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There are three basic needs, we as human beings require to survive. Food/water, shelter, and love. Many of us work to acquire food/water and shelter, not only for ourselves, but also for our spouses and children; those who supply us with love. Outside of these three basic needs we find hope, faith, and truth.

Throughout history, up to present day; hope, faith, and truth have been manipulated by oppressors worldwide, in an attempt to jeopordize, regulate, or manipulate the three basic needs of people who would otherwise oppose a particular set of ideals, religion, or because the people are of a different ethicity. This process has come to be known as a violation of human rights.

Imagine for a moment: Armed men break into your home, seize you and your family, take you to parts unknown, beat and torture you, then imprison you...within time execute you. Why? Because you did not adhere to their vision, or maybe your faith differed from the ruling government or regime.

Here in the United States, we have what is considered separation of State and Church, and although this does not eliminate human rights violations in our country, it does however, give us the luxury of turning our heads away from violations occurring daily, in other parts of the world. Our government is quite aware of this luxury and therefore can maneuver about and/or support other countries that violate human rights. Several US foreign based corporations also condone violations by taking no stance on the issue and declaring impunity

Upon my research for this topic, I came to the realization that a country's government or ruling regime, though powerful, are the minority. In reviewing cases of human rights violations, it became quite apparent that in most cases, communities were divided into families, and then families were separated. The purpose being to leave the individual vulnerable.

To counter human rights violations, I believe we must rebuild what oppressors breakdown. In other words, we must start with the individual, then the family, community, and so on. There are several issues inwhich oppressors indulge upon: race, religion, economics, and sexism. When said violations pertain to faith and religion, I believe an individual has the right to worship a God, Gods, or no God. It is when the individual imposes his or her belief as the only "true" or "right" belief that conflict arises. An individual's beliefs should be constructed around their reality, based upon their experiences. Reality cannot be defined, only lived.

An immesurable amount of lives have been lost because of their refusal to convert to a specific religion and at the same time, many people today are wandering, lost in religious beliefs they felt compelled to adhere to, but which were not constructed around their reality or based upon their experiences. Within this paradox lies the reason why the majority of Native Indian tribes (Caribbean, South and North American) were killed, some even committing suicide; as oppose to converting to Christianity. It was not due to Christianity being evil; it was due to Christianity not being constructed around Native Indians' reality and/or experiences. What many texts have labeled as myths, are infact a people's reality and experiences. An attempt to convert Native people soon became heinous violations of human rights, and not too far behind; came the exploitation and depletion of natural resources. Affects of which still can be felt and seen today. Although religion stands out within this example, race and economics also became factors in the equation.

`Plight Of The Individual`

`by Orin Black`