PHA-Exchange> Food for a capital thought (4)

[Claudio]

From: "Caleb Otto" <calebotto at yahoo.com>

Thanks, Caleb. I have a few comments in Upper Case.
Cordially,
Claudio

Thanks for sharing such food for thought and ammunition for our work.  I
have read all comments with great interest as I am trying to learn more
about  issues of Human Rights,  poverty alleviation or elimination and other
social issues, including politics of distribution of resources.

Recently I  saw  or heard a commentary on the
dimishing base of 'political capital' of Mr. Bush, the
US President.  Such thinking leads me to agree with
Theodore MacDonald, that  advancing  the issue of HR
as a form of capital might be misleading  and even
harmful. I BEG TO DISAGREE.
I am saying this because:
(1)  While I agree that HR is usually 'accumulated'
 over time and in various amounts or at different
levels, this is where the harm could be done - I
believe that HR is so essential that it should not be
viewed or advanced as something that  can be
distributed in pieces (while this may be the reality,
it  is not what it is supposed to be and should,
therefore, not be advocated or advanced as such). IN OUR SOCIETIES, THE
RIGHTLESS DO ACQUIRE THEIR RIGHTS BY STRUGGLE, i.e., BY PROGRESSIVELY
CLAIMIMG THEIR RIGHTS AND SUCCEDING, IN A DIALECTICAL POWER STRUGGLE. THAT
IS WHY HR ARE ACQUIRED "IN PIECES". YOU ARE RIGHT: THIS IS NOT WHAT IT IS
SUPPOSED TO BE, BUT IT IS "THE REALITY" AS YOU SAY.
(2) HR are not like a political power which can have  a
minimum base that is effective.  I AM AFRAID, IN THE REAL WORLD,  THEY ARE A
POLITICAL CAPITAL AND THUS TRANSLATE INTO POWER.
Every single person is born with all of his/her HR intact, and it is for
the society to protect it from become fragmented (OR DENIED),
rather than to put the pieces together from the start. NOT EVERYBODY AGREES
WITH THE FIRST PART OF YOUR STATEMENT, SO, THRU INTENSE SOCIAL MOBILIZATIN
OF CLAIM HOLDERS, WE HAVE TO "PUT THE PIECES TOGETHER". IT IS OUR DUTY AS HR
ACTIVISTS.

Thanks for the opportunity to participate in the discussion.

Caleb Otto
Senator,  Republic of Palau