Hey, I Know My Rights
Do you? Do you know your rights? What are they?
Our constitution says we have a Bill of Rights. Where did those come from?
Is it possible that those first 10 amendments to our constitution were expressly written that way because one or more of the founders had those rights taken from them?
I don’t think many of us are worried about housing soldiers in our homes but that was a concern in the 1700s. So there is an amendment that covers that.
Freedom From Government
The purpose of the constitution is to protect the citizen from abuses by government. How’s that working out for you?
The government of the city of New York tried to prohibit people from drinking 24-ounce sugary soft drinks. Don’t I have a right to drink as many Cokes or Pepsis, as I want, of any size I want?
Freedom of religion says that I can follow any faith I choose. That right was there before the constitution was written but the founders thought it was worth putting down in writing.
Freedom from religion says that the federal government will not establish a church and force me to attend.
As long as I don’t force my beliefs on you, what business is it of yours what I do?
The same idea covers the “right” to bear arms.
The founders understood that any government big enough to give you everything you want would also be big enough to take everything you have.
The founders knew that without citizens being armed government could enslave them as many governments around the world were doing during that time.
What Does It Mean That I Have Rights?
Rights come in all shapes and sizes. It’s not a one size fits all situation. California is rationing water because of a serious drought. Other areas of the country have no such restriction.
So people in California have been deprived of the right to use water as they see fit.
Let’s expand that. Do I have a “right” to an education? Do I have a “right” to healthcare?
If I do have rights to those things then who is obligated to supply those “rights” to me? My right must be provided at the expense of someone else.
Some Final Thoughts
In the United States you can do pretty much anything you want as long as you don’t injure, violate, or restrict the equal rights of someone else.
The right for me to swing my fist ends right before your nose.
You have the right to remain silent … Some of you might have heard that right read to you one or more times.
So do you understand your rights as I have written them for you?
Comments below