A number of you responded to last months Newsletter and wrote about some issues that were of concern in society.
As a result we are now introducing Issues Pages in our Newsletter. We would like you to write about Issues to us that concern you, so that together we can raise the standard of agreements within our society.
The standards of our agreements can improve provided one is willing to evaluate one’s actions. It is a good idea to ask oneself, what do I really think about others getting their Human Rights?
Do I want the same level of Human Rights for all? Does this include people following other religions; people from other ethnic backgrounds, Punjabi or Sindhi or Scottish or Irish. Do I discriminate based on wealth or literacy level or gender?
You will find surprisingly that certain views are embedded within us. We accept them without evaluating them. These ideas we hold do impact on the lives of others by our actions and attitudes.
I will give you an example. When I was child, we had a man come to clean the rooms. He came daily, swept the floors, the outside area and cleaned the toilets. If the sweeper wanted water or food, then he was allocated a separate cup and plate to use. He was not allowed to take food or drink from plates and cups we used.
No one told me to treat this worker in particular way. However I observed how others treated him. I therefore formed an unknowing agreement that he was in some way less than the rest of us.
What qualified him to be “ less” or “dirty”? He used soap to wash himself just like I did. He wore similar clothes to other men and eat the same food as we did. This man never complained about how he was treated. Sometimes however I saw resentment in his eyes.
I as a child was committing the error of not granting him his rights. Where had I learnt this from? I later came to realize that I along with many people around me, had unconsciously formed an agreement. This agreement took away this elderly gentleman’s basic Human Rights.
It is perhaps a good idea to look at our agreements now and then. We can then break all those agreements that violate respect and tolerance for each individual.
We should seek to grant Human Rights to others, no matter what their beliefs, race, colour, education, wealth, appearance or abilities.