10 GROUNDCOVER NEWS THINK ABOUT IT Human rights are not universally inherent Humanity and its history of attempted peaceful coexistence can be reasonably described as a series of epic failures. Our history, pockmarked with countless wars and conflicts, provides compelling evidence that getting along with each other is not a priority among us. So though we may view our present-day world as one that is civilized and considerate of all people, reality seems at odds with this optimistically polished self-assessment. There are many people out there whose lives are a living hell and very unlikely to improve despite whatever actions they take towards a better life. Unfortunately, all the talk we hear of equality and human rights can't even be called naive promises for the simple fact they are distant dreams. Many people truly believe and wish for a world where everybody gets a fair shot at a happy life, and there may come a time where that may be a possibility, but for the foreseeable future the systems we have in place not only undermine universal human rights, but actually reject them. That is unless you are born into privilege. If not, your public image can develop social stigmas that can truly make everything you set out to do devoid of any significant value based on the fact that you only can be whatever stereotype is assigned to such stigma. Furthermore, should you make any meaningful progress despite society's utter contempt, there certainly are people so invested in their intolerance for you that they would not stand by and allow such undeserved victories to ever be present in your life. Sadly, as I mentioned, what you're born into will probably play a substantial role in the direction your life takes and whether you receive support or face constant trials. Now some would argue the whole overcoming adversity and finding success in some rags to riches motivational story. I have my own brand of skepticism of such accounts. Especially when I suspect the reason there never seems to be any statistics attached to these accounts is because such occurrences are actually extremely rare, and the motivation of these stories is manipulation. Perhaps they keep you in line by distracting you from the odds you actually face, and therefore make you unlikely to take a more drastic approach towards your dream of happiness and contentment. That may sound extremely negative, pessimistic and —for lack of a better word — evil. But if you consider what humans are capable of doing to each more than just being handed all the money I could ever desire would award me happiness. All I want is that chance I was promised. But that time has passed and this JAMES MANNING Groundcover vendor No. 16 other along with our tragically flawed history — it goes from possible to predictable. Then there is the influence of my own life experiences which does nothing to help my outlook either. I was certainly not born into ideal circumstances, not to mention the damage and difficulty spawned by the associating psychological traumas and abuses! The reason I can easily call the very notion of human rights naive and immature is obvious: I lived a good deal of my life without them. This is thanks to that social stigma I mentioned. Thanks to the convenient stereotype that without doubt my situation is of my own design and definitely well deserved because the truth — well, screw the truth! — because the here and now views me as a second-class citizen, regardless of what happened, and I deserve every disadvantage and hardship I face. And if I got cheated out of the chance I was told everyone in our perfect world received? If I hit adulthood five years earlier than the standards applied to everybody? Well, the day my life went from suspecting betrayal to confirmed betrayal, I lost any rights as a person when I was discarded like trash by those who raised me. The moment I faced poverty completely alone, I was no longer an underage teen or worthy of investment. I was undesirable, only useful for exploitation. And I haven't mattered since. So I consider the notion of human rights laughable because if this is acceptable, then we as a species have a very long way to go before we have the right to even think about achieving equality. If you're an uncompassionate, “hang them-all and let God sort them” type wondering why I'm not suing people left and right, it's because at times going through hell can make a better person out of you, and contrary to popular belief, I don't care about petty revenge because that is not what I truly desire and it would serve no useful purpose to me. No world will never ever willingly see me granted one. Because the past and what was done doesn't change the worthless non-entity I am now perceived as. If I'm given any thought at all, the nature of my life story will be labeled a fabricated pity generator to justify doing stereotypical bum things. Unreflecting people seem to think my life situation is as a result of character flaws. So I don't have an abundance of hope for anything because my goals will be fought against every step of the way in a rigged system that will passively receive my organs but will award me no lenience in my unwelcome life. So back to the question: do human rights exist? In a broad and general sense, no they do not, and they won't for quite some time. I wish I could reassure those who are concerned about this assessment that I have some optimism, but then I would feel like I lied. I'm very familiar with the disappointment of putting stock into something as many people do in human rights, and would not wish it on others despite whatever is wished on me. I find it amusing in some sick-joke kind of way that one strategy that may work at escaping financial hardship is to adopt the acceptable character trait of normality that is never applied to the less fortunate. You have to be “wanted” in some way in order to get some of these privileges. Otherwise, people are happy to just consign you to oblivion. It would require dishonesty, deception and lying to create so much distance from the stigmatizing label that you become completely unrecognizable. So if one wanted any hope at some kind of life that doesn't end in a labor camp, they just have to be the kind of sell-out jerk you promised to never be, and somewhere in the back of your mind consider it one more insulting defeat. Additionally, there is no guarantee I am speaking for others in similar positions due to the diversity found among the homeless. Despite the generalized characteristics assumed for uncaring, simplistic sake. In my particular case, I find myself facing a messed-up dilemma made more complex by my unique view of things and the weird morality, born out of rebellion against my self-appointed overlords, - that I assign a good deal of importance to. Of course that grates against the only method I believe to be effective for my pursuit of better days. And so that about sums up my thoughts on the issue of human rights and their implementation or exclusion in America. Whatever you believe, and hopefully somebody finds this informative instead of depressing, because it's not my intent to promote defeatism but rather attempt to underscore the humanity of the world's abused and doubtless unwanted. The parting wisdom I wish to leave you is my suggestion that if you don't approve of the visible reminders of how inadequate and imperfect the system that blesses you actually is, then perhaps try approaching the issue more open-mindedly and create avenues of escape for these folks rather than entrap them in stagnating hopelessness that leans towards the solution of sterilization rather than healing. I mean how can anyone seriously expect somebody who spends every day fighting without end to just concede to a life of discontent as the system seems to want? Expecting people to do that is worthy of ridicule! JUNE 14, 2024 exp. 01/31/2025
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