basic human decency

Most of us would call ourselves decent human beings.

Definition of decency

plural decencies

1 archaic

a : fitness

b : orderliness

2 a : the quality or state of being decent : propriety

b : conformity to standards of taste, propriety, or quality

3 : standard of propriety —usually used in plural

4 decencies plural : conditions or services considered essential for a proper standard of living

in the UK,  behaviour that is good, moral, and acceptable in society:

So being a decent human being is not exactly a concrete thing.  It is based on the society in which it occurs.

So, cannibalism, the ritualistic kind performed in a handful of places, most usually to honor the dead, is an act of basic human decency to those participants. (while we love our tales of starving people resorting to cannibalism or tribes killing and eating tourists, most cannibalism has involved ritualistic eating of either deceased loved ones or the hearts and livers of enemies from wars.  Vegetarian sounds pretty good right now).

In our current struggle with globalism, multiculturalism, and politics, many of us find ourselves somewhat at a loss to actually decide what is and isn't decent human behavior.

We have long considered killing, maiming, torturing, the people who we are at war with a necessary act.  We have not considered destroying their homes or their schools or their hospitals indecent.  They are the enemy.

But how are single individuals in distant lands that only want to continue to live their own lives and run their own countries our enemy?  Who made that decision.

Most of us would consider the golden rule to be a pretty good definition of decency--and a rule capable of making it across global boundaries--offending only those that think they have the right to treat others like pawns, like trash, and like rubes.
I'm pretty sure that those people are not decent.  

We are seeing a shift in what is considered decent.

"ME TOO" is bringing to light an acceptable practice in our society, of expecting women to put up with certain behaviors in order to get ahead, or at least stay employed.  The "acceptable" practices we label sexual harassment  has not been legal since the 1980's.  
So what made them continue to be "acceptable" for 35 years after the supreme court said they were wrong?

The same thing that made a charitable event in the UK invite only men and hire only young  hostesses to serve the men.  The same thing that made so many of those men think they had just been presented with a gift, the right to touch, fondle, demean and proposition those same young females--wealth, power, and a sense of entitlement.  Why do men get together and treat strange women like trash and playthings?

Do they treat their wives and daughters like that?

Why do our police officers treat the wealthy, and powerful with respect but the poor and struggling like trash?

Why do teachers expect more or less from some students than they would expect from their own children.

Who determines what is decent behavior.

Who determines who doesn't deserve to be treated with basic human decency.

Perhaps we all need to be reminded frequently, "treat others like you want to be treated".

All others.

Everyone.

No exceptions.