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Where do human rights come from?

Online responses to my column last week were very interesting. News broke that the new Governor of Kentucky Matt Bevin, who was inaugurated into office last Tuesday, had announced his intention to issue an executive order to protect Kim Davis — the county clerk who was sent to jail for refusing to issue marrage licences to same-sex couples — and other conscientious objectors in that state. The development was hailed a political victory snatched from the jaws of judicial defeat.

Comments on the column ranged from encouraging and appreciative to questioning and condemnatory. No matter the comment, the result has been positive prompting, as it did, ongoing conversations about human rights. The discussion spilled over to social media and became quite philosophical with questions such as, “What are human rights?” and “Where do they come from?”

Excerpt from Helene Nicholson’s article in the Jamaica Observer- read more.