[steve-b]

Life is THE most basic and necessary of all rights. The protection of life (and property and commerce too) need NOT be spelled out in any charter, in any constitution. The duty to propect life exists, implicit in any legitmate charter of government between men.

Nonsense. If "life" were such an absolute right, then a state that legalized the shooting of burglars in one's home or enacted the death penalty would be an "evil and illegimate government" in need of overthrowing.

[bvw]

Just self-defense. Life is as abolute as rights get. That does not remove the duty of a death penalty is a legal system, nor the duty of self-defense. If the robber is in your home or business while you are there, there's a most reasonable and safety-wise presumption -- he wil harm you and yours.