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United Nations warns Kevin Johnson of possible human rights violations
by Isaac Gonzalez, published on February 2, 2012 at 6:51 PM
Storyline: Sacramento Local News
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An appointee to the United Nations Human Rights Council has issued a four-page memo warning Sacramento mayor Kevin Johnson that local officials could be violating the human rights of the homeless people living within the city. In the January 23rd dated letter, Catarina De Albuquerque, the Special Rapporteur on the human right to safe drinking water and sanitation for the United Nations human right council, says that the current policy of evicting the homeless from their “tent cities” and denying the homeless with safe access to clean water is, in effect, prohibited discrimination based on their economic and social status.
Albuquerque reminded Johnson in her letter that the human right to safe drinking water and sanitation is a protected freedom pursuant to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, an agreement which the US Government signed on October 5th, 1977. The United States also publicly declared that it was “proud to take the significant step of joining consensus” towards endorsing water and sanitation as a human right in September of 2010.
Albuquerque visited with the homeless in Sacramento back in 2011, and witnessed firsthand the difficulties they face within their community as they grapple to evacuate their bowels and bladders in a manner which does not rob them of their human dignity. Albuquerque met a homeless man named “Tim” who was responsible in his camp to collect bags full of human waste, some as heavy as 230 pounds, and haul them on his bicycle to a public restroom for disposal. Tim said he did this for his community, especially for the women, so that they did not foul the area in which they called home.
Albuquerque also lamented Johnson slogan of “a city that works for everyone”, and stressed that if that dream is to become a reality one day, the promotion of the human rights of homeless people should become an integral part of the city’s policies.
In September of 2011, Mayor Johnson missed a council meeting as he attended a sustainable energy forum at the United Nations in New York City. He sat with several business leaders, prime ministers, former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, and others during the conference.
Rumors have been flying that the Huffington Post has been working on a scathing report on the homeless situation in Sacramento.
You can read the entire Human Rights memo by clicking here.
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How arrogant that our Bill of Rights strived to protect property rights, while leftist europeans think everything is a "human right" from health care to housing to internet... while they go bankrupt making it happen. No thanks.
Those homeless deserve better charity than being evicted from unused lands though.
Its also ironic that KJ and co boycotted AZ last year for similar so called "rights" violations (arrogantly), while they signed it with pens made in China, the country with extermination vans. Pandering.
Everyone needs to read some Rothbard or John Locke and quit bastardizing the words "rights".
I personally feel that anyone who has never been homeless has extreme entitlement issues concerning the right to housing. They may not come out and say it- but their actions speak louder than words.
Anyone that 'works' feels they have the right to housing. Anyone that has not been homeless assumes homeless people dont work.
Try to imagine someone who lived thru the struggles of homelessness, and finally got out after many years to see life from the other perspective.
What do you think thier thoughts might be on what society terms as 'work', in comparison to how difficult life can be living homeless. People that work think that work is difficult.
Maybe people need to also quit bastardizing the words 'work', and 'difficult', and 'lazy'. All these terms used to defend one persons right to housing and another person's loss of right to housing.
I assume, truth squad, you only use the term-' think globally act locally' when it serves your particular motives huh?
or let me guess- you completely disagree with the think globally act locally mantra and are now going to rant on as to how that statement has no relevance whatsoever
People like me who actually know have to be assaulted by such extreme ignorance. It is an outrage.
Hopefully people that spread ignorance like poison such as this Truth Squad' will ultimately get what they deserve..
Who on City Council is ready to stand up to these clowns?
.1) Phillip has never been homeless in his life.
2.) has never had a conversation with a homeless person
3.)Has never stepped foot into any homeless service provider organization ever
4.) Has never done ANY research on what homeless service prover organizations exist to help
some people need me to continue listing reasons that prove why this person and the many like him on this thread have NO right or authority to even speak on this topic and really would be doing everyone a favor to extricate themselves completely from this conversation. The first reason should be enough.
This comment is targeted toward people whose intelligence exceeds the aforementioned as they will never understand anything beyond the scope of there own selfish means.