Sixty years after the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the landmark U.N. document still is not respected fully around the world, said a top Vatican official.
“Unfortunately nowhere in the world, even among (countries) that have embraced, promoted and highlighted this declaration,” are all its articles observed, said Cardinal Renato Martino, head of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace.
The cardinal spoke Nov. 13 at a Vatican press conference detailing events the Vatican will sponsor Dec. 10 to commemorate the anniversary of the U.N. General Assembly’s adoption of the declaration in 1948.
Insofar as the UNDoHR ennumerates and protects negative, liberty rights, it’s a fine and wonderful document. Where it goes wrong is in its assertion that everyone has a “right” to certain positive things that can only be provided by confiscating them from their neighbors, either directly or by the use of the State. As such, it is an entirely contradictory work.