The All State

A new organization is in planning stages at APSU. By early November, the Austin Peay Human Rights Club is expected to hold its first meeting. The organization wants to increase awareness and understanding of human rights abuse in local issues of the community and in global issues.

"A human rights abuse is any action perpetrated by an individual or group that either intends or purposely allows for the violation of a person's intrinsic dignity as a human being," Matthew Kenney, associate professor of political science, said.

Jessica Miller, 21, a senior political science major, said the main goal of the club is "a grassroots effort to bring awareness on campus and setting up opportunities to bring awareness and raise money."

Kenney said the club's projects will "bring speakers to campus and have an educational outreach to high schools." Benjamin Torres, 22, a senior political science major, said plans include "seeing if any local groups need help, volunteering and raising awareness. A lot of people talk but never act."

The club plans to address human rights abuse occuring in Clarksville. "There are pretty big immigrant groups in Clarksville. The club would talk about the issues that they face," Kenney said. "Important issues facing immigrant groups in the Clarksville area today include, but are not limited to, legal rights, health care, housing, women's rights and language barriers."

On the national level, Miller said she would like to focus on the death penalty. "Amnesty International is against the death penalty. Since it is a problem here in the United States we can do hands-on activities," Miller said. Miller has been involved in Amnesty International, a non-profit organization focusing on human rights abuse, which the new club will be modeled after.

The desire to organize a human rights club came from Miller's and Torres' previous awareness of human rights abuse. Both Miller and Torres are involved in an independent study. "We are doing a lot of research into human rights abuse," Torres said.

Miller and Torres both said they hope the human rights club will effect positive change to the Clarksville community. "I hope to bring awareness to things people do not know about," Miller said.

"The goal is to look at human rights in context of human justice," Kenney said "That is, we have a moral imperative to recognize the inherent value and equal moral worth of all individuals. When we treat individuals as a means, we treat them as objects and goods and, in the process, cease to treat them as human beings."

Interested students can contact Kenney at 221-6424 or e-mail at kenneym@apsu.edu. Kenney also welcomes students at his office in Clement room 150.

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