When there are people who are defenseless, or incapable of answering for themselves, that is when civilized society turns to human rights. Over 100 refugees dr

When there are people who are defenseless, or incapable of answering for themselves, that is when civilized society turns to human rights. Over 100 refugees drowned in a vessel off the coast of Greece. What if you could ask them, would they choose to drown or to escape their troubled homeland for a better life? George Floyd and Rodney King were brutalized by police. If the police asked them, if they want to live in peace, what do you think they would answer? Terri Schiavo had an accident and lived in a vegetative state while her husband tried to terminate her life. If you asked Terri whether she wanted food and water, what would she answer? 6 million Jews were carted off to concentration camps, and ultimately, crematory ovens or gas chambers. If you asked those Jews, were they happy to die in Germany or live out their lives in a democratic nation, how would they answer? Blacks in the United States were once considered 3/5ths of a human person. If you granted the right to vote for those Blacks, do you think they would have voted to maintain that as the status quo? It seems that human rights are most precious when those rights protect people who are powerless, disadvantaged, or unable to speak for themselves. Human rights protect the people who can't fight back, the people who can't change the government, the people who aren't considered persons at all. Personally, I believe those are the people who are most in need of our protection and advocacy.