Date: Fri, 2 Apr 2004 08:54:17 -0800
From: Cordelia Chu <raccoon-AT-uvic.ca>
Subject: RE: Human rights


>===== Original Message From "McIntyre" <mcintyre-AT-phoblacht.net> ====>Colin, without a concept of the human then there is no basis for human
>rights.

Maybe that's why the concept of a "human rights" that is universal is 
problematic.  Not only is 
"human" a cultural construction, "rights" itself is also a product of society, 
I don't see how anyone 
can construct a set of "rights" that is uniquely inherent to all human.

Maybe I am just being an Asian [sic], but the concept of human rights seem to 
be a set of "truth" 
generated by westerners to exercise power in non-west culture.  For one, it's 
only ever regulated if 
the U.S. can make a profit out of it (such as in Iraq), secondly, only western 
elites have a voice in 
discussing what constitute a part pf this set of "human rights."

Sorry to interrupt your discussion, I just find the concept of human rights to 
be highly hypocritical.

-Cordelia

---------------------------
The belief in truth is precisely madness - Nietzsche
 
I had been mad enough to study reason - Foucault