Resolved: The United States ought to submit to an international court designed to prosecute CAH

All men are by nature equal, made all of the same Earth by one Workman; and however we deceive ourselves, as dear unto God is the poor peasant as the mighty prince." Because I agree with this quote by Plato I must affirm today's resolution. I offer the following definitions for today's debate: ought- should but not necessarily will; implies moral obligation. submit- to yield to the will of another. jurisdiction- power of the court to decide a matter in controversy and presupposes the existence of a duly constituted court with control over the subject matter and parties. international court- a court extending or transcending international boundaries. prosecute- a judicial process formally finding a defendant guilty or not guilty. crimes against humanity- according to the statute of Rome, any of the following acts when committed as part of a widespread and systematic attack on any population of persons with knowledge of the attack: extermination, enslavement, severe deprivation of physical liberties, torture, forced prostitution, forced sterilization, persecution against political, racial, national, ethnic, cultural, or religious groups and other inhumane acts intentionally causing great harm or injury to body or mind. my value for today's debate is justice. justice can be defined as fairness or moral rightness. moral rightness can be defined as conforming to a standard of right behavior. my value criterion for today's debate is upholding individual rights. we all are born with certain unalienable rights that cannot be violated or taken away regardless of the situation or circumstance. contention I- ALL HUMANS ARE BORN WITH CERTAIN UNALIENABLE RIGHTS. according to john Locke, man is born with three natural rights: life, liberty, and property. Locke states these rights remain with us until death. in addition, the united nation's declaration on human rights states: "whereas recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal an inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice, and peace in the world, whereas disregard and contempt for human rights have resulted in barbarous acts which have outraged the conscience of mankind, and the advent of a world in which human beings shall enjoy freedom of speech and belief and freedom from fear and want has been proclaimed as the highest aspiration of the common people." therefore, it is imperative that the united states submit to an international court designed to prosecute crimes against humanity not only to exact justice but to protect the rights of each individual. Contention II- PEOPLE ARE ENDS IN THEMSELVES AND SHOULD THEREFORE NEVER BE DENIED A CHANCE OR OPPORTUNITY IN LIFE. according to Kant, "because of their rational nature, people are ends in themselves and not just a means to an end." this means that due to our rational nature and ability to reason, humans are ends in themselves and their very lives should be upheld and valued. john David, professor of philosophy at the university of Florida, says, "human beings, because they alone are rational and capable of high moral achievement, have a dignity and worth of their own which it is wrong to transgress." if human life and worth are to be valued so highly and if crimes against humanity strip away these rights then why is the united states not already a part of an international court prosecuting crimes against humanity? by submitting we not only further validate our morals and just nature, we take a step towards exacting justice on those who commit such heinous acts. Contention III- THE BEST WAY TO REDUCE CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY, UPHOLD THE RIGHTS OF EACH INDIVIDUAL, AND EXACT JUSTICE IS TO JOIN AN INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL DESIGNED TO PROSECUTE CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY. justice is a huge priority in the united states, crimes against humanity are a great injustice, and the best way to achieve justice and protect the rights of each individual is to join an international court. by joining such a court we would be protecting the rights of each individual citizen and thereby ensuring that justice is maintained and served.