5 Assignment 01

My name is Jacklyn Hernandez, this is my first semester at CWE 2017, my majors are Early Childhood Education, I would like to someday become a teacher for young children at a public school. For many years I can admit that I’ve turned a blind eye when it came to women rights and human rights in general. I did not want to admit that there was and is injustice that is becoming tragically. As I chose this course, I plan to learn and become educated about our rights as humans, and more importantly women rights, as I know that because for many years since rights for women was never an option and we now have the privilege to a certain extent I would like to understand its history and how changes came about to now. I’ am very appreciative to have the privilege that I have now, but I sometimes question, am I settling for less?

During my reading of “Inventing Human Rights” by Lynn Hunt (2007), I found it difficult to really understand that a man like Thomas Jefferson, a once slave-owner, member of the Founding Fathers and author of the Declaration of Independence 1776 would state “we hold these truths the be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” (15), but Hunt, experts and philosopher would argue that this statement did not involve everyone. This so called human rights yet limited women, slave men and free slave men, children, the disabled and the lower class people, if not excluded them. Another point Hunt questions when it comes to Jefferson statement “we hold these truths to be self-evident” is that it is extremely difficult to say, especially during a time where women and blacks had no saying, and era where slave was a major issues, they were partially either owned, or wives to someone who probably had those rights.

I can agree and understand, like Lynn Hunt and many people today may argue that although the laws are written for “everyone” those laws do not actually apply to everyone. The blacks and Hispanic and immigrants are constantly violated either by the police department, the government and now president, women still continue to face issues when it comes equality. What I find inhumane is how human beings can be defined, divided inhumanely. Many declarations have tried to declare human rights yet made no difference, written but not played.

I’ve just finished reading through your responses to the chapters we read from Lynn Hunt’s work, Inventing Human Rights (2007). Before commenting on the substance of your posts, I want to make a few comments about the more formal aspects of your writing.

Please make sure to proofread before you publish. I don’t deduct points for spelling and grammar so long as a post is legible. However, if there are numerous spelling and / or grammatical errors, you will receive partial credit. Sometimes posts appear in wingdings. This happens when students use a web-based platform (like google docs) to compose their post and accidentally copy html coding when transferring the content to WordPress. To prevent this from happening, I recommend writing and editing in Microsoft Word. Or, you can review your post in WordPress using the text editor (above) and remove any html coding that appears (HTML coding is everything that appears in brackets <> ). Be sure everything is written in your own words, and any paraphrased text includes a citation. Finally, the only category assigned to your post is the assignment for that week. For example, this week you should have tagged your post with the category on the right: “assignment 01.”

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As many of you noted in your responses this week, Lynn Hunt (2007) is interested in examining the political, as well as what she refers to as the social and cultural practices, that accompanied the emergence of discourses on human rights. What is emerging, she argues, is nothing short of a new way of understanding human relations. Returning to works by Jefferson, Rousseau, Hobbes, Locke and others, Hunt notes the precursors to human rights: discourses on “natural rights” and “the rights of man.” But related to these discourses, she underlines an increasing sense of autonomy and empathy that was developing in Western Europe and North America during this period. Pointing to the work of J. B. Schneedwind, she considers how moral autonomy is treated during this time as a capacity developing in the lives of those capable of participating in the new forms of government available in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. As we discussed at length in our discussion last night, who was viewed as “capable” and on what terms is a question that, for Hunt, is secondary to the project of considering what prompted this shift towards expressing the universal qualities of mankind.

Greater awareness of the distinctions between individual persons begins to take shape at the same time that there was an emerging sense of the qualities that bind all (property owning / white) men together. In the declarations Hunt examines, there is evidence of mankind’s demonstrable capacity to behave rationally, evidence that authorizes their creation and exercise of a new social contract. Different from how social relations were organized prior to this period, this focus on relations, that are defined in terms of the capacity for rational thought rather than by god the sovereign, becomes the foundation for a new form of governance. Prior to this, people looked to the sovereign power (god’s representative on earth) to explain life. Along with an evolving understanding of the rights of men, there was during this period an emerging sense of “rationality,” a way of living in the world that, whether addressed explicitly or not, was often joined to race, class, gender, and sexuality, as a justification for those who were enfranchised and disenfranchised.

In chapter three, Hunt points to some of the disagreements among liberal political theorists during this period. Different arrangements of “natural rights” allow us to think critically about the way liberal civil society was organized. Writing in 1625, Hugo Grotius, for example, said natural rights were connected to life, the body, freedom and honor (2007:118). But, Hunt stresses, John Locke defined natural rights in terms that stressed a natural right to property, and, therefore, whether intentionally or not, engineered rights in terms that did not challenge slavery. As we move forward, we will think more on how the connection of rights to property underlines how participation in governance is unfolding during this period.

Hello, My name is Maria Libreros.

This is my third semester at CWE, my major is Liberal with a Childhood Concentration.

I select this Class because it would help me understand better about the Humans Rights, my rights and the right of others as well. It also helps me to advocate for the rights of those who are in need of it.

My understanding of the readings is that Lynn Hunt main point is in 1948 with The United Nations Declaration of Universal Human Rights. This had happened after almost two Centuries of The American Declaration of Independence in 1776 from Great Britain, and The French Declaration of The Rights of Men and the Citizens in 1789. I may understand wrong, but I believe that Thomas Jefferson and Lafayette, both were inspired inspired by the enlightenment of great philosophers such as Rousseau and Voltaire. Even though, both  advocated for liberty and equality, according to history we all know that it did not happened, and I believe that it was the opposite due to slavery and violations of Civil Rights as well. There were Centuries of slavery and segregation in America. People have to fight and form movements that advocate for civil rights not only for the slaves but for the people that form this country, the immigrants such as Jews and so on.

It also presented a political turn over from the nations and governments, especially every regarding on culture, religion and beliefs; one big example was the WWII. Consequently, a big great part of  World was destroyed causing thousands of deaths of men, women and children. Others were tortured until death. This was the main reason why The United  Nations Declaration of Universal human Rights was created, to abolish and protect the rights of all citizens, independently of race, beliefs and religion, and politics. However, we have a long way to go, to see that this is absolute true in real life, we are living in 20 Century, and we still dealing with the violation of the Civil Rights! And it depends on culture, and beliefs, some countries are more liberal than others regarding women rights.

My name is Charmaine Bennett. I have a seven year old son named Dylan, and he’s in the second grade. This is my fourth semester at CWE. My concentration is in Childhood Studies. After I graduate I plan to attend graduate school either for Special Education or Social Work. Maybe both. I know that I want to work in the educational field, just not fully sure in what aspect. I would love to be a Middle a School guidence counselor. I currently work in a middle school in harlem, and I see some of the things these students go through and I wpuld love to help. On the other hand, my principal wants me to become a Special Education Intervention Specialist. Which wouldn’t be bad since i currently work as a ELA Teacher Intern, just undecided I guess. What drew me to this class is my fascination with women’s rights both pass and present. With this pass election i thiught it would be the perfect time to take a class like this. I recently participated in the Womens March in NYC. It was an empowering moment for me to see not just women from all walks of life, but men as well. That experience made me even more excited about starting this class and all of the things I will learn, and taking what I’ve learned and being able to share it with others.

In the introduction of “Inventing Human Rights” by Lynn Hunt (2007), I’m beginning to see where the first conceptions of humans started. The whole concept of human rights seems to be more perception based than anything else.As far back as the Declaration of Independence the wording is where the perception comes to play. The perception of what is self evident? If it is truly self evident that we are all equal than how can it be questioned? The word men is repeated over and over throughout the Declaration of Independence, but not in terms of man kind, to include everyone, but to only include men. Not all men, white men, men with property. Even the word men, excluded men? This is an intersting concept to me. Not only were women excluded, free blacks were also excluded. The fact that one can be considered free, yet not have equal rights to other men is ridiculous. This helps me to conceptualize why we have to fight so hard for equal rights for all.

My name is Lenny Logrono and I’m 20 years old. I work at my brother’s girlfriend hair salon in Jersey City as an assistant. This is my first semester at City College and majoring in Early Childhood Education. I’m really nervous to be here because it’s a new environment, people, and school system for me. My goal for this semester is to increase my vocabulary and public speaking skills. I find it difficult for me to speak in front of people, specially when there is 50% chance of me being the only one with English accept. At side from school, my interest is to save up money to travel. I love going to different places and learning new cultures. Last year, I had the opportunity to go to the Dominican Republic, Bahamas, and Canada. This year I went to Colombia with my mom we had an amazing time over there. For me traveling means a lot, every time I go to another country it feels like a dream come true. I like making new friends, working, going to the movies, listening to music and spending time with my family. One of my most valuable possession (material stuff) is my two instax cameras I always take them with me when I’m traveling or doing something new. I rather have a hard copy of my photos than having it on my phone, sometimes I hate technology because it takes a lot from us.

The first chapter of this book was a little bit difficult for me to understand because I was not paying attention to the argument or what she was trying to say. The first time I read the chapter I had no clue of what I was reading, but the second time I understood the argument and everything she wrote. In Inventing Human Rights the author used different points of view and evidences to support her argument. After reading The Paradox of Self-Evidence, I finally understood what she was trying to tell the readers. The argument is that according to Thomas Jefferson equality is self-evident, but the real question is if they are so self-evident why did this allegation had to be made. In other words, if having human rights is self-explanatory why was it necessary to put into writing. In addition, Thomas Jefferson did not explain what he meant when he wrote all his beliefs, which made people question everything he wrote. People still argues and debates the terms he used when writing the Declaration of Independence.

Hello. I am Nicole Palma. This is my first semester at CWE after graduating from The Borough of Manhattan Community College in the summer of 2016. I hope to get my bachelors in two and a half years for the Center of Worker Education. My major is Early Childhood Education with a concentration in Childhood Studies. I was interested in this class because it was one of two hybrid classes that fit my schedule. I wanted to take a hybrid class because I have never taken an online course and I felt with this class being half on campus and half online, it would provide me with the perfect opportunity to try online course but no being fully enrolled in an online course only. Also with the current election of President Trump, I felt I needed to gain more knowledge on Women’s Rights but more importantly Human Rights.

This is a very exciting semester for me because not only am I taking classes that I am truly interested in but I am expecting my first child at the very end of the semester! I look forward to the both the journey of motherhood as well as the journey as a Center of Worker Education student that the year of twenty seventeen has in store for me. In closing to my self-introduction I would just like to congratulate my all time favorite sports team of all time The New England Patriots in winning the Superbowl!
In the beginning of the introduction to Lynn Hunt’s book Inventing Human Rights, she talks about Thomas Jefferson’s first draft of The Declaration of Independence, which was prepared in mid-June of the year 1776 that he made his own revisions that he made to the draft. Towards the middle of her the introduction Lynn Hunt “Human Rights and “The Rights of Man”” she referred to the term “natural rights” which was more commonly known as now as human rights. I found it interesting that all though Thomas Jefferson spoke of and used the term “Rights of Man”, it did not become “commonly used” and/or gain significant meaning until Jean-Jacques Rousseau used the term in his Social Contract along other “rights terms”, such as “Rights of Sovereignty”, “Rights of Humanity” and “Rights of the Citizen”. Jean- Jacques Rousseau Social Contract was a book of theories he created on the best way to make a “Political community” function.  “How Rights Become Self Evident”.

Hi, my name is Edna Archundia this is my first semester at City College. My major is Early Childhood and my concentration is Social Welfare. I have two kids, my daughter is 15 years old and my son 11 years old. When my son went to school and I stay home alone is when I start to work. Sometimes, society make us think that women have to stay home and just take care of the house and kids. I was thinking like that, but as my kids grew older, I notice that I have to do more than just stay home. After ten years with out studying I decided to go back to school, I was scared to go back and not be able to continue my education, specially because my first language is spanish. I complete my associate at La Guardia Community College and after four years I graduated. Now Im ready for new challenges and ready to finish my Bachelors. Im exited to learn more about the humans rights and the history of how the human rights were created and what are those change during this years.

Lynn Hunts describe the story by focusing on the American and French Revolution and the Declaration they inspired, she brings distinctly historical and another pout of view to the subject of the human rights. She also mention how men were living in society,by building slavery, subordination and their weekness by those who were on power.

She also mention why 18th century  Western Europe was the first society in history to develop the concept of “human rights” that was their idea of political and other rights the results were the indignation at such social institution as judicial torture. It is sad how men can change the world and make a difference depending on their thinking and the power they have. This is how society is build were the people who has power can make cruelty and brutality just with their idea of been superior. We are in the Twenty Century where supposedly every individual are equal, but if we search in society there are still a lot of slavery or  women been maltreat or people been inferior because they are poor.

Good evening to all, I would like to introduce myself as Bryant Romano. I am a proud father of two beautiful children. An educator at a public middle school in Harlem whose main duties of the day consist of supporting children with special needs to overcome the challenges that they may encounter, academically, physically, socially and emotionally. This is my second continuous semester from a long break, at which such time off from academia, resulted in the achievement of my wife earning her Bachelor’s degree at City College Center for Workers Education. The main interest in taking this course has to do with fulfilling part of the electives in the academic concentration of History, Politics and Society. It was also a matter of choosing between this course or another. I’ve also taken this course as a fulfillment of knowledge that would cover the different aspects of rights that I’ve learned about. I’ve encountered the many mentioned involvements of female organizations that have supported other organizations in their goals, but never had the chance of analyzing them as a central point.

One of the legal documents of which captivated a groundwork for human rights in the present day, is of an over two-hundred-year old document known as the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen. The author Lynn Hunt, mentions in her introductory book of Inventing Human Rights, it’s valued startup debate of generalized expressions of thought. The document sounds that to have a government well founded, it must be enlightened, of having a basic understanding with society, and solemn in respecting the rights of man. (Hunt 16). Not only does it have to be fixated for the benefit of “man” as of its definition of gender, but to the humanistic angle of all types of mankind. As in present day some governments have and are working to include “every society”, from all types of races, genders, religions and socio-economical statuses. Yet, the idea of allowing such rights to be allowed or given, emerged in the past a concern of weather it would bring a more logical understanding to the population or create a disturbance in the traditional ways, moreover creating divisions. Nowadays, such points of views in division have appeared even after composing human rights for groups. Such issues even if they are “self-evident” in the basis of suffering, still need to be emphasized in volume. Such is the case of social media being that tool of which many rely on to gain information. Yet, when there is the lack of understanding the obvious, that of which is processed by the human brain as a fact, that participant lack empathy (Hunt 28). If such pair would not go side by side, which is our humanistic sense of brand of being human, then torture would not be eliminated for those who have endured in the past.

Hello class, I am Paola Maldonado, and this is m first semester at CWE. I am currently majoring in Early Childhood Education, and as an aspiring teacher I think it is really important to have a lot of knowledge about Human Rights, so we can be able to talk about it to whoever have doubts or fears because they do not know their rights and therefore are unable to defend or speak up for themselves. In reading the history of Human Rights women were portrayed lessen than men. In fact, women were to act according to the convenience of the state and government. Women weren’t free, whereas men were in charge of everything. However time has passed and society has become racionalized. Overall  through women’s fights and movements we have advanced and accomplished goals that back then were unreachable for women. I still do not understand why before and even nowadays women are not treated equally as men. Why do we still hear that so called “weak gender” for women and the glass ceiling in the twenty-first century. I took this course because I want to find these answers, get educated and be able to transmit my knowledge to help others.

The history of Human Rights helps us have an idea of how society back then came to realize that we are all human beings and therefore The Declaration of Human Rights applies to all living people. However it took decades for people to respect this Declaration due to the morality and discriminating ideas of the precursors. First at all, the articles of Declaration of Human Rights went through a lot of changes because of the terminology; “men,” “man,” “every man,” “all men,” “all citizen,” “society.” I wonder if any of these terms included women as well.  Not surprisingly these rights were only applicable for men; women, children, and propertyless people were excluded because they were not capable of moral autonomy. In the eighteen century when Human Rights became self evident, thanks to philosophers such as Montesquieu, Voltaire and others, who had contributed for the morality of the society to take a big step forward when realizing that torture was just unacceptable, people began to feel a sense of empathy when recognizing individuals as human beings like any other. Eventually, abolition of corporal punishment was written as a article in the human rights. Nowadays, the doctrine of self true, knowing what is right or wrong is clear for most of the people. However, for some people this might not be truly clear since even though few cases of police brutality have happened lately, for me still it is considered corporal punishment. It was widely known the deaths of some American citizens at the hands of police abusing of their physical strengths and as a result killing innocent people, instead of going by the laws. Violence does not seem to go away definitely even though there is laws protecting people. Personally, I think society or some people  true self and becoming reasonable.

My name is Amber Taylor this is my third semester here at CWE.  My concentration is in childhood studies and I will be graduating in the spring of 2018.  I currently am a lead teacher teaching three year olds everything that they need to know to be successful emotionally, physically, and academically.  I enjoy my job because it gives me an insight look of what it’s like to run your own classroom.  I always knew that I would either be working with children or either animals.  Children and animals are two of the things in life that I have a passion for.  I grew up around dogs in the island of Trinidad and Tobago.  Even though I am an American, I was raised in Trinidad for four years, from the age of three to seven.  If I wasn’t working with children a veterinarian would have been my second option.  My interest for this class is to learn more about the rights of woman and what can we do as a society to make things more justified for us females in society.

Human rights should be rights that are inherent to all human beings disregarding your nationality, the place of your residence, your sex, ethnic origin, color and religion. In 1789, article one of the Declaration of the rights of man and citizen proclaimed, “Men are born and remain free and equal in rights.”  Thinking about this statement in relation for human rights today puts in a lot of question. Back in 2015 two athletes were convicted in two different sexual assault cases.  The outcomes were different and a lot of people believe that those outcomes have to do with race.

Brock turner who was a former Stanford swimmer received a six month sentence for sexually assaulting a female behind a dumpster; he is a white twenty year old man.  In another sexual assault football player Brian Banks was accused of rape at the age of sixteen years old, but he was tried as an adult, and received more than five years in prison.  He also got another five years on parole for being a sex offender.  All of Brian’s accomplishments in school were as well taken from him; Brian Banks was a black sixteen year old young man. Relating back to human rights today, article one of the declaration of rights of man stated that “ men are born and remain free and equal in rights” but as you can see those rights does not apply to just any man in our time today.  The white man has more privilege in the justice system than a black man do.