- Understanding our Constitutional Rights and the basis for their authority is complicated. But as we learn from reading The Declaration of Independence this week, Americans have a duty to assure our government acts justly. As we learn from Madison's article, Federalist Paper No. 10, the majority have an obligation to protect the rights of the minority. In the article by Frank, former Secretary-General of the United Nations Boutros Boutros-Ghali, (Boo-troos Boo-troos Gaul-E) says there "is no one set of European rights and another of African rights" (Frank, 2001). And yet nations push back against a definition of rights that come from a source external to their nation or their culture. They see a universal standard of human rights as an intrusion on national sovereignty. Vaclav Havel, once President of the former European nation Czechoslovakia, writes of the grocer who capitulates to placing a sign in his window because refusing to post the placard could pose a personal threat.
While Jefferson suggests that citizens have an obligation to act against an unjust government, in reality, it is often difficult to know whether, as an individual, we should engage in dissent or not. How often have you witnessed someone engage in some form of protest, which from your perspective was nonsensical? How do we know whether an act of government is just - what are the criteria?
For this assignment, identify two issues; one domestic and one international. Use the Dissent and Social Contract (down load this form) to complete the assignment and follow the instructions below:
1. Clearly the Framers knew that citizens need certain rights in order to fulfill the expectations expressed by Jefferson and Madison. Take a moment to reread the First Amendment. You will notice that this short document actually outlines five rights. The last four rights mentioned in the First Amendment empower citizens to engage in dissent against their government including freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, freedom of the press, and freedom to petition the government for a redress of grievances.
2. Use a legitimate media source to identify two specific incidents where the rights of an individual or a demographic population have been infringed upon by government: one incident where the decision-making government is located within the USA and another incident where the decision-making government is outside of the USA. Be cautious to differentiate between the acts of an individual who is employed, elected, or appointed to government and actions/policies that are endorsed by the government.
3. Discuss the incident in brief but sufficient detail. Rely on the ideas discussed in the assigned course materials to determine whether the actions of government were just or unjust. Use appropriate citations in your work. Remember, it is your job as a student to demonstrate learning based upon the assigned course materials. Students should base their argument upon no less than three of the assigned course reading articles. Use the videos and research papers to round-out your understanding.
4. Use the ideas of the Social Contract to examine these incidents.
- Readings: Dissent and the Social Contract
Review the following Required Reading Articles:
Declaration of Independence Thomas Jefferson, Declaration of Independence, 1776
The First Amendment to the United States Constitution discusses five rights including the 'Establishment Clause' which discusses religious freedom. The remaining four rights dicussed in the First Amendment (to the U.S. Constitution) discusses the rights that are neccessary for a free people to legally engage in dissent against the use of unjust power by government. It reads, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."
Federalist Paper No. 10 James Madison, 1787
Skim this Article: Power of the Powerless was written as a vehicle of political dissent by Vaclav Havel. In 1978 the nation of Czechoslovakia (which no longer exists) was under the repressive control of USSR or the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. After the USSR collapsed in 1991, the remnants of this nation were once again referred to by its historical name, Russia. Amid the movement to break away from the USSR and pursue a national course of self-determination, Havel wrote this declaration of independence for his home state. Students are asked to note the similarities and the differences between Jefferson's Declaration of Independence and Havel's essay. How are they similar? How do they differ? Who is the intended audience of each document? Are the individual documents easy or difficult to understand? One is a formal and ratified document which was heavily edited while the other is the individual commentary. Also, notice how Havel uses the story of the sign in the grocer's window. Instead of a creating a slogan which unified the nation in ideology (also known as propaganda), Havel suggests that the sign became a hallmark of oppression against the people and unintendedly unified them in their resistance to a tyrannical government.
Are Human Rights Universal? Foreign Affairs, Thomas Frank, 2001
Optional Research Articles:
How is Ideology Linked to Child-Rearing Values? Pew Research Center, 2014
Teaching the Children Sharp Ideological Differences: Some Common Ground Pew Research Center, 2014
Attachment:- Optional Research Articles.rar