Vice President Al Gore, Democratic Party candidate
did not respond to two letters sent to him. Although he has the most foreign policy experience of all the candidates he is as inexperienced as any of them on issues relating to human rights.
Gore’s central human rights policies are aimed at issues regarding the environment (about which he is very strong, but not as strong as Ralph Nader), health care and social security. Gore appears to believe that there is a right to a livable environment and to social security. He does not, however, appear to believe that trade unions have rights to strike, that the death penalty violates the right to life, nor that individuals have other social and economic rights such as the right to work, the right to an education, etc.. An except is the right to health on which Gore is very strong, but not, apparently, because he thinks it is a right. Like the other candidates Gore has been very ambiguous about what he will do to ensure that the United States promotes human rights around the world.
Gore has shown himslef to be a coward on human rights issues related to standing up to other relatively powerful countries. Like boss, Bill Clinton, Gore appears to prefer appleasement rather than confrontation and thus does little to respond to China's human rights record or to human rights problems emanating from friendly countries like Canada where Talisman oil company continues to do business in Sudan, despite a finding that there presence contributes to serious violations of human rights.
Write Al Gore and ask him yourself...here's his address
You don't believe me that the next President of the United States is ignorant about human rights? Well write them yourself and find out. Her are the candidates addresses...and a drfat letter follows as a guide if you think you need help.
The Honorable Al Gore Al Gore for President P.O. Box 24837 Nashville, Tennessee 37202
As a concerned voter, I am writing to you as a candidate for our nation's highest office to enquire about your policies concerning human rights. br> Please inform me of the following:
1. Will you press the Congress to ratify human rights treaties? And if so, which ones? 2. Do you view the United States government as bound to the international legal obligations it has undertaken by ratifying international human rights treaties?
3. Will you pledge to respect and obey all decisions by international human rights bodies concerning human rights in the United States of America?
4. Will you take steps to ensure that the United States brings all of its laws in to accordance with its international human rights obligations?
5. Will you agree to take action against all other countries that violate international human rights law regardless of whether they are friendly or unfriendly, important trading partners or not?
6. Will you, if elected, publicly profess your respect for human rights and constantly speak out in defense of human rights while you are president?
7. Will you ensure that the United States ratifies the Convention on the Rights of the Child during your tenure?
These questions are vitally important for me in deciding for whom to vote in the November 2000 election, Please provide me your answers to these questions as soon as possible.
