Tuesday, May 17, 2011

The Right to Self-Determination

The Right to Self-Determination is about having the ability to construct one's life.

The term self-determination may have surfaced during the era
 when governments held other countries as colonies,
and was used in a communal sense, that is,
of colonized people wanting to determine their own country's future.

I first saw the term self-determination
used in Art. 11 of the Cairo Declaration on Human Rights in Islam (1990)---
a document written by Muslim countries in response to
the United Nation's Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948).

Then, I heard the concept again
used in a televised speech by U.S.President Obama, (1-28-2011),
in reference to the Egyptian anti-government protests of 2011,
Obama speaks of the right of people to
"determine their own destiny."
.
.
I declare the Right to Self-Determination for all human beings.


(Note:  This is different than psychology's "self-determination theory,"
which is about motivation. Thus, here it is not to be confused with individual "determination." )

47 comments:

Anonymous said...

I agree with The Right to Self-Determination because is about having the ability to construct one's life. Everyday we as people make different choices that impact each other's lives Wether it be a choice of what to buy at the super market, to what political representative takes office. We as people have the right to choose what he or she decides will better affect his or her life.

ALEXIS HERRERO

Ellinor Forje said...

Right on. Thank for for sharing the inspiration and feel free drop by me too.

Cheers.

Anonymous said...

I agree, I think it's great to be able to control your own life. It's terrible that not everyone has this right, its not exactly fair that people worldwide aren't able to direct their lives. Then again, life isn't always fair. C.M.A.

Anonymous said...

I personally see the concept of self-determination as a genuinely amazing opportunity that is taken for granted by those who have it and desired by those who are depraved of it. The ability to choose and decide how one would like to ideally live their life is quite incredible and has the potential to bring out the best in a person.

Anonymous said...

We should indeed be the ones who determine our own futures and destiny's if we had others controlling our lives from the day were born to the day we die, then there will always be conflict amongst those people who are repeated to do live the exact same lifestyle that was set to another human being. Then there would be no such thing as talented beings in this world it will just be a world of manipulated and brainwashed beings to the point where we would not know who we are.
-J.J.V.

Anonymous said...

Its a shame not everybody has that right, but the one's that do should take full advantage of it. You never know what you have until you loose it.

Carlos G.

Anonymous said...

Self-determination is something that everyone has the right to have but it is up to the individual to exercise it. Depending on the situation, many people rely on others to make them feel a need to be determined. It should be done on your own and you should be able to feel as if you can do what you want to do


-M.Quintanilla

Anonymous said...

Everyone has this right but unfortunately not everyone exercises it. It can't be taught nor can it be forced upon. Like the comment above states, "it is up to the individual to exercise it".
Ma Mo

Anonymous said...

From a theological standpoint, the right to self-determination implies a belief in free will. Some theologians, most notably John Calvin, have argued that God has absolute control of all human action and that, therefore, free will does not exist.

If one believes in fate or that some, if not all, of our actions are predetermined by a higher power, can it be said that we have a right to self-determination in an absolute sense?

Dan M.

Anonymous said...

The concept of “the majority rules” comes into play here. There have been cases in where the majority of the population does not agree with what their own government is doing. In these cases I think that the right to Self-Determination is very important because it allows them to fight for what they believe in and to not surrender to their government, because ultimately it is them who must determine how they would like to live.

LC

Anonymous said...

I absolutely agree with this right, and in the words of Thomas Jefferson: "When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty."

Javier H.

Anonymous said...

Self-Determination should be a right because people should be able to make their own mistakes so that they can learn from them and make better choices going forward. Also, for people to be true to themselves.
Chelsea M.

Anonymous said...

Faith without works is dead says the word. And Indeed, one who just dreams about wanting to do, yet doesnt, is just as useful. I agree with this statement of self determination, it agrees biblically and morally with me so I'm with this statement.
F.H

Anonymous said...

I have to agree with Javier H. The quote from Thomas Jefferson is right on... I believe that our government doesn't fear us enough. Which in return is not allowing us to be truly Self-Determinate.

Sarah M

Anonymous said...

I completely agree with the right to Self-Determination. It should be something that everyone should be able to do freely. However, many people around the world are still repressed by governments and they do not have the right to determine what they want to do, such as in Cuba, Venezuela and North Korea. I have always though that people should fight for what they want, so if they want that freedom they should step up and fight for their rights.

H.D.A

Anonymous said...

This right has many obstacles. There are areas in the world where this right is basically denied, but there are other areas where a herd mentallity is established slowly stripping the right to self-determination away. A person must stay open minded and prepared for the opportunity embrace their right to self-determination.

Sheeda M.

Anonymous said...

I highly agree with the right to self-determination. The right of self-determination of people is a fundamental principle in international law. What if we didn't have the right? What would happen is when the state does not have money for services or just regular operations there would be none from the federal government and services would be cut. Then you have to move to another state. There would be no consumer protections and it would be anarchy or the wild west. There would be armed revolutions and killings because people were either hungry or unemployed or sick. Like with some other developing countries, the military takes over and they start shooting citizens who rebel.
----Lauren Franco

Anonymous said...

"Self determination is the principle in international law that nations have the right to freely choose their sovereignty and international political status with no external compulsion or external interference". The right to self-determination is the right of a person to determine its own destiny.

-Krystal Garcia

Anonymous said...

The right to self-determination invites people to choose their own path. Whether it's choosing if they want a family or a certain career, I believe every human being should be given the right to self-determination.


Etel

Anonymous said...

The principle of self determination refers to the right of a people to determine its own political destiny. It is a right that has always been cherished by all peoples although history has a long record of its denial to the weak by the strong.

-Ana DM

D.Zabala said...

Unfortunately everyone should but doesn’t have the right to self determination. I cannot imagine not being able to construct my own life. This is a privilege that most people take for granted. As an American citizen I have the privilege to live my life without any limitations of what I want to achieve.

emilport74 said...

The self-determination of the people is a right and a commitment that all the nations should have and respect, and it must be done without the government violating the human rights of all individuals. People from countries like Cuba, where I grew up, live with the suppression of this right among others, and this should be fought to be eliminated or avoided worldwide.

Emilio P.

Anonymous said...

I agree with the right to Self-Determination. We are blessed to live in a nation where we can “exercise” this right and we should take advantage of this but always in a good way. We should not forget that our decisions can affect others.

Anonymous said...

I agree with the right to Self-Determination. In this free country we are given our own choices. Some better than others, but there is always a choice whether someone wants it or not. Self-Determination is what drives someone to becoming a better and more well rounded person.

Robert S.

Anonymous said...

The right of self-determination should always be respected no matter what. We should always be the ones who decide and create our own future or destiny. I believe that we come to this live to be free and to fulfill our dreams and expectations, but over all, to be happy and self-determination is definitely an important ingredient to accomplish every single one of these goals.

Anonymous said...

I believe that humans were born with the ability and right to have free will. If someone would take away this right from humans that would be unnatural, inhumane and just straight up cruel. I believe that people all should have the ability to make personal choices to a certain extent and I believe that one should be able to "walk their own path". Sure there is right and wrong, but one just has to be mature enough to make the correct and proper decisions in life.
SJB

Anonymous said...

I agree with the right to self determination for it is we who choose our own paths in life. Growing up, we are able to make choices to how we unravel into the adults that we turn out to be. Some of us take little notice in the decisions we make that makes us "individuals". It's unfortunate that a lot of Americans don't appreciate the fact that we are so different from one another, as opposed to other countries where it is considered taboo to be different and not be like everyone else.

-D.E.C.

Anonymous said...

This right seems obvious, especially in the United States and other democratic countries whose constitutions are built on the idea of free will and self-determination. However, we seem to weight some people's right to self-determination higher than others. When a woman gets an abortion, isn't she saying that her right is more important than her baby's? The crux of the choice vs. life debate is establishing who has the greater right to self-determination.
-A.B.

Anonymous said...

It’s easier to declare rights but difficult to really achieve them. We people of the world have to help each other to be aware of those rights. The right to self-determination is a right we all have but, we are not entitled to practice unless someone else let us. If not, just think on all individuals who are not allowed to be born. Were they entitled to any basic right?
A.L.

Anonymous said...

I believe that everyone has the right to self-determination. This is a very important right because it is now being used by governments to establish the rights of their people. Governments are responsible for their people and their people should judge their government as it response to their needs and wants. Every human being has been given rights by God and no government should take those rights away. At the end you will be judged by your peers and then by God. I believe that saving my soul is far more important because I don’t want to expend eternity in hell. Everyone has a right to determine their own fate, their religion, their taxes, the way they will live and the way they should die. L.J.B.R.

Anonymous said...

I completely agree with this right. Nothing is set in stone. How could anyone or anything else determine our lives for us? Every single day we are making different choices. I'm sure many opportunities are put in our paths for different reasons, but at the end of the day it is our choice to choose either that path or another. We should all have the right to determine our fate.

Anonymous said...

N.Av for that last post ^^

Anonymous said...

I believe in the right to self-determination. It's not easy to stop people from doing what they are determined to do.

Stefan H.

Anonymous said...

The right to self - determination is something so many people take for granted. A lot of people just barely do what they have to to get the things they want in life, instead of pursuing bigger and better possibilities.They settle for whatever is easily available. Self - determination for me is fighting for the things you want in life and exceeding what is expected of you. - K.A.S

Anonymous said...

Life may bring obstacles that cross your path that might interfere with making that self-determination. When those obstacles are overcome, then make that self-determination to make your own choices. Deciding your life is a privilege and we should not take it for granted. J.P.

Anonymous said...

The right of self-determination can be best understood when we experience and absorb the right to failure.

-GR

Anonymous said...

I agree with the right of self-determination, in the United States many are fortunate because freedom is practiced throughout, however it is taken for granted.
CR

Anonymous said...

I believe in the right to self-determination, we all have the right to choose our own path in life. We need to strive and motivate ourselves to succeed in life to get to where we want to be. -ABL

Anonymous said...

I agree that we have the right to self determination. We make our own choices and no one shall take that from us. As a matter fact, without self determination, the United States would have never became a country thus being what it is today; the most powerful country in the world.
-A. Lazo

Anonymous said...

I agree with the right to self determination. But for people who believe in God, do we not already have our destinies planned out?

-Alli Brecht

Anonymous said...

i agree with the right of self determination. We hold our future in our hands. No one else can take you to where you need to go, it's all up to us. G.A.

Anonymous said...

I believe we co-write our destiny with god for every choice we make there is a effect

Angel M

Anonymous said...

It was not too long ago that I heard this term and knew what it meant. But I do think that each country have the right to chose their own destiny or government. People have the choice to do what they think is right and as time passes by we will know if the choice we took was the right decision. O.V.

Anonymous said...

The right of self-determination should always be respected no matter what. We should always be the ones who decide and create our own future or destiny. I believe that we come to this world to be free and to fulfill our dreams and expectations, but over all, to be happy and self-determination is definitely an important ingredient to accomplish every single one of these goals. D.C.R

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Anonymous said...

Ultimately, the right to self determination is dependent upon the individual, although there may be other factors that may make this right harder for some to achieve rather than others. When I hear, or read, "The Right to Self-Determination", my mind processes this to meaning the right to become and conquer anything you desire. Determination can get you very far in life, as long as you put the work into getting the success you believe you deserve.

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