RIghts versus Responsibilities
We hear often about folks "rights". A right to education, a right to food, a right to medical care. Perhaps it is time to look at what a right is and what comes with it.
First of all, you cannot have a "right" to something that belongs to someone else. Think about it. If my right to something takes it, or something else from you, my right cancels your right. That ain't right, is it? So if a right to something precludes taking it or something else from someone else, I would guess I do not have a "right" to food. Education is a cost to someone, so, I guess I cannot have a right to that either.
Hmmm.
Let us explore this a bit. Our Constitution guarantees us a few rights. Let us see what some of them are.
First: A right to free speech. Look at this a minute. I can talk all I want and not hinder your ability to talk. I can write all I want and not hinder your right or ability to write all you want. But, here is a kicker. If I, in my talking, lie about you and cause you damage, I can be held liable. What? Liable? Yes, liable. I do not have the right to falsely accuse you.
Second: A right to keep and bear arms. I can buy and keep one hundred guns at my home and not hinder your right to keep and bear arms. A thousand, ten thousand. But, and it is a BIG BUT, I cannot take my guns and use them to rob you or "accidently" shoot your horse.
Have you noticed a theme here?
Both rights mentioned come with responsibilities. Yes folks, responsibilities. There is not a privelige or authority that does not come saddled with one or more responsibilities.
Look at a right as an authority. Authority must come with responsibility and vice versa. We have the right to freely assemble (supposedly), but we don't have the right to tear down private or public property.
Now, let us use logic on this little situation.
Say I have the right of self determination. I can do what I will with myself as long as I don't mess up someone else's situation. Sound good, right? Now, say I want to smoke, but being a bit of a deadbeat, I decide I need "free" medical care. OK, I lobby Congress and get "free" medical care. Life is good. Me and my fellow deadbeats have foisted upon a nation "free" medical care. Whoa! How are we going to pay for this? I know, lets put a little tax on everybody that works. That will do it. And, we must control costs and it seems that smoking might cause lung cancer. Damn, we will have to outlaw smoking. Now I have been prohibited from my self determination.
How did we get here?
When we cede our authority to another, whether it be another person or a government, we give up all rights related to that authority. the two are inextricably intertwined.
Social Security is a case in point: The American public decided to cede their responsibility for their own futures to the government. It was only a little money out of each check and it would provide a modicum of security for the future.
How did it work out? 14% of your pay is taken from you each paycheck and invested in nothing. 14% of your work time is taken, folks. Out of 2080 hours worked in a standard work year, 291.2 hours are taken. Now, Social security is broke. The only answer seen by government is to take more.
What if you had taken responsibility for your own future? What if you had put that money up and saved for the rainy days coming? You would be a lot better off. You could have bought disability insurance to cover the possibility of an early dibilitating injury. And think of the amount of money would be available for investment!
Think about it. Any time you give your resposibility to someone else, you give the right, or, authority, at the same time.
How much more of your life do you want to give away?
First of all, you cannot have a "right" to something that belongs to someone else. Think about it. If my right to something takes it, or something else from you, my right cancels your right. That ain't right, is it? So if a right to something precludes taking it or something else from someone else, I would guess I do not have a "right" to food. Education is a cost to someone, so, I guess I cannot have a right to that either.
Hmmm.
Let us explore this a bit. Our Constitution guarantees us a few rights. Let us see what some of them are.
First: A right to free speech. Look at this a minute. I can talk all I want and not hinder your ability to talk. I can write all I want and not hinder your right or ability to write all you want. But, here is a kicker. If I, in my talking, lie about you and cause you damage, I can be held liable. What? Liable? Yes, liable. I do not have the right to falsely accuse you.
Second: A right to keep and bear arms. I can buy and keep one hundred guns at my home and not hinder your right to keep and bear arms. A thousand, ten thousand. But, and it is a BIG BUT, I cannot take my guns and use them to rob you or "accidently" shoot your horse.
Have you noticed a theme here?
Both rights mentioned come with responsibilities. Yes folks, responsibilities. There is not a privelige or authority that does not come saddled with one or more responsibilities.
Look at a right as an authority. Authority must come with responsibility and vice versa. We have the right to freely assemble (supposedly), but we don't have the right to tear down private or public property.
Now, let us use logic on this little situation.
Say I have the right of self determination. I can do what I will with myself as long as I don't mess up someone else's situation. Sound good, right? Now, say I want to smoke, but being a bit of a deadbeat, I decide I need "free" medical care. OK, I lobby Congress and get "free" medical care. Life is good. Me and my fellow deadbeats have foisted upon a nation "free" medical care. Whoa! How are we going to pay for this? I know, lets put a little tax on everybody that works. That will do it. And, we must control costs and it seems that smoking might cause lung cancer. Damn, we will have to outlaw smoking. Now I have been prohibited from my self determination.
How did we get here?
When we cede our authority to another, whether it be another person or a government, we give up all rights related to that authority. the two are inextricably intertwined.
Social Security is a case in point: The American public decided to cede their responsibility for their own futures to the government. It was only a little money out of each check and it would provide a modicum of security for the future.
How did it work out? 14% of your pay is taken from you each paycheck and invested in nothing. 14% of your work time is taken, folks. Out of 2080 hours worked in a standard work year, 291.2 hours are taken. Now, Social security is broke. The only answer seen by government is to take more.
What if you had taken responsibility for your own future? What if you had put that money up and saved for the rainy days coming? You would be a lot better off. You could have bought disability insurance to cover the possibility of an early dibilitating injury. And think of the amount of money would be available for investment!
Think about it. Any time you give your resposibility to someone else, you give the right, or, authority, at the same time.
How much more of your life do you want to give away?
posted by nappy at 11:10 AM
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