Human Rights - A Human Responsibility - FRIDAY FLASHES—November - 7, 1980

Sep 29, 2026

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Newsletter text highlighting human rights as a responsibility of individuals within society, emphasizing freedom of worship, speech, writing, and living/work in harmony. It presents addresses and background on SEC Chairman Harold M. Williams and Amnesty International’s origins through Peter Benenson’s 1961 open letter. It outlines Amnesty’s worldwide, UN-aligned work focused on prisoners of conscience, fair trials, and opposition to the death penalty, grounded in continuous international research and public transparency.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryReligion & Spirituality

FormatPDF

Pages7

Reading Time18 min

AccessFree to download

Human Rights, A Human Responsibility

Key arguments on individual responsibility

Speakers and context (Harold M. Williams, Vincent McGee, Peter Benenson)

Amnesty International’s principles and focus

International research methods

World-wide organization and UN alignment

Event and ticket information

# Human Rights,A HumanResponsibility NOV.21 NOV.25 The HonorableHarold M.Williams FRIDAY FLASHES—November 7,1980 From address by: Chairman, VINCENT MC GEE,Chairman,Amnesty International U.S.A. Securities and Exchange Commission The strength of our nation depends onthe strength of the individual in society.Where individual freedom is compromisedeither by government or by other in-dividuals the society as a whole suffers.What does peace mean if an individual,not harming another,is not free to wor-ship according to belief,to speak,to write,to live and work in harmony with themen,women and children who are neigh-bors,near or far. "Today is NotForever:TheFailing of the 99American System GeneralAlton D.Slay Individual people in the world have aresponsibility to themselves to share aresponsibility for other individuals.Eachof us is like a cell in an organism.Whenthe status of one cell is weakened,thewhole will suffer. Through a career spanning 3 decadesSEC Chairman Harold M.Williams hasviewed the performance of corporateAmerica through many lenses:he was ad-mitted to the California Bar in 1950,joinedthe legal department of Hunt Foods andIndustries in 1953,served as president ofHunt-Wesson Foods from 1966 to 1968 andwas chairman of the board of NortonSimon Inc.during 1969-1970.For 7 yearsprior to his SEC appointment Williamswas professor of management and thedean of the Graduate School of Manage-ment at U.C.L.A. Commander,Air Force Systems Command What can individuals do to affect therights and freedoms of others in farplaces?How can individuals make adifference when nations and internationalagencies cannot? Advance Ticket Sale Luncheon One individual,an attorney in England,named Peter Benenson in May of 1961,wrote an open letter to the London Ob-server and to Le Monde in Paris express-ing his concern about forgotten prisonerswho might be helped if individuals aroundthe world became aware of their plightand did something as individuals and notas government agencies on their behalf. Noon,Tuesday Rose RoomSheraton Palace Hotel In his Commonwealth Club addressHarold Williams will discuss America'sdeclining business fortunes. Advance Tickets—$10.Mail check ormoney order with self-addressed,stampedenvelope to Commonwealth Club,681Market St,S.F.94105,or call 362-4903 forreservations.Tickets must be purchasedby 9 a.m.Monday,Nov.24.No refundsafter Friday,Nov.21. Noon,FridayRose Room Peter Benenson was surprised by theheavy response which his open appealevoked.Thus,Amnesty International wasfounded almost 20 years ago in London. Sheraton Palace HotelTickets—$8.75 at the door.Michael H.BiggsQuarterly Chairman Amnesty International is now a world-wide movement,independent of any Michael H.Biggs Quarterly Chairman continued on next page INSIDE:Vincent McGee,Chairman,Amnesty International urges U.S.Senate ratification on humanrights.251-252.Section Meeting Schedule,Nov.17-Dec.2.Read carefully for new meetings.254.Saudi ArabianAmbassador speaks on Dec.5,advance tickets available. The Commonwealth 249 government,political groupingideologyeconomic interest or religious creed.Itplays a specific role within the overallspectrum of human rights work.The ac-tivities of Amnesty International focusstrictly on prisoners:it seeks the releaseof men and women detained anywhere fortheir beliefs,color,sex,ethnic origin,language or religion,provided they havenot used or advocated violence (prisonersof conscience);it advocates fair and earlytrials for all political prisoners on behalfof persons detained without charge orwithout trial;it opposes the death penaltyor other cruel,inhuman or degradingtreatment or punishment of all prisonerswithout reservation. of politics,universally and impartially.Ourtest is to live up to this principle by con-tinuing to monitor human rights develop-ments after a change of regime,with thesame interest and purpose as before. International Research Amnesty Internati

FAQs

What message does the newsletter give about human rights and individual responsibility?

It argues that the strength of a nation depends on the strength of individuals in society, and that individual freedom must not be compromised by government or other individuals.

How did Amnesty International begin according to the text?

Peter Benenson wrote an open letter in May 1961 after concern for forgotten prisoners, and Amnesty International was then founded in London, responding to the appeal.

What does Amnesty International say it focuses on and opposes?

It focuses on prisoners detained for beliefs and advocates release of prisoners of conscience, fair and early trials, and opposition to the death penalty and other cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment.

Sep 29, 2026

Upload by Fahsai