Thread: What should we do to protect rights in another country?

The rights of mentally ill patients are being trampled by the US which throws the mentally ill in jails, which are deemed inhuman by Norway's standards. They even murder mentally ill people in gas chambers.
What should be done by progressive countries to put an end to it? War? Economic Sanctions? What can be done to force the US to do the right thing?


On the other hand, The US refuses to enshrine Sharia law, beheadings and stoning, this goes against the will of God (and the one "true" god on top of that!) , what could some muslims countries that hold these as sacred do to ensure the religious freedom to stone to death for something and beheading for something else is respected in the US, you cant let the US get away with such blashphemous infringement on religious freedoms that the given muslim country holds dear. The panzy pants death penalty in the US are not true justice. What can they do? Should the US be boycotted in the olympics? Sanctions? What?

But then what should we do to force retrograde and muslim countries form discriminating against women? Should they be boycotted and barred from participating in the olympics, economic sanctions? Blockade? Should they be freedom-bombed?

You're being really dramatic about this carryover from the Death to Gays thread. There is not an institutionalized system for persecuting the mentally ill in the US. It's true that we often do not give the appropriate care to those who need it, but I would have to see some evidence that we have outlawed being mentally ill, or beaten those who are mentally ill or support the appropriate care for the mentally ill, or even that our president has said those who want to be mentally ill are free to do so in another country.

What is with all of the ridiculous, dramatized analogies on this board recently? Why does something have to be likened to something else when the debate around a topic is already vibrant as it is? There is plenty to discuss within the realm of homosexual rights without comparing it to pedophilia or criminal activity.

That was exactly what I did not want to hear about, otherwise I would have posted it in the gay thread. I dont want to hear about the gay rights issue (in this thread specifically), I want to hear about what people think one country should do about rights it holds dear not being respected in another country. The actual point of contention is not relevant, people in country X hold right A as needing to be protected while people in country Y are opposed to it. If you do not understand this, please post in the gay thread I'll be right with you to haggle and eat an other helping of the your-a-biggot-pie-in-the-face, I dont mind, but this thread is on another topic. thank you.

I wasn't inclined to provide a serious answer to what I didn't perceive as a serious question, but rather an angry response about a part of another thread.

The reasons for taking action against another country are subjective. Clearly, some people thought their were justified in flying planes into buildings in America because of our way of life and actions in regards to foreign policy. It was right by them and not by us. If we invaded Russia to stop their actions against homosexuals, it would be right by some and not by others.

The question of justification is timeless. Odysseus tossed Hector's infant son off the walls of Troy to prevent a future war. Was it justified? Kant would say one thing, Hobbes would say another.

"What should we do to protect rights in another country?"
Bomb them, duh!

You are asking 'what should we do to impose our standards on another country'. It's been tried before.

Originally Posted by AlexG

You are asking 'what should we do to impose our standards on another country'. It's been tried before.

With the rise of social media, I think social pressure from the rest of the world has a pretty big effect. Granted, when peoples' lives are in danger, we might need to intervene militarily, but when it is social acceptance that is being sought (the gay marriage debate here in the US) it is social pressure that effects the most change. You can stick to your guns all you want, but does anyone REALLY want to be the last state to allow homosexuals the same rights? Is that REALLY the footnote you want in the next generation of textbooks?

P.S. I live in Indiana and I think the answer might be "yes" for my bassackwards state...

"With the rise of social media, I think social pressure from the rest of the world has a pretty big effect."

Yes, and in addition to pressure, just being exposed to alternate views that enable you to see theres another way of seeing issue X or Y also help (kind of in an educational/information access aspect as opposed to/in addition to the pressure per say)

Originally Posted by Flick Montana

Originally Posted by AlexG

You are asking 'what should we do to impose our standards on another country'. It's been tried before.

With the rise of social media, I think social pressure from the rest of the world has a pretty big effect. Granted, when peoples' lives are in danger, we might need to intervene militarily, but when it is social acceptance that is being sought (the gay marriage debate here in the US) it is social pressure that effects the most change. You can stick to your guns all you want, but does anyone REALLY want to be the last state to allow homosexuals the same rights? Is that REALLY the footnote you want in the next generation of textbooks?

P.S. I live in Indiana and I think the answer might be "yes" for my bassackwards state...

Yeah. But nations that have abolished the death penalty might similarly argue that they need to intervene to protect American convicts who now sit on death row from being executed.

I don't think "preservation of life" makes a very good standard all by itself.

While I get the comparison, it seems a little far-fetched.

Originally Posted by Flick Montana

While I get the comparison, it seems a little far-fetched.

You must never underestimate the ability of idealists, religious or otherwise, to become overdrivenly fixated on something.

Here's an example of helping another country. Burma was given much aid and assistance in making itself a better country by America after the WW2. Let us examine it today. It is under a dictatorship few there are given much freedom to travel or to be educated with other material than what the state tells them to learn. Myanmar as it is now known is in a very bad way. Here's a little of what's going on:

There is consensus that the military regime in Burma is one of the world's most repressive and abusive regimes.^[159][160] On 9 November 2012, Samantha Power, Barack Obama's Special Assistant to the President on Human Rights, wrote on the White House blog in advance of the president's visit that "Serious human rights abuses against civilians in several regions continue, including against women and children."^[107] In addition, members of the United Nations and major international human rights organisations have issued repeated and consistent reports of widespread and systematic human rights violations in Burma. The United Nations General Assembly has repeatedly^[161] called on the Burmese Military Junta to respect human rights and in November 2009 the General Assembly adopted a resolution "strongly condemning the ongoing systematic violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms" and calling on the Burmese Military Regime "to take urgent measures to put an end to violations of international human rights and humanitarian law."^[162]

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...UbXIgrB8YIRriw

This is what happens when America tries to "help" . It seems that with any help that America gives it usually becomes a big problem after awhile which America did not create.

Originally Posted by icewendigo

That was exactly what I did not want to hear about, otherwise I would have posted it in the gay thread. I dont want to hear about the gay rights issue (in this thread specifically), I want to hear about what people think one country should do about rights it holds dear not being respected in another country. The actual point of contention is not relevant, people in country X hold right A as needing to be protected while people in country Y are opposed to it. If you do not understand this, please post in the gay thread I'll be right with you to haggle and eat an other helping of the your-a-biggot-pie-in-the-face, I dont mind, but this thread is on another topic. thank you.

Who realy cares. When in Rome, do as the Romans do.

Originally Posted by Dave Wilson

Originally Posted by icewendigo

That was exactly what I did not want to hear about, otherwise I would have posted it in the gay thread. I dont want to hear about the gay rights issue (in this thread specifically), I want to hear about what people think one country should do about rights it holds dear not being respected in another country. The actual point of contention is not relevant, people in country X hold right A as needing to be protected while people in country Y are opposed to it. If you do not understand this, please post in the gay thread I'll be right with you to haggle and eat an other helping of the your-a-biggot-pie-in-the-face, I dont mind, but this thread is on another topic. thank you.

Who realy cares. When in Rome, do as the Romans do.

Good maxim but bit of a stinker when done with the Nazis: When in Nazi Germany, do as the Nazis do. Although it may keep you alive!

Originally Posted by Trivium

Originally Posted by Dave Wilson

Originally Posted by icewendigo

That was exactly what I did not want to hear about, otherwise I would have posted it in the gay thread. I dont want to hear about the gay rights issue (in this thread specifically), I want to hear about what people think one country should do about rights it holds dear not being respected in another country. The actual point of contention is not relevant, people in country X hold right A as needing to be protected while people in country Y are opposed to it. If you do not understand this, please post in the gay thread I'll be right with you to haggle and eat an other helping of the your-a-biggot-pie-in-the-face, I dont mind, but this thread is on another topic. thank you.

Who realy cares. When in Rome, do as the Romans do.

Good maxim but bit of a stinker when done with the Nazis: When in Nazi Germany, do as the Nazis do. Although it may keep you alive!

I take your point about Nazi Germany. The same applies to Muslim countries. In the year 2007, in Sudan, a British school teacher ( Gillian Gibbons ) allowed her pupils to name a teddy bear " Muhammad " A terrible wrath fell upon this foolish woman.

BBC NEWS | Africa | 'Muhammad' teddy teacher arrested

Originally Posted by Dave Wilson

Who realy cares. When in Rome, do as the Romans do.

So set up a gladiatorial arena wherein human contestants are forced to fight one another to the death?

Originally Posted by kojax

Originally Posted by Dave Wilson

Who realy cares. When in Rome, do as the Romans do.

So set up a gladiatorial arena wherein human contestants are forced to fight one another to the death?

I am almost certain, that you are aware, of the fact, that gladiatorial contests in Rome, ceased to exist quite a few years ago.

I am almost certain, that you are aware, of the fact, that gladiatorial contests in Rome, ceased to exist quite a few years ago.

I was about to say "When in the UK, eviscerate, hang, quarter and display the severed head on London bridge"
...but that was in the good old days

Among the best ways to reinforce protecting rights in other nations is setting a good example and continuing to support international efforts through agencies such as the UN and documents such as universal declaration of human rights.