Universal? Maybe I'm something of a ditz, but how on earth can someone even begin to consider human rights as universal? Two hundred years ago execution seemed the natural punishment for a whole array of crimes. Today, many believe that the death sentence should be eliminated altogether because execution is, in their opinion, a violation of human rights. The fact is, human rights are difined by the beliefs of the majority (or, in the less desireable instance, the more powerful minority). This isn't a bad thing as it means that most people are on the same page, and people need to be on the same page to keep civilization of its feet. Still, that doesn't mean that human rights are universal, or that they won't change at some point. It all depends on what the people think.