Unit 5: Human Rights

WHAT ARE HUMAN RIGHTS? What are basic human rights? What are some examples in history you know or that we have studied so far that relate to human rights or human rights violations? What are some responses by governments to human rights violations?

Universal Declaration of Human Rights A document drafted by the United Nations in response to the events of WWII and Holocaust and adopted by the UN in 1946 First global expression of rights that all people are inherently entitled to and cannot be violated by any one

Universal Declaration of Human Rights Read the handout titled “Universal Declaration of Human Rights” and answer subsequent questions on the question handout sheet.

GENOCIDE What is your definition of genocide? What are some examples of genocides? Is genocide a problem of the past? Why or why not? Why do genocides happen? Why do “normal people” support regimes that inflict genocide?

8 Stages of Genocide Genocide: The deliberate killing of a large group of people, esp. those of a particular ethnic group or nation. Ethnic Cleansing: The mass expulsion or killing of members of an ethnic or religious group in a society. Genocide develops in 8 stages. These 8 stages explain how governments go about the process of genocide and how citizens end up supporting these acts.

Examples of Genocides Holocaust Armenian Rwandan Darfur Bosnian Cambodian

Armenian Genocide

Holocaust Kristallnacht: “Night of Broken Glass” - November 9-10, 1938 - a series of attacks one night against Jews in Germany targeting Jewish owned business and homes. Significance: Shows an increase in violence and persecution against the Jews in Germany Hitler’s “Final Solution” - the ultimate plan to rid Germany of all Jews using death camps

Symbolization Dehumanization Aimed at differentiating between the “aryan race” adn all other people. - passed laws that only Aryans can work for govt, as drs, laywers, teachers etc Nazi’s had other groups wearing badges of identification as well including Romani, Slavics, Jehovah’s WItnesses, and Homosexuals Directed a boycott against Jewish businesses - Why does HItler do this? How is Hitler “testing the German population with this? Symbolization Dehumanization

Organization Polarization * Nuremberg Laws* What is the danger of these Nuremberg laws? How could this move farther way Organization Polarization * Nuremberg Laws*

Preparation

Extermination Final Solution - After invasion of Poland Hitler Ordered the construction of concentration camps and death camps throughout German and Poland What is the difference between a concentration camp and a death camp? Why did Nazi’s build the death camps outside of Germany, mostly in Poland? In the end, 6 million Jews were killed, as well as 5 million people of other ethnicties

Denial

But what happens after?

Holocaust Nuremberg Trials: a series of trials trying Nazi’s of war crimes after WWII in the city of Nuremberg Between November 1945 - October 1946 Include Nazi leading officials, generals, and doctors involved in human experimentation under Nazi regime. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kWR2I5Q9d9U

“First they came for the communists, and I did not speak out— because I was not a communist; Then they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out— because I was not a socialist; Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out— because I was not a trade unionist; Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out — because I was not a Jew; Then they came for me— and there was no one left to speak out for me.” - MARTIN NIEMÖLLER

Reflection How does the previous quote from Martin Neimoller relate to the “Who is the Blame?” questions? Based on this quote, would you change any of your answers on the UDHR - why or why not? What does this quote tell us about the dangers of violating human rights outlined in the UDHR?

Rwandan Genocide

Conclusion Examine the following quote by Enlightenment thinker John Locke “No one ought to harm another in his life, health, liberty, or possessions … there cannot be supposed any such subordination among us, that may authorize us to destroy one another” How have global leaders succeeded in protecting these rights? How haven’t they? Agree or disagree? Write your response after the questions about “Ghosts of Rwanda” Anti-Semitism and ethnic hatred remain powerful forces in the 20th and 21st centuries