The Declaration of Independence expresses the American ideal that government should exist to protect our natural right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. As stirring as Jefferson’s (…et al) document may be, it is only a statement of principle. It is not the law of the land. The declaration says, “this is what we are trying to do. The Constitution says, “this is how we will achieve it.”
There is, under the framework of how the government is to operate, no guarantee to life, liberty, or the pursuit of happiness. Violate the law, and one or all of these may be taken from you. Everyone does not get a trophy.
As a result, “phantom rights” not found in the document, (written in invisible ink?) have sprung up everywhere.
The most recent case to catch my eye is the case of two fathers arrested for causing a disturbance at a school board meeting. Personally, I am in favor of raising a ruckus with school boards, but that is immaterial. I quote from the internet news…
“The fathers alleged that the defendants violated their rights to petition the government for redress and violated their rights to exercise free speech without retaliation.”
The italics are mine, added to emphasize the phantom right to free speech without retaliation. There is no such thing. The First Amendment guards our right to free speech, that’s true, but there is no safeguard from retaliation, and neither must a platform for your speech be provided to you.
When your free speech disturbs the conducting of public business, the governing body has a duty to have you removed. Go peacefully and you can stand on the corner and shout your opinion until doomsday, you can post it on Facebook, or write a letter to the editor of the local paper.
Most of you are too young to remember the Dixie Chicks, popular Country and Western singers. They decided to use their status as celebrities to publicly criticize the President. There’s nothing wrong with that. However, they made fools of themselves by subsequently whining (as snowflakes do) that they were being treated unfairly because fans quit buying their records.
President Coolidge noted that he never got into trouble for things he didn’t say.
Too bad the Chicks weren’t up on Presidential quotes. But then Presidents aren’t always up on the Constitution either.in committed to protecting a
“I remain committed to protecting a woman’s right to choose and this fundamental constitutional right.” Obama, formerly a law professor, obviously must know that this “right” does not actually exist…”
Maybe Obama was absent that day.
That his own second in command, his party, and pro-choice advocates everywhere do not believe the My Body, My Choice slogan Obama espoused was made glaringly evident by Covid.
Slap on that mask, no going outside, no family gatherings, and roll up that sleeve, we have magic serum to inject.
One final phantom right.
One final phantom right.
“Indeed, I’ve come to believe that the Constitution is perfectly willing to allow people a “right to health care,” and it’s in the Ninth Amendment.”
The Ninth Amendment says that “the enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.” Consequently, liberals say, if you claim a right, and there’s nothing in the Constitution that denies your claim, it’s your right.
Hey, Pandora here’s a box for you.
The Constitution doesn’t expressly deny a right to walk into a bank and demand they hand over the cash. Do I have a right to do that? No, seems not, there is only a right to do that with taxpayers.
I can remember debating the right to healthcare with my nursing colleagues. When they had talked themselves into a corner, as they invariably did when discussing the Constitution, they resorted to—but don’t you think everyone deserves healthcare?”
I thought my kids deserved to go to the college of their choice—unfortunately, I could no more afford that than the government could afford to host a healthcare buffet. (Sorry kids, you were born a generation too soon.)
When you are raised and schooled that you are entitled to whatsoever your heart desires, it soon becomes your right—your due—and any twisting of logic becomes permissible to attain it.
Sic Semper Tyrannis
留言