I received this newsletter in my email this morning.
“Dear reader,
In the 75 years since the UN adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, it has rarely added to the list of fundamental human rights it recognizes. However, one such addition took place in June 2022, when the General Assembly recognized the human right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment. This week, John Knox details the significance of this recognition.”
I think rights are great. However, I am sick of hearing about rights and more rights. In the USA today everyone from gun owners to parents to rich people are screaming about their rights. One of my teachers told me years ago, “For every right there is a responsibility.” I would like to see a “Gun Owner’s List of Responsibilities” , “A Parent’s List of Responsibilities’‘, and a “Rich Person’s List of Responsibilities.” For every “Rights” list, I would like to see a corresponding “Responsibilities List.”
How about a “List of Environmental Responsibilities?”
Without responsibilities Rights are Meaningless. IMHO
The following is from AI Generated Google in response to my query “Rights Versus Responsibilities.” This is a darn good list to start with.
- Recycling
- Treating people fairly
- Fiscal conservatism
- Strong work ethic
- Helping people in need
- Doing the right thing when no one is looking
- Being trusted to operate a store alone
- Self-control
- Not showing favoritism
Aging Capriciously 
Jan 20, 2024 @ 11:16:48
I have been saying for as long as I can remember that for every ‘right’ there is an accompanying responsibility. Your post is perfect, it hits the nail squarely on the head! Thank you … I plan to reblog this afternoon if you have no objections.
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Jan 20, 2024 @ 15:28:31
Jill, No objections ever with you reposting. I appreciate your asking though. I hope your readers will find it useful. We shall have a toast together someday with some good champagne if we ever see these ideas come to fruition.
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Jan 21, 2024 @ 00:36:56
Thank you so much, John! Yours got the most views (48) of my three posts for the day! I look forward to having that toast with some good champagne … the sooner the better!
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Jan 21, 2024 @ 01:42:16
Jill, Lets meet and toast when DT goes to jail and we see pictures of him in an orange jumpsuit. John
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Jan 21, 2024 @ 20:31:22
Works for me! We shall dance in the street, then have that toast!
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Jan 20, 2024 @ 11:20:25
Thank you, John. I wonder, do all these ardent Christians not hear these messages at church? Jesus preached the same messages, including do unto others (as do all the religions). The problem must be selective hearing!
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Jan 20, 2024 @ 15:26:54
Jane, I only wish you lived closer so we could have some great tete a tetes over coffee. I love your thoughts and ideas. You have asked the same question that I ask myself. I just heard over NPR that the percentage of Evangelicals that are going to vote for Trump is still high. I keep wondering what message they think Jesus is sending them. I can’t see Jesus as a “Trump Supporter.”
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Jan 20, 2024 @ 16:07:07
No kidding! He’d be anything but. It all defies the imagination. And it’s very, very scary. 😥
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Jan 20, 2024 @ 14:24:09
And John, I would like to add to that Google Search and subsequent list, this critical point:
• A thorough, demonstrated understanding, over time of an American lifetime… of “E Pluribus Unum.”
This concept, this civic virtue, poorly understood or appreciated these days in this nation, certainly crosses over into responsible Public Health & Safety and doing your part as part of a team, a nation. Period!
John, I stopped by here to read from Jill’s blog Filosofa’s Word and I’m so glad I did. This is poignant. This is so spot-on! These concepts are critical to the social fabric of this country which is being distorted and lost by disinformation, lies, and partisan tunnel-vision. The latter of those three is what I imply with E Pluribus Unum.
Excellent post Sir. Bravo!
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Jan 20, 2024 @ 15:23:36
Thanks so much Professor Taboo for the thoughtful comments. Sometimes, I feel like I am out in left field all by myself or whistling in the dark. Response like yours help me to keep thinking that speaking out is worth it. John
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Jan 20, 2024 @ 16:27:16
Of course! Give credit where credit is due, right? 😉 And I know what you mean about “out in left field or whistling in the dark.” Here in the Hill Country of Texas, I am surrounded by gun-worshippers and fanatical loud-mouthed ‘Free-speechers’ with little to no grasp of accountability/responsibility for what they scream or do for the sake of “me, me, me.” Their typical war-cry is Join me or shut up and get out of the way! Common human decency and compassion with collaboration is in VERY short supply here. 😟
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Jan 20, 2024 @ 16:55:01
Seems like it is the case all over these days. I wonder why? Maybe, I had blinders on in the past. I am not usually a very nostalgic person since I see many advantages to life today as compared to years ago. However, seems some things may have changed for the worse or maybe it is just the poor leadership that is ubiquitous.
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Jan 20, 2024 @ 17:58:11
Yes, Texas is not the only Red-state that demonstrates these civic virtues, or lack of, across the nation. But here in the Lone Star State (see image below 😉 ) even our radical MAGA supporters and our GOP dominated government in Austin seem to be addicted to staying in the headlines and limelight of national and global news. Case and point, the two children, Yorlei Rubi, 10, and Jonathan Agustín Briones de la Sancha, 8 who, along with their mother, Victerma de la Sancha Cerros, all of who died drowning in the Rio Grande River begging and screaming for help at the U.S. Border Patrol. They wanted to rescue them, but Gov. Greg Abbott gave explicit orders to our Texas National Guard units and the Texas State Police to physically stop them from rescue!
THIS is our current, modern Texas and it has increasingly turned this way ever since Gov. Ann Richards left office in 1995 and George W. Bush and the more right-leaning GOP seized all power and authority here via constant gerrymandering. Then the SCOTUS landmark decision of Citizens United vs. FEC threw open the flood gates for BIG Dark Money donations from millionaires and billionaires and wealthy corporations, which is just a fancy name for buying off or bribing our state and federal officials. It is really bad here in Texas because of Big Oil. 🤦♂️
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Jan 20, 2024 @ 22:06:37
Very sad. A total loss of humanity. Sounds like things we think of when we remember Nazi Germany. Hard to believe we have come to such inhumanity in America. The Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave.. 😦 Do you think we are seeing the decline of the American Experiment or Empire as some call us? Is there any hope?
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Jan 21, 2024 @ 10:01:37
Well, according to Democracy Matrix (Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg) and International IDEA (Global State of Democracy Initiative) we Americans have been losing our democracy since at least 2017. Four major factors for this: 1) Republic in nature(?), 2) Declining human rights (e.g. Roe v Wade), 3) Declining public participation (civic duties?), and 4) Following precisely the Rule of Law.
As you might imagine John, we have been doing quite poorly in all four of those categories since 2016-2017, and we know who came into the national political arena at that time. And he and his radical MAGA automatons have only exacerbated our decline into a nose dive these last eight years with persistent unfounded claims of election fraud.
So… to answer your questions, yes, we are most certainly still in decline. And yes, I believe there is still hope IF, big emphasis on if, all Moderate Americans, Independent voters, and every single Democrat votes this November WITH their level-headed, highly & equitably informed reasoning and fact-checking… then yes, we can slow then reverse this wayward ship and possibly return to a truer from of E Pluribus Unum.
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Jan 22, 2024 @ 09:09:40
Dear Professor, Thanks for the info. I was not familiar with Democracy Matrix. It really confirms what I see and how I feel about the state of the Union so to speak. On the other hand, I have been anything but hopeful. Like all Empires, I think ours is on the decline. We have become the Evil Empire and may someday be regarded as the worst war mongering nation in history. All if pursuit of the dream of a world Capitalist economy so everyone can “shop till they drop” and buy presents from Santa Claus. However, I think “Mother Nature” may eradicate us first for our transgressions against her. IMHO John
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Jan 20, 2024 @ 15:32:53
You kind of say this when you mention “stepping on toes”, but along with rights and responsibilities I think respect needs to be added. I came to the conclusion many years ago that humans need to be self-responsible in how they treat other humans, other living beings including plants, and also the world around us (the environment.) We are more likely ro be responsible if we feel respect for those same beings and things.
I do not need anyone telling me how to live, act, speak, etc. as long as I am responsible for my actions and show respect for everyone and everything around me.
Unfortunately, as I grow older, I have found there are some people I cannot respect, no matter what — Trump, Putin, Netan’yahoo, as examples.They show no respect for anyone they do not know personally, and probably a lot of people they do know personally. In fact, I don’t even know that they can be called human!
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Jan 20, 2024 @ 17:06:58
I share your sentiments about the three that you named. I also agree that perhaps more fundamental than rights or responsibilities is RESPECT. Makes me think of the Aretha Franklin song RESPECT. We have a world today where it seems people do not respect people who think differently than they do. Compromise and honest debate seem to be lost arts. I am not sure how respect is learned or how to teach it. Any ideas? John
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Jan 21, 2024 @ 01:38:51
I don’t think respect can be learned, but I may be wrong. I was never taught as a child to respect anything, but as I grew and matured I realized I naturally respect most of the things and people around me. Not things as in material tnings — though that might make such things last longer and work better, but the environment, all the living beings in it, and water and air and food, etc.
IF respect can be taught I suspect that might be done best by having and being a good role model. I don’t have any kids, so I don’t know for sure, but I always try to role model respect when I am around children and young adults — just in case..
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Jan 21, 2024 @ 01:41:05
Thanks for your thoughts Rawgod. I guess I do not know either or at least have not had much success in teaching it. I do try to role model it but I don’t find any shortcuts.
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Jan 21, 2024 @ 01:54:22
Nor have I, so far.
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Jan 21, 2024 @ 09:14:33
Thanks for your thoughts and comments Rawgod. I appreciate them very much. Helps me to think when I see other peoples perspectives and ideas. The older I get, the less I know. Funny, when I was young, I knew everything. John
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Jan 21, 2024 @ 11:02:33
Didn’t we all.
My pleasure.
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Jan 20, 2024 @ 15:40:59
Oops, sorry John, i thought I was replying to Filosofa who had reblogged your post. I think if you remove the first phrase of the first paragrsh of my comment, it will still make sense. If it does not make sense, delete it and let me know so I can rewrite it for you. For your blog you can also delete the last paragraph, from “Unfortunately” on. It is a personal comment Filosofa will understand, but your readers might find unnecessary.
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Jan 20, 2024 @ 17:03:16
Hi Rawgod. You have may permission to reword or rewrite it as you think might help. I appreciate your sharing of the ideas. I was not on the Filosofa site so I am not able to rewrite it myself or delete it. Perhaps it will sound better with your changes. 🙂 I learned a long time ago to be humble about writing. Things can always be said differently and sometimes better. John
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Jan 20, 2024 @ 16:01:59
An excellent post John, and one I feel the need to steal… with due credit of course 🙂
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Jan 20, 2024 @ 17:00:17
Go to it Ben. I appreciate the thought of being reposted as very rewarding. In my home page, I have said that anyone may repost things that I write as I hope we can all share ideas. I think we all build on the back of others. It was Sister Giovanni from St. Paul whom I took that advice from about Rights versus Responsibilities. It probably goes back a thousand or more years but I have not researched it. John
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Jan 20, 2024 @ 16:11:05
Ujsure what fiscal conservatism means.
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Jan 20, 2024 @ 16:57:47
Nan, I think of it as frugality versus being cheap. To reuse, recycle and reduce our impact on everything. I have always said that I am fiscally conservative but socially liberal. I think of being frugal as as ongoing process of deciding what I really NEED versus what I WANT. Most of the time my needs win out but I do have some lapses. 🙂 John
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Jan 21, 2024 @ 13:50:11
I love this 🙂 I do this with my daughter
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Jan 21, 2024 @ 19:30:42
Great. Feel free to post your list. Love to see them Ginger.
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