Republicans, Democrats, Independents -- What are our rights?

[Bootney Lee Farnsworth]

Do we have the right to be free of the coercive harm of others?

The right to do anything that does not coercively harm others?

The right to equal legal treatment for equal acts?

The right to the wealth or income of other persons?

The right to the involuntary work or action of other persons?

The right to enter into agreements and contracts, and to have those contracts enforced?

The right to vote?

The right to ingest whatever substances we choose?

The right to freely travel?

Privacy?

Speech?

Freedom of religion and/or the freedom from religion?

The right to defend or protect one's self from violence or theft, and the means to do so?



What have I left out?

Do we get these rights because a government says we get them?


What is the purpose of government?


It seems like all sides are willing to fuck each other over and hijack their rights in an effort to "win" but what the fuck are you winning? What is the point? What is it that you really want?

 

[SeaGal]

You forgot -

You have the right to remain silent.
You have the right to have a lawyer present during any questioning.

The purpose and role of government has never been expressed better than this:

'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.'

The framers knew we would not agree on everything. They knew different areas of the country would have different interests...and crafted the Constitution accordingly so each would have a voice, and basic rights would be enumerated.

I don't know if you are looking for specific answers for your very long list - but I'm getting that the endless squabbling over who is right and who is wrong is frustrating. I think the nastiest of the squabbling is unique to the online community, in which there is little accountability. No where near as prevalent in the general populace.

Robust debate, opposite points of view - none of that bothers me. I can lay right down next to the most egregious, obnoxious, ridiculous invectives and take a nap. The trend that does disturb me - hearing those same invectives hurled toward the citizenry by our elected officials. They appear to have forgotten that they serve at the pleasure of the people - they are the group that is the bigger threat, imho.

This is a trend going back to the impeachment of Clinton, in my memory at least. I didn't hear it much from Bush, but Obama indulged in it, without complaint from his supporters...Hillary certainly did, without complaint from her supporters...several US Rep have, Reid did, and Trump is accused of such also...without complaint from his supporters.

This forum is basically a fictional place - a playground. So I play with those who look like fun, and avoid those who don't.