Text 28210, 86 rader
Skriven 2009-02-27 17:20:04 av Lee Lofaso (3:800/432.0)
  Kommentar till text 28148 av David Drummond (3:640/305)
Ärende: Rights
==============
Hello David,

>RB>The trouble with rights is that it's easy to give them up, but usuall
>RB>costs a great deal of effort (not to mention blood) to regain them.

>DD>There are no such things as inalienable rights,

>LL>As Thomas Jefferson so eloquently stated, inalienable rights are those
>LL>rights endowed upon us by our Creator.  Among those inalienable rights
>LL>are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

DD>That shows that Jefferson (a mere mortal after all) was wrong.

Jefferson was a very gifted writer, but he did not always practice
what he preached.  For example, he wrote that "all men are created
equal", yet owned slaves.

DD>1) Many people in USA are denied their life - even by the
DD>regime of the day in those states that support capital
DD>punishment;

The most vocal advocates of the death penalty are also the most
vocal opponents of abortion.  Kind of a contradiction in terms,
those pro-deathers being pro-lifers.  :)

DD>2) USA has more of its citizens per capita deprived of
DD>their liberty by the regime of the day than any other
DD>country;

With a disproportionate number of blacks, with far fewer whites.

DD>3) There are an awful lot of unhappy USA persons - as shown
DD>by the numbers of those above who do things that lead to
DD>their situation of life or liberty removal.

Sure, there are lots of disgruntled Republicans given their
candidate lost.  But there are far more happy USA persons -
as shown by their enthusiasm for our first African American
president.

>DD>just privileges granted by the regime of the day, and removable
>DD>as they see fit.

>LL>No government is God.  Government is a creation of man.  The purpose of
>LL>government is to protect the rights of man.  Not take those rights away

DD>The government grants/tolerates those "rights" - until it
DD>takes them away. Governments are there to run the country -
DD>how ever many rights must be trodden on to do that.

That is a difference in philosophy between the American system
and the British system.  Americans believe in a government consisting
of "we the people" - in effect putting it upon ourselves to protect
ourselves from ourselves.

DD>If some supreme being had granted the "rights" and intended
DD>them to be inalienable, surely that supreme being would do something
DD>to stop them (the "rights") being removed.

"We are endowed with...by our Creator" are the words Jefferson
used, meaning all persons regardless of who they are already have
those rights.  Any government that sought to take away those rights
would be an unjust government.  At least in a philosophical sense.

DD>God exists only in the imaginations of those who believe.

Either one believes in the existence of a god(s) or in the
nonexistence of a god(s).  Since it is impossible to prove the
existence or inexistence of a god(s), the best that man can do
is to come up with a theory of probability.

Jesus did not believe in God.
Satan did not believe in God.

Both of them KNEW.

Some say Jim Morrison of The Doors also knew.
But he ain't talking.

--Lee


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