All men are created equal....

[ihopehefails]

This actually comes from the idea that a person owns their own thoughts and ability to reason and since they own those things exclusively it means that no other person can hijack them which means that the most basic part of us is unownable by another person.

This makes it impossible for one person to control another thus 'all men are created equal' simply because we all have the same right to reason out our existence as anyone else. This creates a natural state of equality between people but since this ability was somehow created by whatever force actually made it possible to reason it means that all men are created equal by that force. It can be God or Mother nature but the point is what makes us all equal is our exclusive right to our own thinking process. This was either given to us by God, if you believe in creationism, or by nature if you believe in other things but no matter what we are all created equal because of this.

This was the genius of Locke where he invented the idea of reason and tied it to a political philosophy.

BTW, have you notice how often the word 'reason' was used by the founder's documents. This is not a coincidence.

 

[Baruch Menachem]

I think the idea of inalienable also comes from English estate law. Your rights are pass from your fathers to your sons, and you are merely a steward. You can't give them up for short advantage, as they are not yours to sell, but only to pass on.

Of course, one of the interesting things about the constitution is that it bans this kind of property law (called entail) anywhere in the US.

 

[ihopehefails]

I think the idea of inalienable also comes from English estate law. Your rights are pass from your fathers to your sons, and you are merely a steward. You can't give them up for short advantage, as they are not yours to sell, but only to pass on.

Of course, one of the interesting things about the constitution is that it bans this kind of property law (called entail) anywhere in the US.

Yes. One can argue that your genes, the most basic part of you, determines who you are and no one has the right to interfere with that.

What is really sad is that we have to come up with such difficult arguments to assert a basic right of every person. I would think that a person with self-esteem would like to believe that they are created equal with everyone else but it appears that statist believe that people are equal and government are more equal than others.

 

[ihopehefails]

I can't believe this gets stuck in writing despite the fact that politics are strewn all over it.

 

[midcan5]

I can't believe this gets stuck in writing despite the fact that politics are strewn all over it.

Neither can I.

History has to be viewed in context, and while every generation goes back and revises history, the meaning of 'created equal' is easily understood when the entire statement is read and thought through. Privilege is always a source of trouble, people want to believe they too can be rich and famous, and they cling to that notion to keep from frustration and rebellion.

"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 effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security. — Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world."

 

[JW Frogen]

I thought the famous phrase “all men are created equal” was women’s code for “don’t be surprised, they are all assholes”?

 

[DH1390]

I thought the famous phrase “all men are created equal” was women’s code for “don’t be surprised, they are all assholes”?

So did I, but then again, perception is reality, I guess.

 

[ihopehefails]

I can't believe this gets stuck in writing despite the fact that politics are strewn all over it.

Neither can I.

History has to be viewed in context, and while every generation goes back and revises history, the meaning of 'created equal' is easily understood when the entire statement is read and thought through. Privilege is always a source of trouble, people want to believe they too can be rich and famous, and they cling to that notion to keep from frustration and rebellion.

"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 effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security. — Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world."

Their is only one kind of revision and that is accurate history. People can debate the accuracy of something but they can't decide what that accuracy is suppose to be.

 

[ihopehefails]

I think the idea of inalienable also comes from English estate law. Your rights are pass from your fathers to your sons, and you are merely a steward. You can't give them up for short advantage, as they are not yours to sell, but only to pass on.

Of course, one of the interesting things about the constitution is that it bans this kind of property law (called entail) anywhere in the US.

That is an interesting point because we do inherit certain property rights from our parents. When they hand over their estate we receive those property rights over that estate but we also inherit 'property rights' over our own person. Slavery is really assuming ownership of another person and assuming their rights which is nothing more than theft of that person's property. We inherit those same property rights from our parents over our own person which means we are all self-owned and can only pass on those rights when we choose to.

 

[JW Frogen]

It is interesting; when Jefferson pinched from Locke's inalienable rights he changed "life, liberty and property" to "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."

Jefferson believed there where higher reasons for living than just living fat.

But then he was a slave owning (and fucking) great land owner, so he knew property can not simply make one happy.

You have to have something else in you or be in something else.

Like booze or women.

 

[chenchenPeter]

NO,no people creat are not equal.....