0019 A passing thought
It's a society of rights -
and duties too? Oh, that can wait.
Anyone has the right
to dress up as a black pillar-box
with an anonymous lady inside
or I, I guess, in
the equivalent -
my sex-object status disguised with
hoodie, balaclava helmet
and perhaps a large backpack
with my favourite alarm clock
ticking away inside
wojja mean rights come with duties
poem by Michael Shepherd
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Related quotes
Nobody performs her or his duties. Governments do not, because they do not know, they are not able or they do not wish, or because they are not permitted by those who effectively govern the world: The multinational and pluricontinental companies whose power — absolutely non-democratic — reduce to next to nothing what is left of the ideal of democracy. We citizens are not fulfilling our duties either. Let us think that no human rights will exist without symmetry of the duties that correspond to them. It is not to be expected that governments in the next 50 years will do it. Let us common citizens therefore speak up. With the same vehemence as when we demanded our rights, let us demand responsibility over our duties. Perhaps the world could turn a little better.
quote by Jose Saramago
Submitted by Veronica Serbanoiu
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Human Rights’
In a civilised land
That accepts duty to all
Citizens have rights
Some great, some small
This is how things should be
To those who value
Truth and fairness
And justice and decency
But those who treasure money
And the power of wealth
Seek to remove such rights
Through deceit and stealth
They claim that duty
Comes before such rights
But they accept no obligation
For causing another’s plight
Obligation before rights
Is their loud refrain
But fulfilling their own duties
Is something they distain
For rights are for the powerful
Whilst duty is for the poor
And decency and justice
The Country provides no more
Human Rights matter
To ensure justice for all
For saints and for sinners
For all people great and small
The alternative is ugly
With justice a forgotten myth
With power replacing fairness
And a society that is truly sick
poem by David Chalk
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Dont You Think It's Time?
children have rights,
women have rights.
lovers have rights.
people of all religions,
and even atheists have rights.
people of all colors,
speaking every language have rights.
trees and rivers have rights.
cats and dogs have rights.
cattle have rights,
homeless people have rights.
prisoners have rights.
democrats and republicans have rights,
even socialists have rights.
the jobless have rights,
old people have rights...
and the hungry have
the right to be fed!
damnit! dont you think it's time?
poem by Eric Cockrell
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Times Like These
At times like these who can say
This is right or that's the way?
Black seems white or is white gray?
And right was wrong the other day.
Once in vogue, it holds no sway.
To march, to march, but not to pray.
Rights are sought, but who will pay
The cost of duties they portray?
Fears and fights and friction may
Obscure our goals and cause delay.
Yet we must work and hold at bay
Forces of evil which will betray
Self and country when they bray
That rights and wrongs are both okay.
poem by Gregory Huyette
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When the government violates the people's rights, insurrection is, for the people and for each portion of the people, the most sacred of the rights and the most indispensible of duties.
quote by Marquis de Lafayette
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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The grocery store
I drove my old blue
Honda CB900F motorbike to town,
took a small backpack along,
as I had to buy some Whiskas cat food,
the ginger coloured Persian likes
the blue marked kind that contains fish.
The small backpack had nothing in it,
was flat on my back,
the store had just opened
and I was in a hurry
to get to the Internet café
before the better computers were taken
by other customers
which would cause me to crawl along
on an old 486 dilapidated model.
In my right hand I carried
my blue Lafê crash helmet
and I was dressed
in a t-shirt and jeans
walked down five rows of shelves
finding nothing else interesting,
saw that the price of a one kilogram packet
of Whiskas had hiked by ten rands,
did not even touch anything in that store
and decided to walk right out,
as the price at the Checkers store
might be lower.
At the exit there were six armed security men
who were talking to each other
with boredom written over their faces
when a sharp alarm went off,
in fractions of seconds they surrounded me,
ripping my backpack from my back
retaining me with hands on my arms
while one searched my body
right there and could find nothing.
One said that it was illegal
to walk into the store
carrying a backpack
and I asked what about
ladies carrying
handbags full of their belongings?
My backpack was empty,
they even took my crash helmet,
to look if something was in the inside
but could find nothing,
force-marched me through the exit
and the alarm went off again.
Their attitudes were somewhat hostile,
but when another customer
left that store, not by a till,
but by that exit
that alarm went off again
and then they realized
that they had a problem
with their security system
and not with me.
I received no apology,
had a crowd of other people looking on
while they treated me with indignity.
poem by Gert Strydom
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The curate had the grace to blush
The young curate grew quite harassed
discussing sexuality.
Because he was so embarrased
Although he tried quite doggedly.
When questioned on conjugal rights.
By a young lady to be wed
He tried to be so definite
of duties which pertained to bed.
He stated blithely that a man
had appetites he must fulfil
What rights she asked, had the woman?
The question was beyond his skill.
He only knew what he’d been taught.
Naïve and inexperienced
He did not have a stock retort
and what he said made little sense.
He thought he’d better call a halt.
Refer the lady to the priest
and readily admit his fault.
It did not matter in the least.
The priest could only say the same
relying on the churches rule
He too had never played the game
which left him looking like a fool
The question was legitimate
Why should only men have rights
and women submit to their mate.
She rightly thought would lead to fights.
Neither of them could satisfy
the lady’s curiosity
and she was left to wonder why.
The church favoured celibacy.
You can’t advise if you don’t know
the subject you are asked about.
Which to the lady served to show
the churches failings without doubt.
poem by Ivor Or Ivor.e Hogg
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Property has its duties as well as its rights.
quote by Thomas Brummond
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Where there are no rights, there are no duties.
quote by Henri Benjamin Constant De Rebecque
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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To marry is to halve your rights and double your duties.
The modern state no longer has anything but rights; it does not recognize duties any more.
quote by Georges Bernanos
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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People tend to forget their duties but remember their rights.
quote by Indira Gandhi
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Racism Poem - Where Racism matters
i live in a country
multi racial in nature
where certain communities
enjoy special rights
the politicians keep asking
why there is racial polarisation
well, if i have special rights
i will make sure i really
get the best deal of it all
i will not be a stupid fool
or even modest
no two way about it
that includes telling others
to be aware that they do
not have special rights
drawing the line doubly clear
just in case they
infringe on these rights
rights to everything special
housing, education,
medication, career advances
etc, etc, etc
and of course
i would make
every citizen aware
they are living in a society
where racism matters
because it is a matter
of life and death
for those with special rights
and of course for those
without the rights to
keep decently quiet about it
or else these special rights
could mean the rights
to take away things
dearest to them
poem by John Tiong Chunghoo
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Way Of Life
Ive been away from home
Was outta sight
No other change has come
Who let the boredom in
We got our rockin rights
Well overcome
The mirror never lies
Well show em how its done
We always dress in black
To be unkind
We always dress in black
With you in mind
Its the way of life we live - you know where we are coming from
Its the way of life we live in - and were not wrong
cause its the way of life we live - you know where we are coming from
Its the way of life we live in - we are the strong
We never will deceive
Take no double-talk
And all the fat cats bull
Dont like the way we walk
They spit behind our backs
Unwelcomed class
But its way down deep
They wanna be like us
We always dress in black, ...
Its the way of life we live, ...
Time is ticking by
For you life is such a lie
You clipped your wings to fly
You could have had it all - but!
Work nine to five
Finish fifty-five
Only born to die
You ever been alive?
We always dress in black, ...
Its the way of life we live, ...
song performed by by U. D. O.
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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In our monogamous part of the world, to marry means to halve one's rights and double one's duties.
quote by Arthur Schopenhauer
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Equal Rights,2011
equal rights to live,
equal rights to love.
equal rights to believe,
to speak out, to stand up
and be counted.
equal rights to work,
equal rights to study.
equal rights to build.
equal rights to profess faith,
equal rights to pray.
equal rights to give...
equal rights to live,
equal rights to love!
poem by Eric Cockrell
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There has been in recent years excessive emphasis on a citizen's rights and inadequate stress put upon his duties and responsibilities.
quote by Paxton Blair
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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That Strength to Fight For Others Rights
Something inside me has gone.
When someone misuses my friendship.
To believe my integrity can be dismissed.
Something inside me has gone.
Something inside me has gone.
When a respect I have for others,
Isn't given back to me.
Something inside me has gone.
Something inside me has gone.
When I opened my idealisitic eyes to see,
A reality that discourages and supresses identities.
And I come into contact with people,
Afraid to say exactly what in their hearts...
They truly believe.
Something inside me has gone.
That strength to fight for others rights,
Inside me...
Is not,
As strong.
Something that was there and felt...
Now has left.
And it feels wrong!
Something I once cherished,
Now does not quite belong.
Something there so naturally...
From me to give has gone.
poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar
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Beware of rights and duties
Beware of rights and duties.
You have every right
To fly in sky.
You have to land
And it is your duty
Not to destroy the land.
poem by Gajanan Mishra
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Tickin Away
The clock above the bar
Is telling me its 12:15
And its not such a gentle reminder
That Im where I shouldnt be
I just keep waiting for something to happen
Waiting for somebody to come walking in
Somebody as perfect as you were
So I can try it again
(but) chances are so hard to come by
And the second one is impossible to find
The clock keep running
And the odds keep getting higher
That its all just a fantasy of mine
But I shouldnt be thinking about it
I shouldnt be worried about it
Its just a clock on the wall
But its ticking away
Its ticking away
Its ticking away
Its ticking away
I suppose I should cut all my losses
Go home with a six-pack of beer
There aint nobody in the world like you baby
If there was, she wouldnt be coming in here
But I shouldnt be thinking about it
I shouldnt be worried about it
Its just a clock on the wall
But its ticking away
Its ticking away
Its just a clock on the wall
But its ticking away
Yeah, its ticking away
Its ticking away
Its just a clock on the wall
But its ticking away
I suppose I should cut all my losses
Go home with a six-pack of beer
song performed by by Tim McGraw
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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