As we seek to apply a “veil of ignorance” while we draft an International Bill of Rights, that is, we choose a list of rights assuming we might emerge as a citizen of any town, city or nation on Earth after the list is chosen, we can use some help gaining a proper perspective for this task.
We are taught from infancy that we have a particular nationality, and to favor the people of that nationality. We need to temper this teaching with a broader perspective.
First, Eleanor can help. Looking back, we see that Eleanor did not favor the people of one country over another. She saw the people of all countries as equals saying: “It is wise, I think, to teach children that intrinsically every human being has the same value . . . and to work toward a world where every individual may have the chance to develop his abilities to the greatest possible extent.”
Unfortunately, children are often not taught that “every human being has the same value.” Narrow minded, opportunistic leaders often use nationalistic fervor to stoke fear and divisiveness to empower themselves – it’s an old trick to pit people against each other. The result is that humans now spend over 1.5 trillion dollars each year preparing for and waging war. We can do better, and must, yet here we are deteriorating into war, yet again. As we celebrate and reaffirm the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on its 75th anniversary, it’s time to teach students a new perspective.
Fortunately, since we’ve gone to space, we have a new source of awareness along with Eleanor’s perspective. 
In the early stages of space travel a Russian cosmonaut, Oleg Makarov, shared this perspective with us. As he looked out the porthole of his space capsule, he had a camera in hand and he was hanging in the orbital module preparing to take a picture. As he trained the camera upon Earth, he said: “it looked like a map.” He explained, “when the porthole is pointing straight down on the ground, you can’t see the horizon, and so you get the impression that you are watching a map glide by beneath you…unconsciously you look for the lines that are on such maps, but they are not there.”
Yes, they are not there. From that vantage, it’s clear that they do not exist – we create them, just as we create the international social order for the people, species, life, on that planet below, Earth. We can think and we can write: with a new perspective looking through the eyes of astronauts, we can unite. Through Eleanor Lives!, we can create an international social order much better than the one that presently exists. One that works for all on that spinning planet below.
With a new perspective comes a new attitude. Most astronauts return changed mentally. It is so common that astronauts have even coined a term for it “The Overview Effect.” A Saudi astronaut has described the overview effect brilliantly: “The first day or so we all pointed to our countries. 
The third or fourth day we were pointing to our continents. By the fifth day we were aware of only one Earth.”
We can learn from and gain this perspective. It is essential to the success of Eleanor Lives! So take that first step. See through the eyes of astronauts, and set your imagination free to think about enforceable rights for all on that beautiful planet below.
Leave a Reply