As Americans, we must protect human rights both at home and abroad—the right to live freely without the threat of violence or repression, the right to live with dignity and respect. Throughout our history, our international standing has rested in part on our democratic values and our commitment to human rights. Everywhere I travel, the call is clear: the world needs America to lead. We must work towards a sustainable foreign policy that reflects American values.

Around the world, violence and human rights violations continue without a peaceful resolution. For many people in the developing world, extreme poverty and the spread of infectious diseases also fuel a ‘fury of despair’ that devastates families and creates instability. It is our moral duty to protect and defend those fighting to live in a healthy, democratic society.

Our values demand that the United States stand as a fierce advocate for human rights in the face of oppression wherever we find it.  We must work to advance abroad the rights that we cherish so deeply here at home: freedom of expression, assembly, and religion; respect for the rule of law; and freedom from political persecution. The world calls for our bold leadership, and we can never stop working to build a brighter future. In doing so, we can help make countries plagued by conflict and repression better places to live, and better partners in creating a safer world. Always remembering that, while the arc of history does indeed bend towards justice, it will not bend on its own.