Civil rights and justice can only truly be achieved in a 'civil and just' world.
The Reality:
One of the most significant things about being human, is your ability to freely make your own decisions and choose your own path in life. A world that supports this right, is a just world.
Protecting the civil rights of the individual is paramount to protecting the rights of all people. Each person should be empowered with the freedom and right to live life as they wish, 'as long as their actions do not infringe on the same freedom, safety and rights of others'.
Let's consider a few hotspot issues to see how this relates. On the issue of gun control, one has to consider whether guns make the world a safer place or not? On all accounts, it should be clear that they do not. They are weapons designed to kill!
In a 'civil' world, there would be no need for such weapons...but this if we are honest, is NOT yet a civil world. So we need to look 'seriously and intelligently' at how we can help to make it one. This is what TEAMHumanity is about. By working together and applying the wisdom of life, we can change the way things are, and improve the state of the world for everyone.
On the issue of abortion,
this is clearly a medical practice that 'no doctor would ever want to have to perform'. Doctors are trained to heal. So they are faced with a dilemma involving freedom of choice and protecting life.
When faced with a very similar dilemma involving freedom, religious law and protecting the life of a woman, a great teacher once said, "let he who is without sin cast the first stone". These words are wise indeed, for we all make mistakes in life. It is part of the process of how we learn.
Acknowledging this truth, no one could cast a stone against the woman in question. And so it should be true today.
Also, if one were truly 'without sin', one would be also be truly 'compassionate'. Such a person would never condemn another for making a mistake. They could only hope that the person would learn from the experience and so not repeat it.
True change is something that can only happen through 'wiser education' and compassionate understanding. It will not be achieved through government laws, violence or aggression.
However, there are still many countries, governments and dictators that believe that 'force and fear' are the best leadership practices of a society. To them, enforcing change through brute force seems to be the limit of their thinking. This is a futile and foolish path. Violence only ever leads to more violence. Force only ever leads to rebellion. And creating laws does not stop people from abusing them. People will still murder, rape, steal...etc regardless of how many laws you create. Helping people to become wiser and more understanding is the only REAL solution to all of the world's problems. That is how you create real change in the world.
The Psychological issues:
The psychology of civil rights and justice is simply the psychology of understanding. Governments so often just create 'laws' as reactions to the latest murder, human abuse or failing in society. It is NEVER a solution. It's just a piece of paper of rules and punishments. That's all.
It will not stop people from committing murders, rapes, or violence of any type. It will not educate people to become better human beings. It will not prevent the ignorance in the world from continuing. To improve a society, you have to improve its people! There is no other way. The society is its people.
So the psychology for improving civil rights and justice in the world is quite simple. Stop creating futile laws for every stupid act committed in society and start spending time 'seriously' helping people to develop their potential, wisdom and understanding. Yes it's the harder path, but at least it's a path that actually leads to the destination you are trying to reach.
The Wise approach:
Wisdom is all about learning to understand life. In understanding life, one is better able to assess the wisest approach or decision to make.
When addressing issues involving freedom, privacy, civil rights and justice, one should consider the problem from all possible perspectives. Too often they are viewed from just one perspective, whether it be political, religious or legal.
Some issues are completely clear cut. For example, there has been a fair amount of debate about smoking in public places like restaurants. Often smokers say that they have the right to smoke if they wish...and so they do. But not if this act infringes on the rights of other people to breath clean air in the same public place. Smoking is a serious health concern. We all know this. Intelligence will always win out in the end. That is why ultimately all public 'enclosed spaces' will become smoke-free. It is already starting to happen. It is important that people who smoke also be given the support that they need, to give up if they wish.
The conflict surrounding abortion is a little more complex. There are the pro-choice people and the anti-abortion people.
From a point of wisdom, it is obviously not intelligent to interfere with the body in such a way. It is unlikely that a single doctor would disagree with this statement. However, to resolve this issue constructively, there has to be a more profound change in people's attitudes towards sex. This requires time and patience.
Meanwhile, we need to accept that we all make mistakes, teenagers more so in this case. People deserve a second chance. Maybe that is where the 'compromise' can be drawn on such a contentious issue? Abortion could be made illegal if it happens a 'second time' to the same person. The first time people are forgiven. The second they live up to their responsibilities. Would both sides be willing to accept the degree of personal responsibility and freedom that this compromise offers?
Along with this compromise, a more intelligent education focus needs to be initiated so that it does not need to become an issue at all.
In some cases, women also become pregnant due to rape, which means that their rights and freedoms have been abused. Such cases need to be taken into account.
As always though, we should focus our efforts on addressing the 'core reasons' behind the problems so that the rights and freedoms of all people can be protected.
In time, all civil rights abuses today will slowly become a thing of the past. That may sound unlikely considering what happens today, but if we were all living in a much more 'positively focused' and healthy world, people would simply not behave in a socially destructive manner. They would all have a much more positive, enthusiastic and adventurous outlook on life.