The continuing human struggle for freedom, human rights, and human dignity will not end at just one nation’s borders, or with one nationality, one race, one religion, one gender, or any one identity group.
Those who seek to stem this endless tide of human freedom are like those who think they can control the oceans. For a time, one can try to restrain such natural forces, but inevitably the tide will turn, and those who reject our human freedoms will fall from power.
The real choice we have is whether we will be on the side of freedom – or not. The idea that we can support human freedom, human rights, human dignity just some of the time – for some people like us or those we like – is the foundational LIE that tyrants and dictators have used throughout history. Dictators and oppressors count on this lie, they depend on it, they create entire societies and tyrannies on this. But as history has shown and will continue to ultimately show, “A Lie Cannot Live.”
The lie that only some people, because of their identity group or elite status, deserve freedom, rights, and dignity, while others are denied such rights, will continue to be proven to be as a lie again and again around the world. In the racial segregation era of America, the lie of denying humanity to black Americans did not live. In Nazi Germany, the lie of denying humanity to Jews through the Holocaust ultimately did not live. But in too many parts of the world, similar lies continue to be propped up, defended, and excused.
We have seen our national leaders meet with and ignore the horrific human rights abuses and ignore the Laogai concentration camps in Communist China, while freedom is denied to the Chinese people, and people of all religions and beliefs are routinely tortured, kidnapped, and abused. We have seen our national leaders offer to take Sudan off the list of terrorist nations, while its leaders accused of Genocide continue to rule and travel freely around a world that has not seen fit to act for justice in Sudan’s crimes against humanity.
But from time to time, people will stand up to the lies of dictatorship and oppression. Millions have left and openly denounced the Communist Chinese Party. White supremacists no longer can promote hatred and contempt of other races without public rejection.
The days are numbered for societies and ideologies based on the lie of denying human freedom, human rights, and human dignity.
For those who think we can pick and choose who does and who does not deserve these rights, dignity, and freedom, you are on the wrong side of history.
To American and Western leaders, you too need to decide which side of history you are on, when you meet with dictators and when you dignify the lie of oppressors and societies that reject the truth of universal human rights, human dignity, and human freedom. To the American people and people around the world, whether it is in Tienanmen Square, the election protesters of Iran, or now in the streets of Tunis and Cairo, we must stand in solidarity with those who seek freedom. It is no surprise that the Communist China totalitarian leaders seek to censor the Internet to avoid the Chinese people finding out about what is going on in Egypt.
January 2011 Egypt Protesters
The current popular uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt once again speak to how human freedom and rights will not be denied. There is much to be seen on how such uprisings occur and we must condemn violence against others. But to be consistent in challenging both societies and ideologies that seek to defy freedom, free people around the world must reject dictators and oppressors, no matter who they are, no matter what their identity group, and no matter what their rationale for dictatorship and oppression.
Dictators and Oppressors are dependent on the world’s silence about their lie that only some deserve human rights, human dignity, and freedom. We must speak out consistently on this anywhere and everywhere.
A Lie Cannot Live. Choose the Truth on Humanity and Its Universal Human Rights.
Choose Freedom, Choose Human Dignity, and Choose Human Rights.
