Quote Originally Posted by Thorne View Post
I'm not sure this is accurate. Throughout history people have only had those "rights" which the ruling classes allowed, and they could be taken away at the whim of any member of that ruling class. It's only in modern times that we've begun thinking in terms of "human rights", thanks in large part to the advances of more democratic governments. I think that, ultimately, we can only have those rights which the most powerful people are willing to allow us to have. They have the power to rescind them by simply sending in the military/police forces. Once bullets and bombs start flying, the only right you have is the right to duck!

Sorry, I still disagree with this statement. When you're born, you are born a separate person, you're not part of the "borg" so to speak, so individuality is a right (the right to think, feel whatever you want). You have a right to life, only by natural death is that right not infringed upon by another. You have a right to liberty, because at the moment of birth, you are not oppressed. Even someone born into slavery is not oppressed until they are old enough to understand. At that point, their right is infringed upon, not "taken away".

I don't believe natural rights (or God's granted rights, if you will) can be "taken away" but only infringed upon. People who are oppressed and feel their rights are infringed upon eventually rebel in some way.

If you are kidnapped, do you think your right to liberty is gone? If suddenly, Obama becomes a dictator, do you think you no longer have the right to be free? Or will you be strong enough to rebel? (I would hope the American spirit is alive enough to rebel). If oppressed to the point of unhappiness, do you think your right to be happy is gone? I doubt it.