No free vacation this year? Your human rights may have been violated (at least in Europe)

Finally, some common sense in this world.

If you're tired of your human rights being trampled on -- like not being able to take free vacations every year -- then you're in luck.  At least if you're over in Europe, anyway.

The Times of London is reporting that the European Union could declare tourism to be a basic human right, and if you can't afford to travel, then government should take care of the expense for you.

Under the pilot program, citizens living in Northern Europe will be encouraged to travel to Southern Europe and vice versa.

Not only do you get a free trip, but the program will help "promote a sense of pride in European culture and bridge the north-south divide in the continent and prop up resorts in their off-season."

When you think about it, it all makes sense.

"Why should someone from the Mediterranean not be able to travel to Edinburgh in summer for a breath of cool, fresh air; why should someone from Edinburgh not be able to travel to Greece in winter?” asked the spokesman for the the European Union commissioner responsible for the measure.

No kidding. Why should anyone have to pay out of their own pockets to take a vacation? Oh, the humanity.

Sure, there are some Negative Nancies out there. Predictably, from the doomsayers over at Fox News.

"That is what happens when government looks after you," Neil Cavuto writes. "It looks after 'all' of you and 'all' you do. Your 'stimulus' and now your 'suitcase.'

"And before you know it, your rights include everything from raising your fist in protest to your drink in delight," he adds.

And Fox's John Stossel gets all historical about it instead of thinking progressively.

"It’s amazing how watered-down the idea of 'rights' has become since Jefferson wrote about 'certain unalienable Rights… among these Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.' But at least the U.S. government isn’t giving away vacations yet," he writes.

Sadly, Stossel is probably right.

Although Dan Proft over at WLS radio might know something otherwise. After all, WLS is in Chicago. He might have a source. And if so, the president's on the case.

Writes Proft: "Obama administration officials are scrambling in the wake of the latest offering by the European Union in what has become a game of one-upmanship between the fertile imaginations of statists creating wonderful new 'rights' heretofore misunderstood as merely opportunities."

Good. Put me down for two tickets to the World Series and I prefer Jet Blue.

-- Jimmy Orr

Photo: The scene at Daytona Beach, Fla., during spring break in March. And just imagine how much happier they'd be if they knew tourism was a human right. Credit: Stephen M. Dowell / Orlando Sentinel

Why should it stop at vacations?  We think it is a basic human right to get Twitter alerts of each new Ticket item too. Just follow us at @latimestot. You can also join our Facebook FAN page here.

Comments

[Terry]

False dichotomy. The choice isn't between you and the government, it's between the government and the tyrannical corporations who decide how much vacation you should get and what your compensation for it should be. The Fox News guy are predictably parochial and anti-human.

[Bob]

What a flippant, stubborn and obstinate article. And to quote Fox News for the opposite perspective? You call this reporting?! By now American's are quickly waking up to all the basics rights that Europeans enjoy that we do not... like free health care, free university tuition, 30-40 days of paid vacation, paid maternity leave for mothers and fathers... we're beginning to see how the fat cat wall street bankers have run our American economy and our lives into the ground, while Europeans vote on the right to a vacation and all Jimmy Orr can manage to say is, "oh the humanity"?!? Jim, turn your comment around and direct it at your home countries system that's dragging us over the coals of unrestrained capitalism. You have a responsibility to report the truth.. not puppet the big business profit saving line.

[SUNNYRIA]

It's one of the Best human rights ever! Can you believe having to get a free trip to any country? This is such a good news for people who likes to travel and explore!

[Sleepy]

Hey Bob,
Where exactly is there free health care in Europe? And look how well all these benefits are working out for Greece.

[Clark Griswold]

Who are you people?
False dichotomy? Tyrannical corporations? Anti human? Basic rights Europeans enjoy that we do not? Good news for people who like to travel?
Please tell me I'm missing the sarcasm in your comments.
Would you like a Federal Department official to wipe your nose for you too, and coordinate your socks, and tuck you in at night?
What happened to self determination? What happened to making your own way? Who will pay for your "free" vacation, your "free" health care, your "free" tuition? Not you, obviously. Maybe you hadn't noticed, but the "coals of unrestrained capitalism" have facilitated the highest standard of living in the world. But, with a myopic, narcissistic electorate that you clearly exemplify, that will certainly change.

[Tom]

How dare any dispute everyone's basic rights to life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness, free disability insurance, free retirement insurance, free life insurance, education (preschool through med school), food, health insurance, health care, water, electricity, shelter, transportation, roads, sidewalks, parks, trash pickup, vacations, cell phones, computers, internet, iPhone, iPads, televisions, digital to analog tv signal convertors, cable or satellite channels, dvd players, xbox 360, wii, PS3, football tickets, weddings, divorces, and most important, property that I earned by providing a service that someone values.

Sorry if I left any of the basic rights off the list. I would hate to be seen as inhuman.

[Lawson]

All I can say is that things are getting a bit out of control. Our generation has become the "Give Me" generation. : (

[Terry]

Tom, I hate to let facts get in the way of your cliched little diatribe, but America now has the 13th standard of living in America:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_Development_Index

Now, you may that your employer gets to dictate all of your rights, but I think Americans deserve better. I guess I just love America and her citizens more than you. Red, white, and blue, baby!

[Sydney]

This is CRAZY!! Do you people realize what you are saying?? We are absolutely who expects all the benefits with0ut doing any of the work. Shouldn't we EARN what we have? Is that really such a horrible thing? I think that giving people whatever they want would be infringing on their rights. They have the right to see what it actually takes to earn the money to go on vacation. Just because you can't afford to go to Disneyland or Boca every year doesn't mean your quality of life is any different than those who choose to stay home play a board game with their kids on Tuesday nights. Besides, the 'tyrannical corporations' don't ultimately choose the prices; we do. We do when we are willing to pay the sometimes outrageous prices they set. If you think it's too expensive then GO SOMEWHERE ELSE. Send them a message. Jeez.

[John Scotland]

I am all for a free trip to Europe but seriously how could this possibly be affordable, I mean Millions of people taking free vacation seems too good to be true!