I don't know if I should blame this on the lousy education that most kids get in government schools or on politicians who depend upon more and more people to be hooked to the government IV or simply on the natural disintegration of "civilized" societies. Regardless of the cause, though, most Americans have no clue when it comes to the subject of rights.
For example, when a hurricane hits a city, the victims act like they have a "right" to have the government; local, state and Federal, provide them with food, shelter, income, and use taxpayer funds to build back the damaged city. I suspect that a substantial number of those reading this would agree. If so, then you don't know what a "right" even is.
You hear politicians proclaiming that Americans have a "right" to affordable healthcare, a living wage, or suitable housing. Childlike Americans believe the politicians and begin expecting the government (in reality, the productive, taxpaying members of society) to provide those things.
In truth, you don't have a "right" to any of those things. For that matter, you don't even have a "right" to have safe streets. You see, the entire concept of rights comes from the idea of self ownership. The philosopher, John Locke, described it as "property in one's person". In essence, pure liberty simply means, as Johnny and Donnie Van Zant sing, "...ain't nobody gonna tell me what to do..."
That, my friends, is the extent of rights. You have the right to control your own body and your own property as long as you do not actively harm someone else. Now, man being a social animal, we consent to give up certain rights in order to coexist with others in our group.
For example, I would have the right to drive as fast as I want on the highway, but that puts other motorists at risk, so, we, as a society, through our representatives, have chosen to give up that right. THAT is the key. We must always remember that when we give government more authority to control behavior or intervene in a situation, we are giving up our rights. That is true regardless of what the intervention is.
Government is incapable of granting the people new rights. Government can take rights away and it can recognize the rights that are our birthright. Take healthcare as an example. Treatment by a physician is a service. This service is provided by someone who chose to engage in the training necessary to become competent to do that service. By the same token, repairing your television is a service. That service is provided by someone who chose to engage in the training necessary to become competent to perform that service.
Now no one in their right mind would suggest that I had a right to have the government force my television repairman to perform that service without compensation. Nor would anyone suggest that government should pay for that service to make my life easier.
The television repairman has a RIGHT to charge whatever he wants to perform his service. We, as consumers, have the right to refuse to pay his price. We might not get our TV repaired, but, hey, we don't have the right to have a repaired TV.
Guess what? You don't have a right to have the government force your doctor to work for free. You don't have the right to have the government pay your doctor's bill for you.
The bottom line is that if something depends upon an affirmative action by someone else on your behalf, then it isn't a right. So the next time you hear someone screaming, "It's my right!", don't be so sure about that.
