human rights must include socio-economic rights

I've been thinking so much about the "virtues" of individualistic societies and of the tensions between the US (vouching for human rights, i.e. civil and political) and the "Communist bloc" (vouching for socio-economic rights rather than prioritizing civil and political).

It makes so much sense to me that one must have the basic needs (of food, shelter, clothing, water, basic health care etc) before one can even consider civil and political rights priority. At the same time, if one lives in a State (by this I mean nation state) where one has neither access to these or the means to ensure their basic needs are met, nor do they have sufficient means by which to secure them (i.e. civil and political rights) then what is left for them? Is this not the root of terrorist desperation? So then who wins by this unending distinction umbrella project of human rights advocacy if people in the US and especially those at the whim and mercy of its institutional hegemony (military, monetary, political, corporate)cannot ensure their basic needs are met? I think the next evolution in human rights advocacy must focus upon or at least include socio-economic rights.
I also think that denying people socio-economic security will only go on for so long before people start to realize that the condition of their lives is not the fault of the "immigrant" or those on "welfare"
or those "criminals" or anyone short of the richest minority who put profits before people and profit from that fact. This reminds me of Marx and Engels' call for workers of the world to unite. Indeed, no corporation or rich CEO or well-connected politician is going to watch out for your right to survive unless your life makes them money
and with the lovely habit of outsourcing, the price of lives here and abroad are increasingly less and less valuable...

Today in PolSoc we watched a lecture by Michael Parenti, discussing what he terms the "false revolution of fascism." I am struck by the parallels one can draw between the obviously fascist nations and those less obvious forms of fascism that serve to create such significant poverty in the wealthiest, industrial nations? I am also saddened to think that any equation or criticism as such is automatically struck down as being unpatriotic. It seems we have a myth of America that other nations see as plain as day but we cannot even allow ourselves to
entertain such a notion no matter how gently or intelligently argued.
Yet there is an undeniable reality that countless Americans live paycheck to paycheck, despite the fact that they work over the forty hour work week, with most of their checks going to health insurance (that often covers as little as possible) and day care costs or to such elaborate "creature comforts" as food and the occasional video rental.
Still, I am well aware that we in America live better and undoubtedly enjoy more freedom than most people in the world. I am also aware of how so much of our "freedom" and luxurious living comes at the labor of others. How do we then transition from a society full of individualism, having been spoon-fed for so long the mythic mush of patriotism, global capitalism and "democracy?" Can we move to a more collectivist society?
Can we foster a different vision of ourselves, as Howard Zinn suggested, where we are more known for our dedication to human rights than to military might???

In Hawaii, my best friend and I developed our own little "poor person" cooperative where we shared food and daycare to make sure that both of our families had enough food and that we could still work to "get by." I have tried to start that here but I have found it too difficult to try and feed my family yet alone plan meals for two... Still I crave change, some kind of collective consciousness shift in which people's lives could mean more than what they currently seem to. I truly believe you could alleviate the stress and depression that leads so many to anti-depressants and anti-anxiety meds (those that are on them for situational "relief" and not medical necessity) or even (like my mother) to alcoholism and drug addiction, just by diverting the money that goes to the massive monoliths of the pharmaceutical and hospital industries into ensuring that every person has access to healthcare and every person has food, clothing and shelter.

I know that to some this sounds too idealistic and I've read plenty of criticism of those who share my opinion. I also have known countless people who seek out these quick fixes offered by Prozac, Paxil and the like not because they have severe depression but because they are severely depressed due to financial situations that seem (and most likely are) beyond their control. These people I speak of are not "lazy" or "inept" nor are they people who just neglected to pay their bills or overcharged credit cards. More often than not, they have been people who were simply unable to pay outrageous medical expenses for what the medical field terms "involuntary yet medically imperative" procedures. I always wonder how many people on anti-depressants really NEED them to function and how many doctors give these pills out like candy, the oz-like solution to all social ills. Then again, those on these meds have to able to afford them first, so they are either workers most likely being overcharged for pitiful concessionary health insurance or perhaps those "poor" enough to qualify for medicaid who haven't yet maxed out their "lifelong limit" (which is what, a couple of years???) or they are those in the middle to upper class who can afford to have pain pill addictions and still host ridiculous talk shows blaming all the wrong people for the state of the union...

It would really be amazing and most worthy of patriotism, to see the reality of America finally grow into the American mythos we have been taught and proud of for so long. I do not honestly see how this can happen though if we continue on our current path of reckless individualism and free market irrationalism masquarading as "democracy."

peace!