Are we capable of reaching our goals ?
Yes another cryptic heading, and you have been forewarned this is a little long winded. In short I want to discuss human rights and where we sit now and the challenges ahead. This is not a pro gay post or pro anything just a series of observations pulled together in one place. I would be interested in any feedback you would wish to give. (warning there is the use of a curse word in this document it was for example only)
So here we go.
At the beginning of the second decade of this century, we in the west like to think we are liberal in our attitudes towards other peoples races and those generally different for us. We point to eastern cultures and say that the attitudes they display belong in the past. Discrimination by these nations is frowned upon by us, but we should be very careful about what we say.
People forget that it is yet a lifetime since a white and black man could marry, that gay men could work in government departments. That homosexuality was a crime. You see old habits die hard, although no longer official in nature discrimination still exists in the community. Here in Australia this past week a TV presenter and his daughter were racially abused on a bus, a friend of mine was bashed after leaving a gay nightclub. There will be racial taunts aimed at all sections of the community because someone is different.
Are we really that different from those nations we criticize, just because they do it openly? One could say that the USA is still running state sanctioned discrimination when it comes to black's in long term detention, when it comes to poor suburbs and government funding for school and health services. Here in Australia, aboriginal life expectancy is very low compared to the rest of the nation, but there is another whole story there.
In Australia we are a multi-cultural lot, with peoples living here from all over the world. In general we have done well, we are generally tolerant of all peoples. There have been exceptions to the rule of course the Cronulla race riot for one. But Australia is a stronger nation because of our diversity, but racism and intolerance remains. I have made no secret of my orientation here on this blog or in my life in general. In fact I openly enjoy the macho im not gay things my mates go on with, I find it funny and amusing even more so that they do it in front of me. However I am moving off the point.
As technology moves forward, we will make machines in our image, be they be fully robotic or a biometic design incorporating living tissue. These machines will be able to think, make independent decisions. Very much a "I think therefore I am" situation. Do we or can we afford them the same basic Human rights that we all aspire to? Could we ever see them as our equals ? Considering how much we rise up against anything, anyone different to ourselves, could we incorporate them into our society ?
You see I look at this from someone who has had his rights removed, who has been told by his government and society that he is different and doesn't deserve the rights of everyone else. Although most people don't care as it does not affect them, and if pushed they would stand up for rights and non discrimination, their inaction allows for the status to remain the same. I fear very much for those future beings that we make in our own image. That we would always see them less than human, that we would never allow them the freedom to live and die free as most of us are.
We have a lot to learn, humanity as a whole, soon we will have the ability to play god and create anything we desire, to alter the natural order, to make things in our own image, yet as a global society we are still in the stone ages, Im not sure there is an answer to all of this, and I assume we will become more accepting the longer things go on, but decades after the freedom marches is Washington, racism and discrimination is still rife in all communities around the world the difference is today its done silently.
Me I recognize that I am not perfect and I am racist in ways that upsets me at times. I don't hate Muslims I simply don't trust their motives, my distrust is brought about by actions of lack of, when terrorists are involved. Aboriginal people in this country, cause me a similar reaction. They have huge hurdles but the largest is themselves. They are treated differently by our government given larger social welfare allowances, free housing free health care, at incredible expense, and there is a attitude of entitlement and therefore generational dependence on welfare. Even leading Aboriginal academics have been calling for change, saying that some communities will have to realize that they have to move to get to work and to obtain suitable housing etc. Its a difficult issue no worse or better than the Indian populations in the USA and Canada. I hate the attitude of these people and their you just a "white Cunt" should you say anything that may threaten the current state of things.
Anyway the Aboriginal issue is one for another post. So do you think we can evolve to accept people for who they are rather than the color of their skin or their sexual orientation, or how they were created ?
So here we go.
At the beginning of the second decade of this century, we in the west like to think we are liberal in our attitudes towards other peoples races and those generally different for us. We point to eastern cultures and say that the attitudes they display belong in the past. Discrimination by these nations is frowned upon by us, but we should be very careful about what we say.
People forget that it is yet a lifetime since a white and black man could marry, that gay men could work in government departments. That homosexuality was a crime. You see old habits die hard, although no longer official in nature discrimination still exists in the community. Here in Australia this past week a TV presenter and his daughter were racially abused on a bus, a friend of mine was bashed after leaving a gay nightclub. There will be racial taunts aimed at all sections of the community because someone is different.
Are we really that different from those nations we criticize, just because they do it openly? One could say that the USA is still running state sanctioned discrimination when it comes to black's in long term detention, when it comes to poor suburbs and government funding for school and health services. Here in Australia, aboriginal life expectancy is very low compared to the rest of the nation, but there is another whole story there.
In Australia we are a multi-cultural lot, with peoples living here from all over the world. In general we have done well, we are generally tolerant of all peoples. There have been exceptions to the rule of course the Cronulla race riot for one. But Australia is a stronger nation because of our diversity, but racism and intolerance remains. I have made no secret of my orientation here on this blog or in my life in general. In fact I openly enjoy the macho im not gay things my mates go on with, I find it funny and amusing even more so that they do it in front of me. However I am moving off the point.
As technology moves forward, we will make machines in our image, be they be fully robotic or a biometic design incorporating living tissue. These machines will be able to think, make independent decisions. Very much a "I think therefore I am" situation. Do we or can we afford them the same basic Human rights that we all aspire to? Could we ever see them as our equals ? Considering how much we rise up against anything, anyone different to ourselves, could we incorporate them into our society ?
You see I look at this from someone who has had his rights removed, who has been told by his government and society that he is different and doesn't deserve the rights of everyone else. Although most people don't care as it does not affect them, and if pushed they would stand up for rights and non discrimination, their inaction allows for the status to remain the same. I fear very much for those future beings that we make in our own image. That we would always see them less than human, that we would never allow them the freedom to live and die free as most of us are.
 |
| So Human they look and feel like us |
We have a lot to learn, humanity as a whole, soon we will have the ability to play god and create anything we desire, to alter the natural order, to make things in our own image, yet as a global society we are still in the stone ages, Im not sure there is an answer to all of this, and I assume we will become more accepting the longer things go on, but decades after the freedom marches is Washington, racism and discrimination is still rife in all communities around the world the difference is today its done silently.
 |
| A country born under the Southern Cross. |
Me I recognize that I am not perfect and I am racist in ways that upsets me at times. I don't hate Muslims I simply don't trust their motives, my distrust is brought about by actions of lack of, when terrorists are involved. Aboriginal people in this country, cause me a similar reaction. They have huge hurdles but the largest is themselves. They are treated differently by our government given larger social welfare allowances, free housing free health care, at incredible expense, and there is a attitude of entitlement and therefore generational dependence on welfare. Even leading Aboriginal academics have been calling for change, saying that some communities will have to realize that they have to move to get to work and to obtain suitable housing etc. Its a difficult issue no worse or better than the Indian populations in the USA and Canada. I hate the attitude of these people and their you just a "white Cunt" should you say anything that may threaten the current state of things. Anyway the Aboriginal issue is one for another post. So do you think we can evolve to accept people for who they are rather than the color of their skin or their sexual orientation, or how they were created ?
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