Text of the GLNP Archive
The erosion of human rights in an age of extremism, populism, and digital giants.
By the end of the XX century, hardly anyone will be capable of predicting the civilizational degree setback with big consequences to the Human Rights with which the XXI century would start.
Cannot call progress to the life extension of the citizens if, otherwise, you make them a part disadvantaged of the society, doomed to abandonment and misery as a result of the natural fragility of human beings with many years of life.
The issue of migration is another aspect to be kept in mind. Shocks indifference with which men, women and children who are forced to migrate, in subhuman conditions; by the words, acts and omissions to which they are voted for their “crime”.
Shock the impotence of the United Nations and its Secretary General.
Human consumption is only considered, as a mere product if, when and where there are guarantees that someone will be paid. Not enough, populists blame today's refugees for being a threat to the civilized status quo, as the Nazis blamed the Jews and gypsies of yesterday, to be the cause of all their evils.
Populism is, in fact, one of the cancers that rises periodically and that works in companies with a low cultural level, although they can be rich in information, as it is, each more and more, contemporary society.
Would anyone in the 90's of the last century be able to predict the election of someone like Trump in the USA?
Or that the extreme rights, without ideology but with strong interests, were gradually taking places of relevance in the governance of the nations?
The threat posed to society by digital giants is another scourge.
Not only the ability to control and exploit citizens using their own personal data, but also telling the paradigmatic, sad, and unimaginable that takes place in Seattle, USA.
Any of these factors, be it extremism, populism, the threat from the new digital dominators, or the abandonment of our elders to their fate, attacks against human dignity and fundamental Human Rights.
And it is not just “out there” that everything happens. It is also around us.
Each of us can, and must, be aware and act. That is why we believe that the issue of Human Rights is, at the beginning of this century, a pressing issue.
It is important that we, citizens, transform into knowledge the mountain of information that surrounds us and grows day by day.
This newsletter, from the initiative of the Human Rights Commission GLNP, intends to be a modest contribution in this sense, disseminating different aspects of organizations, recommendations, laws and facts related to Human Rights.
João Pavão, 14th Grand Master of the Portuguese National Grand Lodge |
