Why December 10 Matters

Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.)

December 10, 1948 was an important date in the history of humanity.  On that day, the nations of the world came together amidst the global crimes against humanity during World War II, and were determined to create an international declaration of our most basic rights as human beings to be respected by the nations of the world – universally.  Their efforts became known as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR).

In many ways, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was the world’s way of saying “Never Again.”  Those who would stand defiant against the forces of apathy, hate, and hopelessness to defend humanity’s most basic rights as human beings took courage in this international declaration.  As the years went by, other declarations of human courage continued around the world.

“Never Again” was followed by “Ich bin ein Berliner,” then “I Have A Dream,” then “There is No Such Thing as Part Freedom.”  From person to person, from city to city, from nation to nation, there has been a continuing march for human freedom.  In every step, the advocates for human equality and liberty share a common message to those who would deny such human rights – “We Shall Overcome.”

The true context of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is not just about the times in which it was created, but by the human beings that have dared to stand for it.

They are the human beings who recognize the truths that we hold self-evident that all men and women are created equal and that all deserve the inalienable human rights of equality and liberty. They are the human beings that understand that we are one race… the human race.  They understand there is truly one omni-culture of shared humanity.  They understand there is just one home that we all share – where our universal human rights extend to every part of that home – of our planet Earth.

December 10 was designated as “Human Rights Day” by the United Nations in remembrance of the December 10, 1948 adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.  But not only do we recognize our declaration in support of such universal human rights, but also we remember those who have denied them, including the totalitarian and supremacist nations and ideologies of the world that seek to continue to deny such universal human rights today.

But in challenging those who would deny our universal human rights we do not offer an upraised fist, but instead we offer an outstretched hand from the family of humanity.  Our human rights are their human rights.  We urge those would use their hatred of others to justify denying their human rights, to drop the burden of hate from their hearts, and join their brothers and sisters in humanity.

We believe that…

Love Wins.