Human rights violations occur every second of every day in every corner of our world. Some of these violations are so horrific, I cannot wrap my mind around the reality of them.

In the weeks since I committed to blog about human rights today, I have been overwhelmed by how rampant, how widespread and - even more worrisome, to me - how insidious human rights violations are in our world…even here in the U.S., ‘the land of the free’.

According to Amnesty International USA:

Human rights don’t start at the water’s edge—there’s urgent work to be done here at home.

Human rights violations occur all over the world, including in the United States. Amnesty International combats TASER abuse, works towards rebuilding New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, and advocates for individuals at risk.

Racial profiling, violence against women, denying soldiers conscientious objector status, police brutality - all of these and too many more occur right here in the USA. It’s truly overwhelming, and I’m talking about what happens right here in our own country.

Consider the case of Troy Davis:

Restrictions on Federal appeals have prevented Troy Anthony Davis from having a hearing in federal court on the reliability of the witness testimony used against him, despite the fact that most of the witnesses have since recanted, many alleging they were pressured or coerced by police. Troy Davis remains on Georgia death row, and may be scheduled for execution in the near future.

Troy Davis was sentenced to death for the murder of Police Officer Mark Allen MacPhail at a Burger King in Savannah, Georgia; a murder he maintains he did not commit. There was no physical evidence against him and the weapon used in the crime was never found. The case against him consisted entirely of witness testimony which contained inconsistencies even at the time of the trial. Since then, all but two of the state’s non-police witnesses from the trial have recanted or contradicted their testimony. Many of these witnesses have stated in sworn affidavits that they were pressured or coerced by police into testifying or signing statements against Troy Davis.

One of the two witnesses who has not recanted his testimony is Sylvester “Red” Coles – the principle alternative suspect, according to the defense, against whom there is new evidence implicating him as the gunman. Nine individuals have signed affidavits implicating Sylvester Coles.

You might be thinking, “Oh, that’s just not right - but what can I do about it?”

You, alone? You can TAKE ACTION! Send a letter to the Georgia Board of Pardon and Paroles.

The Power of One - that we each possess - activated individually and in unison can effect change. We cannot pass on the opportunity to do what’s right, excusing ourselves because we think our lone voice, our lone action won’t make a difference. If we each exercise the Power of One, combined we become a force to be reckoned with.

As long as we turn a blind eye to the injustices we see in our world, rationalizing that ‘little ol’ me can’t change a thing’, we are a part of the problems we witness.

Update 5/17 - Other Participating Bloggers:

• Ellen Janssens: Our Civilised Society - Human Rights or Economic Gain
• SciFiDrive: North Korea & Myanmar: Subjugation Through Starvation
• Neil Cowley: Bloggers Unite For Human Rights: Today