Pop Quiz

Here's a quick quiz for American citizens:
Where do rights come from?

I'm being serious, so I'd appreciate responses left in the comments. More explanation later.

❦

View responses or leave your own response

published August 20, 2003

Responses

BurnDark – August 20, 2003
The democratic system of government is based on the ancient Greek city-states. However, the justification for such a system is based on the writings of primarily John Locke, but also influenced by Hume and others. Locke said that we have rights because we were all made by God. This is an argument similar to, but weaker than (in my opinion anyway) the Imagio Dei, an idea which states that all people have worth because they are created in the image of God. I actaully wrote a paper along these lines last year. By the way, are you trying to justify keeping the Ten Commandments monument in Alabama with the answer to this question?

– August 21, 2003
No, although that is an interesting topic too. And one which hardly anyone seems to be paying attention to. I'll comment more on the question later, once more people have responded (if they do - ha)

Kathy – August 21, 2003
God gives us our rights. As my mom always used to say, "I brought you into this world and I can take you out of it." And as my dad would say, "You only have the rights I give you." A lot of people are confused about rights. They say, "I have the right to marry my lesbian lover." You only have the rights that God gives you and a heck of a lot of the things that people claim the right to say and do are just not on that list.

cheesehead – August 27, 2003
i would say our bill of rights... aren't our only "rights": life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness? no, we have the right to bear arms... and i just watched bowling for columbine... have you seen that?

Kathy – September 1, 2003
Are you ever gonna tell us what this is about?