In Amnesty International's annual report, it was revealed that eight-one countries continue to torture people, the citizenry of fifty-four countries receive unfair trials, and seventy-seven countries deny free speech. In particular, the report strongly criticized the US and China for their flagrant violation of basic human rights. Amnesty International assesses human rights in countries around the world.

According to the report, the US has failed to provide a moral compass to the international community, a charge the organization makes every year. As the world's only superpower, the US should set the standard for which governments of other countries strive. Yet in recent years, the US has shirked this obligation, and has even purposefully defied international law in many cases. The detention center at Guantanamo Bay was criticized, for example, as was the use of torture.

China has clearly become an important global power, and so it must act responsibly in the sphere of human rights. The country has continued to ship arms to the Sudan, despite the atrocities committed there. In addition, China trades with such abusive governments as Myanmar and Zimbabwe, censors the media, persecutes activists, and has expanded its "re-education through labor" program. The program allows the Chinese government to arrest people and enforce on them terms of manual labor without trial.

On the positive side, though, there were a greater number of demonstrations than in past years. Amnesty International took this as a sign that people were more willing to fight for their inherent rights and hold leaders accountable.

Previews

Rank It!: Which human right is the most important? Rank the rights in order. Remember to support your decisions.

1. freedom of speech

2. right to a fair trial

3. freedom of assembly

4. freedom of religion

5. right to receive an education
Fragments: Remember how the fragments were used, and complete the sentence from today's article.

1. In particular, the report strongly criticized...

2. As the world's only superpower, the US should...

3. The detention center at Guantanamo Bay...

4. China has clearly become an important global power, and so...

5. On the positive side, though, there were...

Post-Comprehension: Talk about the following questions in pairs/groups. Remember to support your answers!

1. Do you think the report will have any affect on governments around the world?

2. Were you surprised by the information about the US? Why/not?

3. Were you surprised by the information about China? Why/not?

4. Have you ever felt that your rights had been violated? If yes, what happened? If

no, what would you do?

5. What are human rights like in your country? Please explain the pluses and minuses.

Google Search: Type "Amnesty International" into Google. Look at the websites, and/or read additional articles on this topic. Discuss or write an essay about your findings.

№ 10.

Gun Law Reform

On Wednesday, in an average German suburb, 17-year old Tim Kretschmer killed sixteen people at his former high school. He then killed himself. The country finds itself in an unenviable position. It's now second in the world for school shootings, with only the United States first. German politicians have already begun to call for reform of the country's gun laws. They have also begun pointing fingers of blame at video games and the violence shown by the media.

Within minutes of the attack, news sources had posted images of police and grieving students on TV and the Internet. Within hours, it was discovered that the boy's father had an extensive gun collection. All the guns were acquired legally through German gun clubs. Within days, interviews with old classmates and neighbors showed Tim was a loner who enjoyed horror movies and violent video games. All of these points are pushing the question forward: What is the root cause of the problem? Is it the gun laws, society, or some other factor?

Most agree that limited access to guns will certainly solve the problem. Yet the role of the media and the Internet must also be examined. The news, pictures, and videos remain available for years and years. The violent acts remain as a detailed template for future attacks. Violent video games, movies, and songs worsen the problem.

Psychologists also point to a mix of depression, rage, and suicidal tendencies as the main culprit. Parents in particular, and society in general, must be more attentive to the problems young people face, which suggests that stricter laws and private security at schools may not be