred to the security of the United States and other countries to be without war. The world that “appeared to be out of control” needed to gain a sense of security and a sense of peace. He wanted to reduce the worldwide number of armaments that would create the ability of countries to aggress on their neighbors. During wartime, this sentiment is always high because the politicians and the population always see the negative effects first hand.
The desire for these freedoms came from the turmoil that Americans and Europeans faced during the 1930s and 1940s. The Great Depression hit both countries very hard during this time period and caused their economies to drop very low. Also World War II began during this time period which installed a sense of need in everyone. The “freedom from want” and “freedom from fear” both were heightened by the war mentality that everyone faced. Both the Great Depression and World War II created these freedom ideals that FDR touched on in his State of the Union Address in 1941.

Alain Locke- "The New Negro"

What does Alain Locke mean when he says, "The day of 'aunties.' 'uncles,' and 'mammies' is equally gone."? Why does he say this?
Put quite simply, Locke means that the days of slavery are truly over for African Americans and that now they must make changes to better themselves. Even though they have some hardships ahead of them, the worst days are behind them. The “New Negro” he talks about is coming through in all the ways possible, and Locke wants them to realize it.
Alain Locke wants this new generation to go through a transformation away from this concept of slavery. He wants his people to rise up and realize that they are going to be better than they ever expected. He wants them to put this idea of being an ex-slave behind them and focus on being a new person. Rather than to dwell on the past, he wanted them to make a new life for themselves.
A main point for Locke was for this New Negro to be intelligent. Intelligence is a key to so many doors, even today, that Locke felt his people needed to have in order to succeed in life. Intelligence would allow African Americans to look forward, instead of backward, and overcome all of the psychological speed bumps they have encountered before this time.
Locke says this because he believes it is time for African Americans to step up and realize their dream to be their own race. No longer should African American’s be the “wrong doer” of this society, they should come to realize that they are not the problem in this equation. African American’s should become and independent race, and should put this past idea of being slaves in any way behind them.

Southern African American Diary Entry

Dear Diary,
As I have confided in you all of my deepest secrets, I feel it safe to say that I have written in to the Defender today. You know, the newspaper which I have mentioned before that I have read and like so very much. In today’s paper, my eye caught a liking to the jobs section labeled for the north. If only I could get my family up there. I wrote to the Defender in order to question the jobs available. Especially since I refuse to leave my family here in the South, I had questioned whether the job would allow my family to stay together. As bad as things have gotten in the South, and especially with my son’s continued big lip, I am afraid not only for our stomachs but for our reputation. I do not want to get word that my wife or children have been harmed in any way. I would feel responsible if that happens and I have not tried in every way possible to get our situation better.
I also included in the letter about my friends. There are several of them here that do not know how to read still, and want to get out of the South. Especially the ones with families to think of, we all just want better living. Work is the first thing on our agenda, because money is what puts food on our tables. My littlest boy complains every time I mention maybe having to pull him from school. He loves it so much, and my wife says he works and practices so hard every day at home. I want better for him. I want better for all of them.
I fear still for our safety here in the South. I have heard about the happenings in Tulsa and know that without even meeting the boy accused, that he was wrongly accused. I wish that things could get better. I wish that the life that American’s leaders claim to be was actually the way they were. They’re nothing of this life of freedom that immigrants think they’re coming into. That being said though, immigrants coming to America make my situation worse. They come in search of jobs, and even though some companies hate immigrants more than they dislike the blacks of the town, they get the jobs. If I were ever put up against an immigrant for my job, the immigrant would win. This in itself scares me.
Even if we do decide to move to the North, it must stay a secret until we are gone. The whites here would do anything they could in order to keep us here in the South. As much as they hate us, for some reason they don’t want us to leave. Any kind of rumor that gets started about blacks doing anything against the Anglo’s desire will end badly. Rumors have caused so many of my people to lose their lives. As in Rosewood, the simple rumor of a black man being with a white woman can easily turn fatal. They don’t understand that we are simply trying to better ourselves and our families.
As much as I hate that I can’t provide for my family as I believe I should, I am proud to be an African American. My roots are strong, and I believe that my children’s generation will see a better time for freedom. We have come so far from the slave days. My parents talk about how life used to be, and that I should be content with the way things are now. But, I am not content with the conditions that I am living in now. I want more for myself, but mainly I want more for my family. My race deserves equality just like any other here in America.
Tonight that is all the time I have. My wife has just put the children to bed, and I cherish every moment I have with her. She does so much, and is so strong. If every African American man and woman had her strength, we would be writing a completely different story. But, that is for another night.

Tomorrow shall bring a better day,
John

Alonzo Vasquez- Mexican immigrant to the US

Moving to America seemed to be our only choice. With the poverty in Mexico becoming so unbearable, the move was our best option. We could no longer afford to keep our land back in Mexico, and the US seemed to be such a great opportunity for us all. In reality though, the way we are here is better off financially, but the family I once had is now falling apart. You ask why? My answer is simply this: money.
My name is Alonzo Vasquez, and I moved my family from the poverty in Mexico to the US in hopes of finding a better life. Those hopes have yet to fully be realized. The biggest setback: my family is falling apart.
My family was an actual family back in Mexico. We now are all working in some way or another. I am working in a factory, as well as my wife in another. Both of my children have found work in other places. All we think about is money. Since it was our biggest worry in Mexico, the need for it here is more important than anything. I hope that this change is only temporary, but I fear that it will be permanent.
My two children have become much more independent than they were in Mexico. In getting jobs and earning their own money, they are displaying characteristics that would normally only be found in adults back home. They both are not listening to me and their mother as much as they used to, making their own decisions on how to spend their extra money, and speaking more English amongst themselves than their native tongue. The conflicts around the house have increased dramatically, which has much to do with their money making affecting their attitudes.
The changes we are being put through are what these whites call “Americanization.” This change has taken what I used to call my family and turned them simply into money makers. Although we are financially better off here in the US, I miss who my family used to be and am worried they will forget where they came from.
Coming from poverty, my children really need to be able to remember their Mexican heritage and what they have been through. For the same reasons they teach history in schools, my family needs to be able to remember what has happened so that they know what it is like to work for a dollar and to overcome misfortunes they have already seen in their lives. If they are unable to remember their previous hardships, they will not be fully capable of enjoying the luxuries of a better life.

Esther Klein- the true American life

They said life in America would be different. Mainly, that it would be wonderful. We could do whatever it is that we dreamed of doing, and make a living off of it, too. Well here I am working all hours in a textile mill, at just seventeen years of age. I hate the mill, and I hate to say it but it makes me miss the old country. Here, it’s like being a woman isn’t good enough. We’re yet to be equals, although I don’t see why we are any different than a man. The work I do at the mill is just horrible, and dangerous, too. As an immigrant, I am pushed around and made fun of by the “real” Americans. I wish we could stand up against the factory employers, but I’ve heard what has happened to others who have tried.
Women have yet to get our own independence, even though slaves already have! A black man can stand up at a ballot and vote, yet women still cannot. Before we came, I thought that it would be the most wonderful experience of my life. But now that we are here, my family and I agree that America still has a long way to go in gaining independence for all of their people.
Working at a textile mill is not the way I had pictured spending my days here in America. I am working long hours for very little pay, and the conditions are horrible. Once, I hurt myself and went to my employer and he simply sent me back to work. I hurt myself again, and the other workers told me not to complain or I would lose my job! I had pictured working somewhere much better than this textile mill when I came to America. Work would have been something enjoyable for me, but instead with the long hours and horrible conditions, I dread going to work each day.
As an immigrant, I am not considered a true American. They look down on me, especially because I am a woman, and think that I am not good enough to be in their territory. It’s as if I don’t have what it takes to make it in their eyes just because I was not born there or from their original countries. Adding to the frustration is my religious affiliation. As a Jew, I am not the most common religion and therefore am looked down upon. I wish that Americans had been what I pictured in my head.
America is not what I had pictured in my mind. I had pictured a place where I could come and live and work as I pleased and make a living surrounded by all different types of people who all have different backgrounds and still exist together. Instead, I work long hours in a textile mill for very small wages, and am looked down upon because of my gender and religious affiliations. Hopefully in years to come, the true American dream can come true.