What is a Right??

". . .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."

I hope all of you know where this quote came from so I don't have to reference it. Written by brave men standing up for what they believe. A challenge against the most powerful country in the world at the time. So what does it have to do with rights??

We talk about rights A LOT!! "I have the right to do this" "You don't have the right. . ." " (fill in blank) should be a right" But what is a right?

To make it simple, a right is freedom, some more important then others, to do, believe, or behave in some way. The right to free speech, freedom of religion, right to privacy, and right to bear arms are a few examples. In its most purest form, you have the right to do anything you want UNTIL it infringes on somebody else's rights. But we live in a society that doesn't believe in that so we pass laws restricting the rights of others. We give some people the right to marry, and take it away from others. We say it is immoral to pay for sex, but you can give it away for free. We say gambling is bad. . . well some kinds are. . . in some places. . . that their shouldn't be slots on every street corner. . . but scratcher tickets are ok. . . at every circle K. . . We say a certain firearm is OK to own, but this other one isn't. And now there is a big push that health care is a right, and that is correct, but not how they think.

Our government doesn't provide Rights. A Government can't Provide a Right. The Government doesn't hand out free books, give people free soap boxes, force people to go to church, or give every senior a free gun at high school graduation. Those examples all sound kind of funny in a scary way, don't they. Then why are so many people not just saying, but SCREAMING they have the right to FREE health care?? Yes, you have the right to health care, but you have to pay for it like everyone else. AND because it is a right, you have the option of NOT exercising that right too!! That is why the government can't provide a right. Because the second they tax everyone for it, you have lost your right NOT TO.

So be careful with your Rights!! Hold them close! Buy a controversial book, CD, or piece of art. Talk about politics, go to a church or choose not to, fight for the rights you hold dear AND the ones you don't too. Don't ever let those who would take your freedoms away do so without a fight!! Keep your gun clean and ammo dry. . .