All men are not born equal

When I grow up I'm going to be...equal!

All men are born equal? Not by a long chalk....quite impossible.....there’s no way....if we were all truly equal there’d be no wars, prejudice, famine or government. 

Now you may think that governments help to bring about an egalitarian society combining the principles of liberty and fraternity but, in practice, the very opposite happens. Parliaments rule and divide. Society is placed into the tiers according to your economic inheritance and wealth indicators – Aristocracy, Upper Middle, Middle, Lower, Working, Under class and “Not a hope in hell “class.

When, how and to whom you’re born can make all the difference. Your name, race, religion and parents can either be the making or breaking of you. 


So what’s in a name? Everything. You will never find a Rothschild or Oppenheimer in the job centre though you might find a Pratt  or Peewit in residence at their country estate. The Lottery has made those lower down on the social stratum a little more equal to those at the top; but money doesn't make for a fairer society.

Upon studying the Declaration of Human Rights I’m more convinced than ever that death is the one equaliser – we’re all going to be biting the dust.

Whilst we're still alive, here are some of the many freedoms, according to the charter, that we're entitled to:

·        
All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood

I beg to differ. The gender and generation gap is ever-widening as the voices of marginalised groups consisting of women, children, the elderly, the disabled and non-heterosexuals go unheard. Dignity is not afforded to vulnerable people.  You only have to look at the state of our world to know that homo sapiens do not have an abundance of reason and conscience. As for brotherhood? Oh brother....have you not watched the news lately?

·        
Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person.

Now that we are hotdesking robots – thanks to technological advancements that keeps us glued to spreadhseets or sharing workbooks -  there is very little time that we can call our own that doesn’t belong to the company so there goes liberty!

Security of person? If you’re brave enough to walk the streets at night (or even in the day) who’s going to guarantee your security.

Oh well...we do have a life...those of us who choose not to be couch potatoes...so let’s count that one as a blessing.

·        
No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment,

Speak to anyone who’s been cyber-stalked or even worse poked on Facebook, bullied at school or in the workplace this rule is utterly worthless. Malicious communications abound in our world. Relationship breakdowns and psychological disorders are usually as a result of the abuse that we’ve experienced in our own homes. Dysfunction prevails – the human model is flawed.

Apples are not the same; some are rotten!

·         All are equal before the law and are entitled without any discrimination to equal protection of the law.

This is true – all too often criminals are protected or are exempt due to diminished responsibility. More often than not victims receive the punishment. The scars of mental cruelty are never erased.

·        
No one shall be subjected to arbitrary interference with his privacy, family, home or correspondence, nor to attacks upon his honour and reputation. Everyone has the right to the protection of the law against such interference or attacks.

      
Don’t even get me started on this one! Ever lived next door to the neighbour from hell or           hoodlums who persist in anti-social behaviour – the police have bigger fish to fry than the ones on your doorstep!

·        
Men and women of full age, without any limitation due to race, nationality or religion, have the right to marry and to found a family. They are entitled to equal rights as to marriage, during marriage and at its dissolution.

This is the most ludicrous right of all. What happens when two brainless people marry and produce children? The children suffer from neglect both emotionally and educationally. This kind of family becomes a burden on the state in every way you can think of.



You scratch mine and I'll scratch yours - that's equality

Dissolution? Ask at any Women’s Refuge Centre why a woman has to resort to running away from their partners?

·        
Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.

What happens when a woman of the Islamic faith tries to throw off her purdah? Honour killings are still practised by the lesser men – who do not accept that a woman is also born equal – not just a man! Ask a same sex couple what happens when they walk into a church...holding hands?

·        
Parents have a prior right to choose the kind of education that shall be given to their children.

Quite untrue.  Education is part of the capitalist system whereby where you live and how much you earn dictates the quality of education your children receive.....there’s no choice about it! Even for the education that’s free you’ll have a fight on your hands in getting your child into a half decent  school.

·        
Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.

Brain power is not equal!

This is misguided. There are few rights when you’re at the bottom of the social heap. In any event, the strongest survive and the rest have to scavenge for the scraps from the table. Ask anyone who doesn’t have health insurance whether they’ll receive adequate medical care? Life’s tough for those who’s circumstances are beyond their control.

Few things in this world are equal though I know there are philanthropists and activists who are working to change that. We all have to do our bit...and that means me....a blog can sow the seeds of change....in your mind and mine.

Thanks for reading and let’s change this world....one day at a time.