Rights or privileges?
Although we have made up things like human rights, are they really rights?
A "Right" implies that it cannot be taken away.
A "Privilege" is something that is given to a very specific group of people but can be revoked if a person does not behave or adhere to the laws and regulations of their workplace, city, country, etc.
So when we say that people have the same "Human rights" as the rest of us, doesn't that really mean that we assume that everyone deserves privileges just for being alive, regardless whether they follow the laws and regulations?
What right does a person have to food, water and shelter if they are stranded on a deserted island? There are no unalienable human rights, just "privileges" that we have for a brief moment and confuse with "rights"
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6 comments
Feel free to reply to any comment by clicking the "Reply" button.Here in America we have the 2nd amendment which gives us the right to bear arms. It disturbs me that the liberals have made every attempt to strip us of those rights with their appointment of liberal judges on the US Supreme Court. They have been unsuccessful thought especially with Trump appointing Gorsush to the Supreme Court. Had Clinton been elected it’s likely the second amendment would have been overturned as there were already 4 judges on the bench that believed the second amendment did not apply to private citizens. As it stands now I can legally carry a loaded firearm in 38 states and if concealed carry reciprocity passes I will be able to carry in all 50.
Trajan61
Level 8
Jan 21, 2018
1
I'm never really sure of the second amendment , I believed that the right to bear arms was in time of turmoil, Am I wrong ? Another thing that worries me slightly is that this amendment was introduced when it was muskets , not semi automatic weapons . Surely re- loading a musket or flintlock pistol would give you time to calm down ?
@Marclveson Actually here in the states you have a right to defend your home or family with a gun. In Oklahoma where I live if someone breaks into your home you have every right to shoot the intruder whether they are armed or not. I read about a homeowner in England who shot a robber who had broken into his home and was in more trouble than the robber who was only wounded. That doesn’t seem right at all to me. A appreciate having laws that allow you to defend yourself and your family.
Actually 'liberals' have never suggest taking guns away from anyone and have only spoken about guns laws that make sense like making it more difficult for some people to get access to weapons. Background checks, licensing, training are things that Republicans are far too afraid to discuss in fear of their NRA overlords.
Every living form brought into existence has a right to a chance of survival. If not cared for, nurtured, and protected then predators can damage and/or destroy the life.
As a society, we have created rights and privileges with the formation of a government to provide and protect. We have not found a way to absolutely prevent corruption.
Betty
Level 8
Jan 21, 2018
1
If every life brought into existence had a right to a chance of survival then the dinosaurs, the dodo, the Neanderthals, etc would still exist.
No life has the right to the chance of survival. Only specific life forms have the privilege to stay alive as a result of their genetic superiority and evolutionary traits.
I agree with you on your 2nd point.
fair enough
@Lancer A chance do not means an absolute... You may had a chance to get laid tonight but does not means is going to happen... dinos had their chance. what ever probability percentage was and nature rolled the dice and didn't worked out... humans will face the same dice roll in a 10,000 years from now and may not make it but that do not negate the "chance".
My hero to the rescue. 
No one can live in Vegas and not understand "chance". 
@Betty What will a hero be without a damsel in distress?
The ladies here have nothing to worry about with you around. 
@Betty Now I am blushing!!!!
A little cool water will take care of that. 
I could not vote given the two choices. I believe we have both rights and privileges. The USA begins its enumeration of unalienable rights in the Declaration of Independence. Constitutional rights are enumerated in the first ten amendments to the US Constitution and other later amendments. These are rights a government accords to its citizens and others resident within its jurisdiction. Privileges may extend from social rank, institutional direction, and governmental decree. In the US driving a car is a privilege granted through obtaining a driver's license. It may be taken away often for reasons of misconduct. Rights are not so easy to remove. Constitutional rights may be legislated away. Unalienable rights may not. The unalienable right to life may include rights to food, water air and shelter to the extent that they necessary to support life.
Dwight
Level 7
Jan 21, 2018
0
I somewhat agree but if food, water, air and shelter are rights then why must we pay for them? Food must be bought, water must be paid for and clothes must be purchased. Only those with money have access to those rights otherwise the people without money must live off of generosity and charity.
So these rights can be taken away from people with nothing.
Fair enough
Unfortunately those privileges get abused in the legal system. If a victim is put on a witness stand their character is assassinated this seems to get sluffed off. If a law enforcement agent has to result to violence they are tried in the media by public opinion. If a criminal commits a heinous crime and it can be proven without a shadow of a doubt that person is housed fed at the taxpayers expense because they have privileges.
azzow2
Level 9
Jan 21, 2018
1
I think the Declaration of Independence states it a well as any: 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.
jlynn37
Level 8
Jan 21, 2018
0
The deceleration, like any document is just a piece of paper with words written in it. Nobody is created equal, we all have different evolutionary and genetic traits which are either beneficial or detrimental. Life can be taken, liberty can be oppressed and happiness can be replaced with sadness. Life only affords these privileges to certain people.
Ask the 200 Nigerian school girls that everyone forgot about, how blessed they are by the creator. I'm sure they would disagree if they were still alive.
Your opinion is noted.
I'm not trying to tell you how to think or what to believe. I just wanted to present a counter thesis to promote constructive conversation.
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