Hi! My name is Ashna Desai and I am a 3L. The one thing I regret not joining early on in my law school career is the Center for Global Justice. I constantly heard of all the amazing work that the Center was doing not only in the U.S., but around the world! I wanted to be a part of something that truly changes lives. Thankfully, I was able to join the Center’s student staff during my last semester of law school and so far, it feels amazing to do something good!
I was assigned to help write a legal memo for Advocates International. Advocates International is a faith-based legal organization that actively works behind the scenes in gathering and sending advocates around the world to promote justice and equality to everyone. The assigned legal memo will argue against recently passed legislation that discriminates against minority religions within Bulgaria. This problem has added fuel to my recent thoughts.
Lately, I have been wondering about the astounding amount of rights given to the American people. We are truly blessed to have the right to participate in our politics, the right to transport ourselves to various places around the world, the right to have privacy, and the right to educate ourselves on any topic we so desire. Unfortunately, many people from differing countries are not afforded the same rights as us. In fact, there are many rights we take for granted that others on the opposite side of the world are still fighting for. Up until a few months ago, women were banned from driving in Saudi Arabia. North Korea’s constitution guarantees freedom of religion, but events show severe persecution of Christians. Children are sacrificed, forced to marry at a young age, and/or sold in Uganda. I could describe countless matters where people do not have the same basicrights as Americans.
Taking a minute from my busy and privileged schedule, I thank the Lord for allowing me to live in a country that truly give me the rights to live my life according to my wishes. I should take advantage of my rights and fight for other countries to allow their citizens the same rights. This is what Advocates International does. This is what the Center for Global Justice does. I ask that you join us in using your rights to do something in helping others with little to no rights.
As Martin Luther King, Jr. stated “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’”
This post was written by a Center for Global Justice student staff member. The views expressed in this post do not necessarily reflect those of Regent University, Regent Law School, or the Center for Global Justice.