"What Man Has Made of Man"

My own involvement with Human Rights began in the late 1980's while still in college. Reagan was still President, Greed was good, and it seemed we were heading down the path of global destruction. I was just starting to get some of my poetry published here and there and looking outward to the larger world. Around this time, Poets & Writers Magazine started a non-profit organization called The Literary Network, which was supposed to be dedicated to protecting the First Amendment. I say "supposed to" because the outfit soon went off on a tangent and began lobbying for the National Endowment of the Arts. My disgust at this change in direction moved me to part ways with the organization. However, before that happened, I had the opportunity to read a story in their newsletter about a young Cuban poet who had been jailed for writing a poem critical of Castro's rule. This offended me as a human being, a writer, and as an American who'd been brought up to believe (in theory) that human beings were entitled by virtue of their humanity to live as free beings on this planet. Eventually, I joined Amnesty International and lived in hope that one day mankind would wake the hell up.

Not much has changed since then. Now we live under the dubious umbrella of "compassionate conservatism" - and George W. is our leader (?). The Middle East situation is as bad (if not worse), as it has ever been. Rogue governments practice genocide as if it were an Olympic sport. Still, there is no real peace in the world. Crimes of war and hatred are still perpetrated against citizens of humanity both by governments and individuals. I no longer cling to the hope of a peaceful world free of hatred, totalitarian politics and the pathological disrespect mankind demonstrates for itself and its environment. At the same time, I also cling to the belief that it can't hurt to try.

Admittedly, the "human rights issue" of The Labyrinth is a small gesture and won't accomplish anything. Yet, it is my hope that the poems contained herein will strike a chord of outrage and inspire you, dear reader, to further investigate on your own, the issues touched upon here.

- John C. Erianne, January 27^th 2000