[mattdono]

Glassman seems to nail Kerry on this issue and why.

[RedBloodedAmerican]

THIS IS IT!

Thanks for posting it. Its a duplicate post but I couldnt recall the title from when it was posted earlier

[Fzob]

Good article.

It is unfortunate that today fewer and fewer understand that the Constitution protects existing rights, and it does not create rights.

[MissAmericanPie]

You have stated why a person who does not understand and accept the clear meaning of the Constitution, should be prohibited from running for office.

Kerry's misunderstanding of the document, makes his oath to uphold that document null and void even as he places his hand on the Bible and swears to uphold it. How can one uphold something they do not have a full understanding and acceptance of?

The understanding and acceptance of the simple basis of our constitution should be front and center of Bush's political attack ads, and an answer to the attacks on his Christianity. Talk about a home run ad.

[Chemist_Geek]

Don't get me wrong. I don't think government should be passive. George Washington's Farewell Address, which Hamilton largely wrote, states, "In a country so extensive as ours, a government of as much vigor as is consistent with the perfect security of liberty is indispensable."

Many FReepers would disagree vehemently. They seem to believe that no government is necessary or proper.

[T'wit]

Good catch, Prof. Glassman! What we mean by rights that are thus conferred by the state are so-called civil rights. And these aren't rights at all; they are privileges granted by the state and just as easily withdrawn by the state. The Left cannot get enough of them. All you have to do is get the words "civil rights" into a piece of legislation and it becomes sacred.

Our true rights of life, liberty and property are inherent in human life, under Natural Law. They are not conferred by any state and they cannot be repealed by any state. They can only be crushed by coercive state power. In the long run, that is what all states tend to do.

"Civil rights" -- again, these are state privileges, not real rights -- are usually at odds with our real rights of life, liberty and property. For instance, you cannot have a "right to a job" without enslaving the person forced to give you that job.

The kind of Constitution and government that John Kerry advocates is precisely the recipe for tyranny.

[standing united]

It sure is refreshing to read that someone other than a handful of Americans understand that the Constitution NEVER gave us a single right!

This is why I get Sooooooooooooooooo damn mad when I see the socialist cut, purposely misinturpet, and actually rewrite the second amendment of the Const. Then stand and fight with all that they have in defending the first amendment!!!!!!!!!! To these socialist, the first counts, the second does not, the third may, and so on and so on.

Very good post!

[VMI70]

Had to stop reading when I got to "inalienable". The word used in the Declaration of Independence is "unalienable".
I don't know who Glassman is, but he immediately loses credibility with a mistake like that.

[joesnuffy]

Right On! Right On! Right On!

God grants men rights...the U.S. Constitution is there to LIMIT GOVERNMENT to tell it what it can and what it cannot do...

A fact lost on most of our leaders, politicians, public SERVANTS, and bureaucrats

Though when Louis the sun king Kerry speaks in terms of rights 'we' grant I suspect he is using we in the "Royal We"...sense of the word.

imo

[Inwoodian]

Insightful and important. A must read for all interested in political truth. Probably destined for the ash-heap of America's newsrooms.

[MamaTexan]

Of course the charter member of Lawyer's Inc. knows where our rights come from!

Men are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights,-'life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness;' and to 'secure,' not grant or create, these rights, governments are instituted. That property which a man has honestly acquired he retains full control of, subject to these limitations:
First, that he shall not use it to his neighbor's injury, and that does not mean that he must use it for his neighbor's benefit;
second, that if the devotes it to a public use, he gives to the public a right to control that use;
and third, that whenever the public needs require, the public may take it upon payment of due compensation.
BUDD v. PEOPLE OF STATE OF NEW YORK, 143 U.S. 517 (1892)

But as a politician (and a lawyer) he can't admit that government actually has very little control over the people.

He needs that power to feed both his ego and his wallet!

[robertpaulsen]

"(In other words, God gives us rights that can't be taken away.) "Among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" -- which is to say, everything."

No, not everything.

We do have certain inalienable, God-given rights, and among them are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. These rights cannot be taken away without individual due process (eg., conviction of murder).

But we have other natural or fundamental rights which may be regulated by government without individual due process. Free speech, for example. Ownership of arms. Drugs.

Many of our "rights" are regulated and/or attenuated (eg., you must be 16, or 18, or 21 years old) without individual due process, impossible with a God-given right.

[Joe Brower]

"Who, or What, Grants Us Our Rights?"

GOD.

[hosepipe]

[ Where do our rights come from if they don't come from government? They come from God -- which may be why John Kerry doesn't get it. ]

Exactly.. Also America is NOT a democracy(Mob Rule)... even though democrats(and a few republicans) are FOR democracy and worse for morphing America INTO a democracy.. The are three words NOT found in the American Constitution ANYWHERE by design;
1) democracy...
2) democratic...
3) democrat....
(because democracy SUCKS)

NOTE ** Americas Republic is unique. There are no other governments like it in the past or present.. In the democracys of URP and Canada there are virtually NO RIGHTS...Mere privledges granted by their governments, which can be taken away at the will of the biggest MOB.. Because URPean governments are democracys...

[Just mythoughts]

Yes I caught it and this is why I keep saying JFKerry mocked 'God', and we will see if 'God' allows JFKerry to steal this election.

[snooker]

Your rights are afforded to you by LIBERALS. you didn't know that?

Yes I caught the line in Kerry's speech, it wasn't a gaffe, LIBERALS actually believe they grant you rights. The best way to tell if a person is a LIBERAL is ask them what the second amendment means. The answer will be all you need to know.

[Centurion2000]

BUMP