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__ Human Rights __

How does your life compare to others around the world? This is a question that can arouse all kinds of thoughts; on one hand there is the life you lead, however it may be, and on the other there are those who live completely different ones. It is now possible to, in the same day no less, travel to one part of the world and experience absolute liberty and freedom and then travel to another country where all aspects of your life are infringed upon. Human experiences around the world are not the same, not even close, as the following examples will show. China is a nation on the rise, constantly surpassing other countries in growth and development. Yet, even as it insists on being a part of the developed world, it struggles with human rights within its borders. The police are brutal to the citizens they are meant to protect and any laws relating to the rights of the accused are ignored completely. A human rights lawyer, Teng Biao, had to endure this kind of treatment from Chinese police when they conducted an illegal search of his home and brutalized him because of his actions to help others. Incidents like this and those of a much more brutal nature contrast against the human experiences of others in nations like Switzerland, the country which will serve as a comparison throughout this writing because of its idealized status with concern to human rights. In a nation such as Switzerland the rights of all are respected and because of this their experiences differ drastically from those in nations like China. The freedom and protection they enjoy allows them to live fuller lives in many instances and express themselves fully. In China, the people must live much harsher lives if they try to express similar freedoms there, as exemplified in a report from the congressional commission on China, and their experiences are dampened. In Iran, citizens must face similar treatment at the ands of police and must endure censorship that would seem ridiculous in Switzerland and many other nations. After the elections in Iran, many people took to the street to protest the results and were subsequently beaten and even tortured by police and the government. The human experiences of Iranians becomes hugely different from others when they must live under these conditions and the human experience can vary so rapidly that the lives of Iranians are vastly different from their neighboring countries. These sorts of differences, between the experiences of people, have existed since the dawn of civilization and are not cofined to the eastern hemisphere. Argentina’s “Dirty War” has been affecting the lives and experiences of people for decades, even after its end. During the war thousands were taken, tortured and killed by criminals who are only now being punished for their crimes. The crimes alone are enough to contrast the victims experience with people throughout the world, but now they must go through the process of prosecuting the perpetrators. This is a huge accomplishment though as in cases such as Patricia Isasa’s, where she spent years on legal back roads in an effort to punish her torturers. An experience, which will forever affect her outlook and personal self. Such things aren’t just anomalies that exist solely in overly controlling, harsh governments, they are everywhere. In India, especially in the more rural regions, a the caste system still plays a part of many peoples lives. This system forces them to be a lower class of citizen and prevents a full life. The experiences of the Dalit are comparable to those of African-Americans during the height of segregation, and in some instances may even be worse. This type of class system has long been abolished in countries like Switzerland and force thousands into a harsh, degrading existence that many couldn’t even imagine. The human experience around the world is nowhere near the same and these truths about the lives of others show it. Everyone lives a unique life full of experiences that forever affect them, but many in nations such as China and Iran must endure much more tragic experiences than those in a country like Switzerland. These experiences are what drives us to accomplish great things, make the world a better place and, most importantly, make us who we are.

__Argentina__ __Iran__ __India__ __China__