Rights Vs. Privileges
There are essentially two "camps" on the issue of freedom. In one camp we have
those who believe that government exists to provide people with freedom, based
on the assumption that the ultimate authority lies in an area transcendent from
humankind itself. Then, opposite them are those who believe that government
grants "rights" which really, by definition are privileges
since they are
bestowed and revoked by other groups of humans. The latter groups must believe
in and practice slavery,
although individuals in this group will generally have to convince themselves
through some psychological "gymnastics" that they are not perpetrating that
particular crime.
Rights are bestowed by a
creator. This doesn't mean your parents, nor does it mean the state.
Privileges are NOT rights! They are bestowed by other humans - under their
rules. What that means is that you grant THEM fealty, the fidelity sworn by a
vassal to his feudal lord. I.e., you agree to play by their rules or even on
their behalf. In essence, this is an "owner/owned" contract between people.
Accepting privilege means you grant ownership of your behavior to another human
being. Government grants privileges. Therefore, government can take them away.
The problem is that government is confusing rights with privileges. It doesn't
see the distinction. So, your right to breath may well be confused with a
privilege that the government may choose to revoke, like it did for the
Branch
Davidians and Randy Weaver's family.
In our view, only a creator can bestow or revoke a right - no matter what name
you assign that creator. The job of government is to ensure that no human usurps
the creator's power to bestow or revoke a right.* That means that the job of
government is to protect individual rights: It has no power to grant or revoke
rights and is clearly prohibited from doing so in the United States Bill of
Rights. The Constitution clearly defines what powers the
Government DOES
have, and it is clear that the government may not interfere in inalienable
(Absolute/Natural) rights.
End of story. No further discussion.
The only legitimate question at this point is, "Why is it important that I
understand the difference between rights and privileges?", to which I'll answer:
It's important for you to know the difference between rights and privileges so
that you know when someone is trying to deny you your rights. Believe me, there
are plenty of people out there who would prefer that you DO NOT know the
difference between rights and privileges because if you understand rights, they
cannot enslave you.
"The sacred rights of mankind are not to be rummaged for, among old
parchments, or by the hand of the divinity itself: and can never be erased or
obscured by mortal power." They are written, as with a sun beam in the whole
volume of human nature, -- Alexander Hamilton, 1775
"The rights of man come not from the generosity of the state but from the
hand of God." -- John F. Kennedy
*Even our Bill of Rights only acknowledges rights, it does not grant them. It
just makes clear to present and future governments that the foundations of this
country were built on the assumption that we, as individuals all possess
inalienable rights beyond the powers of government.
Judicial Activism - undermining Constitutional Rule of Law and denying your
rights - Ninth
Circuit Court Disconnect from Natural Law
What you can do
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