Cultural Relativism Vs Universal Children's Rights.
Even though most moral codes are linked to cultural & society, does not mean we have to accept cultural relativism when it comes to child abuse in any form.
We cannot deny that cultural differences are real and are important in analyzing and judging cases, but cultural relativism taken to the negative extreme can be hurtful, cruel and violating to the universal laws of children's rights. .
I. Cultural relativism says that good and bad are related to culture. What is "good" is what is "socially approved" in a culture and society. What is "normal- is what is shown to us in society, be it good or bad to others of another society. For example an Indian man may think that the color white is a sign of death and a widow would have to wear that after her husband is deceased, while in other cultures, white is the color of a brides dress.
Cultural relativists see other cultures, not as "wrong," but as "different." I believe that cultural relativists believe in "live and let live", but yet human nature is to judge and compare. Therefore it is important to have a universal law that defines right from wrong. In some countries, we cannot control the social behaviors. In certain cases, we, the other society has to let the certain culture survive as long as it does not affect other cultures in extreme. .
Universal Children rights, this is the one unbiased true and valid code that applies to every nation around the world. There are some cultures ignorant to the fact. This is argued by some. Alison Renteln argues that there cannot be one universal law, but that there has to be "cross cultural universals- bridging the positive cultures together. The challenge before the human rights movement is to involve methods where the positive cultures points are inter-tied with human rights norms. This is especially the case in countries with mixed cultures, as in the United States.
