Human beings are endowed with a set of INALIENABLE RIGHTS including the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Pursuant to these rights, ALL PEOPLE, REGARDLESS OF RACE, CLASS OR CREED have a fundamental right GUARANTEED BY SOCIETY to a LIFE OF DIGNITY. Marginalized populations are challenged in attaining these most fundamental human rights. Society must insure all people, including women, Black, Native, Hispanic, poor, immigrant, disabled, Muslim, and LGBTQIA, have equal social, economic, and civil rights.
Social Rights
The right to a life of dignity immediately establishes a number of social rights, including the right to healthcare; the right to housing; the right to education; and the right to free determination.
Right to Healthcare All people have a right to free healthcare. Access to quality healthcare, reproductive services, birth control, HIV/AIDS and other STD care and prevention must not be subject to federal, state, or local rollbacks, cuts, or restrictions. All members of society have a right to access to safe, legal, affordable abortion and birth control, regardless of income, location or education.
Right to Housing All members have a right to housing, where they can build and maintain a dignified life. Freedom from drastic rent increase, access to affordable housing, and availability of safe housing are necessary to respect this right to a home.
Right to Education All members of society have a right to a free education. All are owed an equal and accessible education. Providing equity and excellence in education in American public schools for every child is an urgent national mission. Educational choices for our children should never be held hostage to corporate profits. Higher education must be free for all.
Right to Self-Determination The right to self-determination means that all human beings are able to freely determine the course of their lives and have ample opportunity to do so: what jobs they wish to take; with whom they wish to socialize; and what interests they wish to pursue.
Economic Rights
The right to a life of dignity immediately establish a number of economic rights, including the right to a just economy; the right to organize; the right to a living wage; and the right to opportunity.
Right to Just Economy Dignity requires a just and equitable economy, powered by transparency, accountability, security, and opportunity. All participants should be paid equitably and given equal access to affordable childcare, sick days, and paid family leave. Furthermore, every worker has the right to a safe and healthy work environment.
Right to Organize Workers everywhere, including domestic, farm, undocumented and migrant workers, have the right to organize. Workers can freely assemble and organize unions in order to demand safe and profitable workplaces.
Right to Living Wage Workers have the right to a fair and living wage. The contributions of those on the margins, in service industries, providing for charities, and working at home deserve recognition and a dignified life. These members are integral to a healthy society, and everyone has the right to a minimal income.
Right to Opportunity All members of society have the right to take a chance in the economy, to start a business, devise an invention, and pursue an idea. The freedom to try to better oneself is a fundamental economic right for all.
Civil Rights
The right to a life of dignity includes basic civil rights such as the right to democracy, voting rights, rights to privacy and safety, and the right to a healthy environment. Additional basic civil rights include the freedom to worship without fear of intimidation or harassment, freedom of speech, and protections of these rights for all citizens.
Right to Democracy All members of society have a right to government that is open, representative, accountable and responsive. The winner of a free election, defined as the candidate who earned the most votes, will assume office, set policy, and control the state.
Right to Vote The votes of all people are equal and all people can freely vote for the candidate of their choice. Gerrymandering and voter suppression corrupt the democratic process and violate the will of the people. Campaign finance regulation should enhance political equality for all citizens, ensure transparency, protect representative democracy from distortion by big money, and combat corruption and undue influence in government.
Rights to Privacy and Safety All members of society have a right to privacy, which must be respected by both governmental and corporate organizations. All members of society have a right to maintain their home free from intrusion either by the government, corporations, or other free citizens. All people have the right to live lives in safe and healthy environments free of all forms of violence, including police brutality, police militarization, and targeting of specific communities.
Right to a Healthy Environment Every person and every community in our nation has the right to clean water, clean air, and access to and enjoyment of public lands. The threat posed by climate change to our species must be respected and a comprehensive and informed plan for responding to this threat developed. The environment and climate must be protected, and the land and natural resources cannot be exploited for corporate gain or greed, especially at the risk of public safety and health.
Morningside Heights Resistance 