[Talisker]

I know that's your view, but whether right or privilege, negative or positive, in every country I can think of those rights/privileges are protected (or not) by the laws and the government. In the real world a right that you can't enforce or protect doesn't exist.

No country in the world is based on the doctrine of negative rights except the United States of America. As a result, no other people in the whole world have rights - only privileges. That's not my "view," it's a fact many Americans have died to protect throughout American history. It's the fundamental reason for the very existence of this country. For a FReeper, your ignorance is appalling.

[semimojo]

No country in the world is based on the doctrine of negative rights except the United States of America. As a result, no other people in the whole world have rights - only privileges.

That may have been more true at the time of the ratification but now it's just wrong.

Pretty much every liberal democracy's constitution or charter contains both negative and positive rights. Even ours.

None of this changes my point that a right that can't be enforced isn't much of a right.