A good friend (and former co-worker) has been posting on FB regarding the schism in American Politics.
Those who believe Rights are given to them by government, versus those who believe Rights are inherent, and only partially enumerated by government.
And the piling-on and discussion brought me back to the ubiquitous question – WHAT constitutes a Right?
There’s the Right to keep and bear arms
The Right to free speech, assembly and worship
Trial by jury
The Right NOT to self-incriminate.
Due process
The Right to legal representation
Speedy trial
No search without a warrant (I know, pretty funny! Given the NSA, FBI, DHS, Border Patrol, DUI checkpoints, etc.)
But, then, folks pile on…
The ‘Right’ to Drive?
The ‘Right’ to Health Care
The ‘Right’ to ‘Free’ College
The ‘Right’ to a base income from government
Gay rights
Women’s rights
Animal rights
The right to privacy
Ad infinitum, ad nauseaum…
Subscribing to a libertarian philosophy, I believe in self-ownership, and by extension, personal property. And the non-aggression principle. Neither persons (or corporate persons or governments) may deprive me of my self-ownership (life, liberty or property) without due process of law.
This includes my labor and the fruits of my labor (taxation is theft).
AND compelling me to support someone else involuntarily is also! (paying for anothers’ health care, college, income. Redistribution of wealth (socialism/Fabianism/communism) are methods by which this is achieved.
NOT compatible with our capitalistic constitutional Republic.
NOW, if I CHOOSE to help others voluntarily with the fruits of my labor, that’s a whole ‘nother thing! Then it becomes my choice.
What does this mean for the ‘right’ to drive? Well, if that person purchases fuel, which has road use taxes, I suppose.
What do you guys think?
To answer the last question first, THERE IS NO RIGHT TO DRIVE. Driving is a privilege, for which a driver must demonstrate a certain minimum proficiency for the safety of other drivers (not to mention pedestrians, small animals, etc). Regarding an earlier question about what we think, I believe you’re spot on. My small-L libertarian streak is stronger than ever. In other words, that government is best which charges us the least amount of blackmail to leave us alone.
Posted by Rev. Paul | January 12, 2017, 9:17 amThanks! I was trying to think of the best verbiage to respond to driving. You got it spot on.
The was a comment somewhere out there on the Internet (which, of course, I was unable to locate!) which said something to the affect of if your ‘right’ took away from others, it was not a right.
Someday, I will find it. 😆
Posted by guffaw1952 | January 12, 2017, 10:01 amThe folks that think rights come from the govt didn’t pay attention in school or had teachers who were fools.
Luckily I had a conservative, honest teacher who taught us that NONE of our rights come from the govt, they are granted by virtue of we being born human in the USA. The rights enumerated in the BOR are enumerated to specifically point out TO THE GOVT which ones are inviolable.
The “Free $h!+” crowd and their tax & spend benefactors want to add to the “list of rights” just to buy votes.
Posted by KM | January 12, 2017, 10:38 am“You have a right to health care, and you can keep your doctor.”
Yeah, right.
Posted by guffaw1952 | January 12, 2017, 11:19 pmYep, folks need to understand the difference between a right and a privilege. Rights are those enumerated in the Bill of Rights.
Posted by Old NFO | January 12, 2017, 3:46 pmThere are others. But, in my view, none that involve force against other citizens.
Posted by guffaw1952 | January 12, 2017, 5:13 pmCorrect; a right, exercised, doesn’t cost anyone else a thing.
Posted by Rev. Paul | January 12, 2017, 6:22 pmThank you.
Posted by guffaw1952 | January 12, 2017, 11:18 pmI think it was Heinlein (and likely others before him) that pointed out that Rights are the opposite of Freedoms.
IIRC, he stated something along the lines of “Your rights end at the tip of my nose”
Posted by Quizikle | January 12, 2017, 7:32 pmAMEN! Thank you! And great to hear from you. 😆
Posted by guffaw1952 | January 12, 2017, 7:34 pmAs the Rev said, rights don’t cost anything. You have the right to life, you have a right and some might say a duty, to defend your life. Therefore you have a right to posses and carry on your person arms that are suitable for self defense. This does not mean that the government must supply you with those arms. You also have the right to travel freely, at least within your own country. If the government creates conditions that prevent you traveling by foot or by bicycle or by horse etc. then the government has no right to constrain your movement by requiring that you buy a license to travel by other means. IMHO
Posted by Andrew Benghazi | January 13, 2017, 5:59 pmInteresting observations.
Posted by guffaw1952 | January 14, 2017, 10:33 pm