Human Rights and the Dignity of Life in the movie LIKE IT OR NOT!
Human rights is a subject much larger than the one we frequently imagine it to be. Human rights issues extend into almost every area of life, and are often denied on all levels of society from that of Government, Religion, Industry, the family and even individuals.
Every day, people who are terminally ill and suffering with excruciating pain and discomfort are denied the peace and comfort that would come to them if they had the right to choose to die with dignity. Laws are in place to prevent and even prosecute anyone involved in helping relieve the pain they are experiencing.
In Ronald Sokolís New York Times 2007 Essay: The Right To Die, he states: “Within the next half century, perhaps much sooner, the right to choose to die with dignity will be as widely recognized as the right to free speech or to exercise one’s religion. It will cease to be called euthanasia or mercy killing. It will not be viewed as killing, but as a fundamental human right.…At present, the law focuses on the act of the physician or nurse, and not on the rights of the patient. As that focus shifts so that the right of the patient to die with dignity becomes paramount, one can expect to see the law proclaim it a fundamental right.”
The inherent dignity and equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family are the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world….disregard and contempt for human rights have resulted in barbarous acts which have outraged the conscience of mankind….a world in which human beings shall enjoy freedom of speech and belief and freedom from fear and want has been proclaimed as the highest aspiration of the common people, ~ from the first few lines of the Preamble of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR)
Unfortunately organizations, religious institutions, industries, governments, and even families obstruct human rights every day. Too much lagging bureaucratic red tape and legal decisions, either deliberately or unknowingly, play a big part in obstructing human rights. Bureaucratic rules and regulations as such are in some way no different than common prejudices (pre-judging) only on a higher level.
So many of us take human rights for granted until we realize that what happens to one of us, can happen to any one of us.
People all over the world are suffering due to rules imposed by other people. And the injustices that the suffering endure, often cannot be expressed for fear of their lives. The oppressors take away the dignity of their captives, break down their self worth, cripple their natural movements, and diminish their health. For some, it is even far much worse than that. There is no hope for permanent peace for them until they can have their own inner peace.
Upholding Human Rights is intricately entwined with peace all over the world. That ís why it’s so important for all of us to learn more about the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), and take it wherever our heart leads us.
In this movie titled “Like It Or Not!” Laura, a young married woman, has a terminal illness. In this film, her family acts as one body to help her. In her terminal condition, Laura is not physically strong enough to get the medicine that will be effective for her, and asks members of her family to assist her in her struggle.
In the US and elsewhere, terminally ill people are being denied the right to have peace and comfort and be able to die with dignity.
One of my original songs,”I Guess You’re Everywhere,” from my MYSTIC DREAMS album, is featured in the movie “Like It Or Not!”(Ob ihr wollt oder nicht!). The movie was released on April 30th, 2009 in Germany where it was produced. It ís already on DVD in Germany and available with English subtitles for distribution elsewhere.
This is a warm-hearted movie about a terminally ill person’s right to die. The film-makers, cast, and other participants in this film are from internationally mixed backgrounds, and I’m proudly part of this mix. I’m the American singer-songwriter whose whole original song,”I Guess You’re Everywhere,” in my original English recording of it is in this movie. I truly believe that this film will bring more compassion and understanding for those who need it.
“Like It Or Not!” is a movie about a woman with terminal cancer and how she chose to handle it. To get an understanding on an issue like this, it has to come from the people and families who have gone through it. This film was inspired by a young woman and her family who did. In the film, each member of her family personally struggles to come to terms with her choice, and it becomes a chance to heal old wounds between each other.
Up until my song was in this film, I really hadn’t thought about the right of a terminally ill person to choose to end his or her life. But after I saw the movie, I realized that in some cases the right to die is a human right, too….just like a woman’s right to choose, the right for people to marry who they wish, the right to health care, and the right to choose to use a natural substance, like marijuana, for health and well-being.
It seems to me, every person with regard to the pursuit of happiness has the right to choose what happiness is for them at different times in their lives.
“Like It Or Not!” is a good movie, and Americans need to have the opportunity to see it. We need this topic to be discussed more here in the US. It’s about our humanity and how humane we can be to each other, our earth, and all creatures great and small. I believe with all my heart that this film “Like It Or Not!”can make a difference on so many levels for so many people. Within this movie there are sub-topics worthy of discussion, also.
In many ways, Europe is quite a bit ahead of things like health care, human rights, and planetary environmental issues. I think this film “Like It Or Not!” is a significant way for us Americans to compassionately and lovingly have discussions about this topic. As far as I know, though, no one has picked up “Like It Or Not!”for distribution here in the United States….which means, unfortunately, US citizens aren’t able to go and see it, yet! I am looking forward to the day that this beautiful film from Germany is released in the United States.
Peace and Love ~Patty 
Producers: Anita Elsani (Elsani Film), Werner Wirsing (3L Filme).
3L Filme was also a producer for the following three US films(to mention only a few): King of California – Michael Douglas; Adam Resurrected – Jeff Goldblum; Cleaner – Samuel. L. Jackson.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jN0cjTqrPys
http://www.udhr.org/UDHR/udhr.HTM
http://www.globalissues.org/article/138/human-rights-for-all
http://tiny.cc/NYTimes-RightToDie
http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_rights
http://www.amnesty.org/
