It was during a conversation concerning the topic of idiots this morning that I referenced a person to a portion of post #41 whereas it said, ?Everybody knows things are better today than ever?. We then went into a medley of the malaise that seems to be prevalent in the Dominican society and looked back at the history of the country. While examining the historical make-up of this country which has been dominated over the years with so many transgressions against the people as a whole I compare it to other sectors of the world as to what is and has happened. An ever present resounding of the phrase ?basic human rights? keeps being repeated in all corners of the world to include here in the DR.
It is the basic human rights that seem to have played such an important part in the forming of so many nations and their collapse as well. It appears that when societies are introduced to, and form an expectance of certain rights that a state runs afoul with its people if it fails to adhere to that which is expected or outlaws such.
In the short time that I have lived here I have seen a marked improvement in the increase of many basic human rights along with the publication of these rights in all aspects of the media coupled with the passage of laws that expand different segments of those rights. Of course it?s the ability of the state to insure that those rights are upheld that seem to determine in which direction a state takes in its continued ability to exist. All of which reminds me of what American Justice Davis Davis said in 1867 when he stated, "By the protection of the law, human rights are secured; withdraw that protection and they are at the mercy of wicked rulers or the clamor of an excited people." It is the establishment of these rights and the lack of enforcement or withdrawal of same that seems to bring on a ?clamor of an excited people?.
From other areas of the world such as Pakistan, Pakistan's suspended chief judge Iftikhar Chaudhry said, ?Nations and states which are based on dictatorship instead of the supremacy of the constitution, the rule of law and protection of basic rights get destroyed?. I?m not saying that the DR is a dictatorship but its history of failing to uphold the supremacy of the constitution, the rule of law and protection of basic rights could very well eventually lead to a ?clamor of an excited people?.
When looking at this country I call home I am continuously reminded of that which I have been exposed to around the world both in developed and undeveloped countries. With all the help that is provided by so many ONG?s around the world and if a state truly acts in a fashion to supply basic rights to its citizens then there is no just reason that those citizens should be crying for those rights and services that are expected. All of which brings up another quote which was made by Hubert Humphrey;
"The moral test of a society is how that society treats those who are in the dawn of life -- the children, those who are in the twilight of life -- the elderly, and those who are in the shadow of life -- the sick, the needy and the handicapped."
The DR is not a ?new? country as it relates to that which should be available to its citizens. It has had more then enough time to insure that all segments of its society have such things as running water and decent education along with a health system to provide to all its citizens among others things. The daily exposure to so many projects that were started and never finished, and also have nothing to do with basic services, never cease to amaze me which is compounded by the estimation of how much money went into that which was never completed. The same holds true to buildings that were completed and have throughout the years have stood idle rather then being used as even a temporary school or medical clinic. Even here in my little town of El Seybo we have cases of both and I see and read about them in other sections of the country almost daily.
As long as the health and welfare of a society is continued to be placed below the desires of a few then the country will fail to prosper as a whole and through time nobody should be surprised if there should be a ?clamor of an excited people?.
Rick