The Declaration opens with a statement of personal dignity, an acknowledgment that "a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to separation."
Then comes some of the most revolutionary language in history:
"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of happiness."
This reverses the usual order of things. It starts with all people being equal – not in intelligence, wisdom, wealth or other endowments, of course, but of equal dignity in the eyes of God and therefore before government. This natural equality denies the legitimacy of special privileges granted by government.
An "unalienable" right is one that cannot be taken away legitimately, and then not without doing damage to the very humanity of the person. Any institution that tries to deny or encroach upon these rights upsets nature and God's plan, for it is the Creator who grants these rights, not government or any other institution.
That's radical. - Alan W. Bock (Roots of American liberty, July 2, 2006)
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Methinks a lot of people on this thread need to study some metaphysics (I of course exclude you, 4Runner). ;-)
Thanks for the backup. And your comment about another poster's efforts being "sophistic" is right on point. The George Washington quote blew me away. It clearly annihilated the poster's own position.
If I may add my two cents: My understanding of the term "inalienable" is that it also includes situations where, for example, through coercion or ignorance someone compels you to sign a document wherein you agree to "forfeit" your rights under this or that Article of the Constitution. Your signing that document changes nothing. You are still endowed with that inalienable right, whichever it may be, because not even YOU, the possessor, has the power to dispose of that right. That is powerful stuff.
Me thinks you should spend your time studying the Constitution and not metaphysics. I dont know that the Knights Templar are going to help you in your understanding of the US constitutional system.