All Rights Come from the Government
Have you noticed?
Every time the government adopts a new program or policy benefitting somebodies, it never sunsets. Funding is infinitum. As a matter of fact, ofttimes it becomes a ‘right.’ Not funding it would not be possible in the current mindset of many – especially politicians.
Couple that mentality with all the things our government involves itself in and we have the kind of thinking that the title of this piece represents.
What I mean is many people have been lulled into thinking all rights come from the government. It can ‘giveth’ and it can ‘taketh’ away.
Nothing could be farther from the truth.
Our Founding Fathers spent a lot of time on the subject of rights. Starting with the Declaration of Independence.
While listing 27 grievances against the British government in the body of that ‘Declaration,’ Jefferson and others in writing the Preamble stated:
- “We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness—-That to secure these Rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just Powers from the Consent of the Governed, that whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these Ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its Foundation on such Principles, and organizing its Powers in such Form, as to them shall seem most likely to affect their Safety and Happiness.”
Alexander Hamilton, one of the founding fathers who helped pen the Constitution and its first 10 amendments, wrote about human rights – aka, inalienable rights. He explained that rights are those things that precede all governments and are basic human rights.
John Adams wrote: “People have rights antecedent to all earthly governments—rights that cannot be repealed or restrained by human laws, rights derived from the Great Legislator of the Universe.”
That Bill of Rights outlines the rights citizens should expect their government to protect and defend. While those first ten amendments were adopted after the Constitution, they formed the basis for the whole enterprise in outlining the organization of our government, the powers and limitations of each branch, and the checks and balances it delineates.
Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person without distinction of any kind, such as race, color, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status.
Our Bill of Rights is written with those basic human rights considered inherent, God-given if you will, to each human being and to each citizen of the United States of America.
In summary here are those rights not considered inherent:
- Freedom to express yourself.
- Freedom to worship as you wish.
- Right to keep and bear arms.
- Right to peacefully assemble
- Right to a prompt, fair trial by jury.
- Right to vote in elections for public officials.
Having those rights and basic human rights guaranteed by the government, our Constitution assumes the following responsibilities of each citizen to:
- Support and defend the Constitution.
- Informed participation in the democratic process.
- Respect and obey federal, state, and local laws.
- Respect the rights, beliefs, and opinions of others.
- Serve on a jury when called upon.
- Defend the country if the need should arise.
Further, it assumes in guaranteeing those rights, the individual is free to, and responsible for, fending for themselves. We are free to work and learn. We are guaranteed neither because those are not rights.
As citizens of the US we do not have “rights” beyond those assumed as God-given and as outlined.
For example, we do not have a right to an abortion, to healthcare, to food, clothing or shelter, to TV or the internet, to transportation or to any government program/spending.
And while immigrants are considered to have been endowed with the same human rights as all individuals do, they have no right to emigrate outside our Constitution and laws. That’s why those walking across the border and gaining entry are considered illegal.
Children/minors or their parents do not have the right to mutilate their genitals.
That’s not to say the government can’t do those legal things for which we do not have a right. But in doing any of those things does not make them a right.
Our rights are outlined and guaranteed by our Constitution. Period.
The most important thing to remember is that government at any level can’t create rights nor can it deny or negate them.
In the United States a properly functioning government is about protecting the rights of individual citizens, not creating them.
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Have a great and prosperous week.
Hug somebody.
References:
https://mspolicy.org/government-exists-to-protect-rights-not-to-create-them/
https://declaration.fas.harvard.edu/resources/text
https://www.un.org/en/about-us/universal-declaration-of-human-rights
SPIDER Bites
The trivia question of the week: What alcoholic drink derives its flavor mainly from juniper berries? Last week’s answer to color of blood in the body: Red. (Did it get you thinking?)
Our county has rezoned some 32 acres near a planned, new I-75 interchange for a new Buc-ees, including a 120-pump gas station and a large travel center (convenience store). The company has many locations in TX, others in several southern states. This will be its third in FL.
A big gator surged out of the water last week at Ft. Pierce and dragged an elderly woman, walking her dog, back into the water and killed her. The gator was trapped and killed shortly after. Sad story, but swift justice.
President Biden took the occasion of visiting Ukraine’s Kiev and visit with President Zelensky last Monday to announce another $500M in aid to the war-torn country. President Putin took that occasion to pull out of the scheduled nuclear arms treaty negotiations before they started on Tuesday. China announced it will begin providing arms support to Russia. President Biden said the world is closer to “Armageddon” than at any time since the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis. Thank you. Is that the end game – nuclear war?
In his 1984 SOTU address, Ronald Reagan stated the obvious: “There is only one sane policy…to preserve our civilization in this modern age: A nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought.” Amen!
Credit card debt reached a record in the 4th quarter last year – $986B. 6% of card holders were at least 30 days delinquent on making payments, 4% were more than 60 days delinquent. Meanwhile, President Biden’s extended student loan payment hiatus is set to restart later this year, and his forgiveness program is dependent on how the Supreme Court rules later this month. An additional estimated $400B is at stake for taxpayers and the runaway national debt. More inflation, anyone? The Fed is already failing to substantially reduce it despite a record 7 rate increases in 11 months – with more to come. We’re likely headed for a deep recession. BTW, would we ever consider forgiving, then paying credit card debt for other people?
This administration has now turned to Venezuela for increased oil imports, ignoring a potential, commensurate increase in domestic oil production. Our President has openly criticized domestic producers for making a profit. It may make sense to you, but it makes none to me.
FL Governor DeSantis visited NYC, Chicago and Philadelphia last week, criticizing those woke city leaders for their stances on de-funding their police, prosecutors who don’t/won’t bring charges against criminals, being hypocritical being a sanctuary city and then not welcoming illegal immigrants, teaching young students race and gender biases, and generally buying into the ‘woke’ agenda. Most of us in FL hope he doesn’t run for president in 2024 because he was reelected in November by a landslide.
The people of East Palestine, OH continue to suffer through a train derailment and the subsequent decision to burn the toxic chemicals being transported. Their health and safety would seem unimportant to our government’s powers that be. I thought pollution was a major environmental concern.
As the number of offshore oil and gas leases granted under the Biden administration has shrunk to historic lows comes the announcement last week of the government’s first-ever offshore “wind lease sale” in the Gulf of Mexico. Previous wind leases have been granted off the shores on NY and CA. These new leases will be granted off the shores of TX and LA. Again, environmental impact is not part of granting a wind lease as compared to those for oil and gas.
The Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum expelled students for wearing pro-life hats several weeks ago. The museum now calls it a mistake and that future visitor’s access will not be denied based on messages on their clothing.
