Human Rights

Having just come from a thread where I made a comment on this subject, would you say that, overall, The Human Rights Act has been a good thing or a bad thing? Has it been misused/misinterpreted? In what way would you like to see the Act changed? Would you prefer it was done away with?

Re: Human Rights

I think it's great but is being misused and misinterpreted. Probably needs rewriting to make what it means clearer.

Re: Human Rights

Julie - what would you like to see changed? (Can't say I know very much about it to be honest.)

Re: Human Rights

Well the right to a home life etc is hugely important but is now being used to keep terrorists in the country and to give prisoners rights they really shouldn't have while they are being punished.

Re: Human Rights

In general it's a good thing but it should be more flexible so as to be able to deal properly with potential terrorists and miscreants.

Re: Human Rights

Imo, it has been misused/misinterpreted, we may all deserve a nice lifestyle but who's s'posed to pay for it ?, Human rights are basic necessities to live, not to have plasma TVs /X boxes and McDonalds take-away paid for by our employed neighbours and supplied to indigenous folk who refuse to work or those new comers who have no intention of adapting to their host country's laws

Re: Human Rights

I do not know a great deal about the complexities of the Human Rights Act, particularly in relation to the EU courts, but overall I would say general Human Rights legislation is essential and a basic set of human rights should be accepted worldwide. It becomes complicated when not all countries sign up to the same set of human rights, when there is incompatibility or no human rights within a country.
The idea of defining "human rights" within a legal or moral framework is is not a modern one. One of the oldest records of a declaration of human rights was the 1264 Statute of Kalisz - a general charter of Jewish liberties.
In modern times I suppose a starting point would be the 1948 Declaration of Human Rights (UNCA).
I do think that these days things have become complicated, which does lead to misinterpretation and abuse, so I would like to see simplification. Maybe if the whole of Europe (including UK) could agree with each other more and the laws were simplified, then there would be no recourse for appeal after appeal to the EU Court of Human Rights when a decision made by an EU country is not accepted.
I also think it is important that the judgement process should be speeded up considerably - particularly with regard to asylum seekerss/immigration and who is or is not allowed to remain in the country (UK). I think this area is quite important to get straight.
It is complicated, I think, but maybe if someone is not totally willing to sign up and commit to the country they wish to live by swearing allegiance to that country and observing all its laws regardless - then they should not be afforded the advantage of that country's protection and should be returned to the country of their origin. People should not be allowed to pick and choose and, I believe, they should be prepared to demonstrate and prove their loyalty and allegiance to the country they want to stay in and which affords them protection.

Re: Human Rights

Agreed.

Re: Human Rights

There was a Muslim at the place where I worked.He was telling me he had the whole of the Koran on DVD. I thought it would be quite interesting to check it out so I asked him to burn me a copy...that's when it all kicked off!!

Re: Human Rights

Nice one