Originally Posted By: Greg Tag
I suggest that you look at the Inalienable Rights detailed in the Declaration of Independence.

Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.


But our government can - and does - take away life (fairly often, in Texas) and liberty (our prisons are crowded) and the pursuit of happiness (narcotics possession).

Locke stated natural rights as 'life, liberty and property' - Jefferson changed that last to 'pursuit of happiness' to bring in folks who lacked property. But these were ideals, dreams, not realities of life. See Jeremy Bentham's 'Critique.'

There is not a country in the world today where the Constitution's enumerated 'unalienable rights' cannot be violated - including our own. Power inevitably trumps 'natural rights.'

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