Tolerance and freedom of opinion: the unrealistic nature of human rights

Inspiration, Conspiration, Transpiration, Expiration (Part #5)

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As noted above, the question here regards the collective lack of acceptance of the ecosystem of conspiracies and inspiracies. The challenge has of course long been specifically framed in terms of the freedom of opinion and tolerance articulated in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This clearly has little effective traction, especially in the light of the abuses anticipated in its final article:

Nothing in this Declaration may be interpreted as implying for any State, group or person any right to engage in any activity or to perform any act aimed at the destruction of any of the rights and freedoms set forth herein.

However the inspiration framed by the understanding of freedom and tolerance in that declaration is itself variously challenged by:

• other declarations reframing and refining its intentions:
  • European Convention on Human Rights (1953)
  • American Convention on Human Rights (1978)
  • Universal Islamic Declaration of Human Rights (1981) of the Islamic Council
  • Arab Charter on Human Rights (2008) of the Arab League
  • ASEAN Human Rights Declaration (2012)
    
    
• the narrow interpretation of "human rights", and its failure to extend to other manifestations of humanity, as explored separately (Universal Declaration of the Rights of Human Organization: an experimental extension of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1971)
  
  
• various initiatives to recognize that "rights" imply responsibilities:
  • Universal Declaration of Human Responsibilities, proposed by the InterAction Council in 1997 (as amended in 1998) and evoking a UN-approved  Declaration on the Right and Responsibility of Individuals, Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally Recognized Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (53/144, 9 December 1998).
  • Universal Declaration of Responsibilities of Human Intercourse: a draft proposal (2007)
  • Universal Declaration of Patent Responsibilities: a draft proposal (2007)
  • Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples adopted as a non-legally-binding resolution passed by the United Nations in 2007.
    
    
• the questionable restriction to "human beings", deliberately excluding the "rights" which might be appropriately honoured with respect to other forms of life -- and potentially to other inhabitants of the "universe" (despite the desperate quest for life elsewhere). Efforts in that respect have included:
  • Universal Declaration of the Rights of Mother Earth, drafted as one of the outcomes of the Cochabamba World Conference on Climate Change and the Rights of Mother Earth (2010)
  • Universal Declaration on Animal Welfare as a proposed inter-governmental agreement to recognise that animals are sentient, to prevent cruelty and reduce suffering, and to promote standards on the welfare of animals such as farm animals, companion animals, animals in scientific research, draught animals, wildlife and animals in recreation.
  • Universal Declaration of Animal Rights
  • Universal Declaration of Plant Rights (2004), as described by Siddharth Singh (Plant Rights: A Neglected Regime, Moden Diplomacy, 17 June  2020)
    
  Debate continues as to whether and how the rights and responsibilities of robots and artificial intelligence are to be recognized, as noted by Wikipedia ( Robot rights; Laws of robotics)
  
  
• the recognition of significance variously accorded to other features of the natural world, as a source of inspiration (implying a right to experience them), typically in the form of:
  • sacred mountains: (see List of mountains so recognized; F. Bernbaum, . Sacred mountains of the world.  Sierra Club, ,  1997)
  • sacred rivers: (Meredith Carey, Sacred Rivers Around the World, Conde Nast Traveller, 2018)
  • sacred lakes
  • sacred valleys
  • sacred landscapes, most obviously in terms of the consideration given to songlines and sacred rocks by some planning authorities
  • sacred forests and sacred groves
  • sacred waterfalls
  • sacred springs
  The ability to experience the inspiration associated with these goes to the heart of concerns about the human disconnect from nature, and currently from star light (Unadulterated star light as a human right, 2019). The issue is taking new form through the framing of exploitation of outer space, notably the Moon. As with colonial exploitation of the past this is viewed as terra nullius -- irrespective of the potential claims of any form of life to be found there. As an extreme example, there is no constraint on recolouring the Moon to red in the course of mining activity.

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