The elections are mostly over for the year. We’ve all had a chance to vote, see who won and even complain a bit if our candidate of choice didn’t make it through.
That does not mean our responsibility as voters is over for the next two years, though.
In fact, the hard part of our job is just beginning.
We have to hold these newly elected men and women accountable, and that responsibility is a lot more difficult than just showing up and checking a few boxes.
One of the issues I will be holding my representatives accountable on is human rights throughout the world.
Human rights abuses like the genocide in Darfur or torture at Abu Ghraib are in the news all the time, but there’s more to human rights than these hot issues.
I am in no way trying to deny the severity of these problems, but I am saying some global attention needs to shine on other areas, as well.
One of the biggest overlooked areas when it comes to abuses is Russia.
Russia has been a notorious human rights abuser, and the problems have only increased.
Some international media reported in-depth on the murder of a Russian journalist who had been active in exposing excesses in Russia under the rule of President Vladimir Putin.
However, far fewer have reported the continuing story, which, according to a report issued last week by Human Rights Watch, has included the violent dispersion of mourners and protesters by the police, even those who had previously been issued a permit to demonstrate by civil authorities.
This is not an isolated incident in a country that has barred the Salvation Army from operating in Russia because it is classified as a foreign military group.
However, the most shocking thing about Russia is not that it tramples the press and expression rights of its citizens, but that the United States, despite President George W. Bush’s allegedly strong personal relationship with Putin, has done little to pressure Putin to reform.
Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice had a discussion with Putin in September about how increased democracy in Russia would be nice, but there has been no indication that Putin’s refusal to abide by basic human rights standards will have any impact on his country’s relationship with the United States.
I think its time we changed that a little.
I don’t think regime change is in order here, but I do think the United States has to take a stand.
If we allow Russia to crack down of peaceful protesters, how can we have the credibility to pressure other countries not to do the same thing?
How can we have the credibility to claim we stand for democracy when we allow our allies to blatantly censor expression?
We can’t, and I am going to take a stand.
I hope more Baker students will choose to do the same thing and pressure their representatives for change on the issues they are concerned about.
After all, voting is just the first step.