To a liberal, the world could seem headed towards a place filled with flames. Poor economy, poor schools, war … the list continues. Yet there is a union devoted to human dignity, equality and freedom: the European Union (E.U.).
The E.U., which is composed of 15 European nations banded together for mutual benefit, currently runs on a series of treaties. However, this summer a new constitution was proposed for the E.U. – one so dedicated to human rights it makes the U.S. Constitution’s Bill of Rights look as sophisticated as Hammurabi’s Code.
Bonus points for Quakers: the draft was agreed upon by consensus.
Some of the rights should sound familiar: freedom of religious choice, assembly, due process of law, and expression are all covered. However, the new constitution goes further. It prohibits the death penalty, protects people of all sexualities, labor unions, and the environment.
It also mandates that mothers, the elderly, young, or injured citizens of the E.U. receive social security. All of their citizens will receive preventative health care and medical treatment.
Health care as a human right – who’d-a thunk it?
The E.U. is becoming a powerhouse both politically and economically. The exchange rate is already .885 Euros for every U.S. dollar. In January it was 1.2 Euros to the dollar. In other words, staying in a one-star hotel in Paris eight months ago would have cost $44 a night, but would now cost almost $60 a night. That’s about 15 baguettes a day you won’t be eating. Countries are clamoring to buy into this system, with 10 new member states, and three more currently applying for admission. To gain the advantages of lower trade barriers and free travel, they’ll have to accept the human rights system as well.
The U.S. cannot afford to ignore human rights any longer. The E.U. is making it an issue, and has the muscle to back it up. If we refuse to play by the rest of the world’s rules, we won’t just be the guy at the card table no one likes; we’ll be the guy who no one likes, doesn’t know the rules, and has a terrible hand.
Don’t think it’ll happen? The human rights section forbids extradition to any country that has the death penalty. Guess what? That includes us. Good luck getting your hands on alleged terrorists, Mr. Ashcroft.
Even if the new constitution doesn’t pass when it’s reviewed by the member states, idealists still have reason to buck up. There are people out there thinking about human rights, and they may even be able to make the United States follow suit if it wants to avoid further marginalization in the world area. To quote Gandalf the Gray, “That is an encouraging thought.