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To: pgyanke
I would define a right as our Founding Fathers understood it... prerogatives endowed in humanity by its Creator. Have you forgotten the Ninth Amendment?

The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.

Rights, if they are truly rights, can't be taken away by government without grave injustice.

What is the litmus test for whether something is a right or not? If it can be taken away without grave injustice? Define grave injustice. What if the government forbids you to do something and it is only a minor injustice? What if something is legal in one country and illegal in another country, without any difference in repercussions between the two?

The Ninth Amendment is vary vague, and we see the government taking away many "rights" without any problem. Furthermore, other countries do not go by the US constitution. Does that mean that they don't have rights?

170 posted on 05/09/2007 10:58:22 AM PDT by psychoknk
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To: psychoknk
Furthermore, other countries do not go by the US constitution. Does that mean that they don't have rights?

I'm going to ignore your childish questions and focus on this one. In case you're wondering, I call them childish because they are questions that have been answered and reanswered throughout history going back to the earliest philosophers. I'm not going to do them justice in a post, just encourage you to do some research if you are truly interested and not just out for mindless debate.

As for the above issue you raised, rights are God-given and endowed in us, His creation. Any society that respects that fact, respects the rights of its citizens. Any society that rejects that fact (and instead assumes rights come from government or some other man-made institution) rejects the natural rights of man and I would say that those men have given away their rights.

178 posted on 05/09/2007 11:27:37 AM PDT by pgyanke (RUDY GIULIANI 2008 - BECAUSE IF YOU'RE GOING TO COMPROMISE YOUR PRINCIPLES ANYWAY... WHY WAIT?)
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To: psychoknk
Furthermore, other countries do not go by the US constitution. Does that mean that they don't have rights?

No, but it does mean their governments are in the wrong.
197 posted on 05/09/2007 6:13:56 PM PDT by JamesP81 (Isaiah 10:1 - "Woe to those who enact evil statutes")
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To: psychoknk
What is the litmus test for whether something is a right or not?

I'd try reading the writings of the Founders; they had a much better handle on this specific issue than I do.
198 posted on 05/09/2007 6:14:37 PM PDT by JamesP81 (Isaiah 10:1 - "Woe to those who enact evil statutes")
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