I received an email today from Leo Gerard, the Int’l President of the United Steelworkers, the 850,000 person-strong union of men and women employed in Canada and the U.S. who work in the metals, rubber, chemicals, paper, oil refining and the service industries.  His email simply read:

Excellent video celebrating 60th anniversary of UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights.  Please watch and remember how powerful it is to treat every human being and our planet with dignity.  Regards, leo.

Dear President Gerard. Thanks.

Watch it (00:04:31)

Here are the “lyrics.”

Every man, woman and child on earth is born free and equal in dignity and rights.

We are brothers and sisters of this world. 

We have reason and conscious and should be friendly towards one anther. 

Everyone is entitled to the rights set forth in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, regardless of age, sex religion, beliefs, birthplace, traditions, economics, weight, skin, style….

You have the right to live in freedom and safety. 

Nobody has the right to treat you as their slave or torture you. 

The law is the same for everyone.   You have the right to legal protection.  You have the right to a fair and public trial. 

No one shall be arrested, put in jail or exiled without good reason. You are innocent until proven guilty. 

You have the right to privacy, to move throughout the world, to enjoy freedom from persecution in other countries.

You have the right to a nationality. 

You have the right to marry and have a family.  Your government should protect your family. 

You have the right to own property and possessions. 

You have the right to think what you want and say what you like, to practice your religion freely and organize peacefully.

You have the right to take part in your country’s political affairs.  Governments should be voted for regularly and all votes are equal. 

The society in which you live should help you to develop. 

You have the right to work and to a fair salary.  Each work day should not be too long. 

You have the right to expect a decent standard of living. 

You have the right to go to school.  Education should strive to promote peace and understanding among all people. 

You have the right to share in your community’s arts and sciences. 

You must respect the social order that is necessary for those rights to be available. 

You must respect the rights of others, the community, and public property. 

Nobody shall attempt in any way to destroy the rights set forth in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.