1.20.2007

basic human rights

This story saddened me for so many reasons. Not least of which the fact that Hrant Dink was an Armenian voice of reason in Turkey. He also took a stand for freedom of speech in that country in the hopes that it would make his home nation one day acknowledge that so as to join the EU. I admired (and still admire) his principles.

After this week's horrifying murder of an NDI staff member in Baghdad and now more fatal oppression in Turkey, I do question why I'm so devoted to promoting freedom of speech. But I know that it's simply because I truly believe that guaranteeing such basic human rights is a strong step toward a more peaceful world, where we can debate one another without going to war.

I hope some world leaders are taking note of the same thoughts.

4 comments:

Jessica said...

It's hard to come to the table with people who have fashioned themselves a holy war with freedom and liberty as their main enemies.
Those jihadists despise everything America stands for and will stop at nothing to eradicate us and our like-minded allies. How do you reasonably debate that point of view?

Jessica said...

Infidel.

eva said...

Ummm...am I the infidel?

Jessica said...

Always have been, always will be.
But it's cool. I'm an infidel too.
I am planning to go in public today WITHOUT my husband and I'm going to show my face AND my ankle.