Posted on 04/25/2016 1:22:23 PM PDT by jazusamo
Last month, I celebrated the beginning of my 81st year of life. For nearly half that time, I have been writing a nationally syndicated column on many topics generating reader responses that go from supportive to quite ugly. So I thought a column making my vision, values and views explicit might settle some of the controversy.
My initial premise, when looking at all human issues, is that each of us owns himself. I am my private property, and you are your private property. If you agree with that premise, then certain human actions are moral and others immoral. The reason murder is immoral is that it violates private property. Similarly, rape and theft are immoral, for they, too, violate private property. Most Americans will agree that murder and rape violate people's property rights and are hence immoral. But there may not be so much agreement about theft. Let's look at it.
Theft is when a person's property is taken from him — through stealth, force, intimidation, threats or coercion — and given to another to whom it does not belong. If a person took your property — even to help another person who is in need — it would be called theft. Suppose three people agreed to that taking. Would it be deemed theft? What if 100,000 or several hundred million people agreed to do so? Would that be deemed theft? Another way to ask these questions is: Does a consensus establish morality?
(Excerpt) Read more at creators.com ...
We’ve become a nation of people endeavoring to live at the expense of others — in a word, a nation of thieves.
Welcome to Amerika
We need many more men like Walter Williams and many less metrosexuals like Dorkbama the Muslim.
Property is generally the storage of the efficient use of one’s time on Erf. Sorta like a bank of time already used - to comfort the potential enjoyment of future time beyond that needed for basic sustenance. So, they are not STEALING YOUR STUFF, THEY ARE STEALING YOUR LIMITED, ALLOTED TIME ON ERF.
If Obama can visit Hiroshima Walter E. Williams can declare amnesty to All Americans of European ancestry for grievances against his people.
Walter is a national treasure. This reminds me of what my public schools told me back in the 50s and 60s; “The difference between the Soviet Union and The United States is that in the Soviet Union the government owns the people and in The United States the people own the government”.
By progressive baby steps that has changed.
He is indeed a national treasure. This essay is a must read for everyone.
Well said. I also remember that in the 50s - 60s.
Time turns out to be VERY valuable.
I’m stealing your graphic. Just so ya know. :))
I refuse to recognize that I am chattel, to be ruled.
So as not to be considered as stealing from you, I am notifying you that I shall properly credit Paladin2 every time I use your excellent example of how property = a storage of time value for later use. Well stated!!
bkmk
Excellent point.
As many have said, “Invest Wisely”.
“...each of us owns himself. I am my private property, and you are your private property. “ “Self-ownership can offer solutions to many seemingly moral/ethical dilemmas. One is the sale of human organs. “ “Who owns your organs? One test of ownership is whether you have the right to sell something.”
If your body is property, if you can sell your organs one by one, logically you should be able to sell them all at once in the original package. There we have the doorway to slavery.
“If a person took your property — even to help another person who is in need — it would be called theft. Suppose three people agreed to that taking. Would it be deemed theft? What if 100,000 or several hundred million people agreed to do so? Would that be deemed theft?”
Not if you’re one of the three, the 100,000 or the seveal hundred million and you’ve all agreed to rules regarding such matters.
I am not property. I am a person, a union of body and soul. If I’m murdered it’s not a violation of property rights, it’s a violation of my right to life.
Walter is a national treasure. This reminds me of what my public schools told me back in the 50s and 60s; “The difference between the Soviet Union and The United States is that in the Soviet Union the government owns the people and in The United States the people own the government”.
By progressive baby steps that has changed.
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