Comments on: Thinking About Rights http://www.snowflakesinhell.com/2008/05/12/thinking-about-rights/ Where There's Snow, There's Firepower Tue, 02 Dec 2008 02:34:45 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: Right Wing Nation » Stuck In The Middle With You http://www.snowflakesinhell.com/2008/05/12/thinking-about-rights/#comment-23280 Right Wing Nation » Stuck In The Middle With You Tue, 13 May 2008 16:59:20 +0000 http://www.snowflakesinhell.com/?p=3463#comment-23280 [...] couple of days ago, Sebastian put up an exasperated article about this guy, who’s your garden variety “let’s [...] [...] couple of days ago, Sebastian put up an exasperated article about this guy, who’s your garden variety “let’s [...]

]]> By: JKB http://www.snowflakesinhell.com/2008/05/12/thinking-about-rights/#comment-23261 JKB Tue, 13 May 2008 09:01:27 +0000 http://www.snowflakesinhell.com/?p=3463#comment-23261 Oh it is worse than it seems. This excerpt from an Obama speech in WV, seems to be right along the lines of this new group right/obligation: "...that we could have the right to pursue our individual dreams but the obligation to help our fellow citizens pursue theirs." http://maxedoutmama.blogspot.com/2008/05/obligation.html Must be some collective decision to push this idea across the board? Oh it is worse than it seems. This excerpt from an Obama speech in WV, seems to be right along the lines of this new group right/obligation:

“…that we could have the right to pursue our individual dreams but the obligation to help our fellow citizens pursue theirs.”

http://maxedoutmama.blogspot.com/2008/05/obligation.html

Must be some collective decision to push this idea across the board?

]]> By: DJMoore http://www.snowflakesinhell.com/2008/05/12/thinking-about-rights/#comment-23220 DJMoore Mon, 12 May 2008 18:05:42 +0000 http://www.snowflakesinhell.com/?p=3463#comment-23220 Weird coincidence: I flicked on my car radio last night, and found myself listening to a black woman being interviewed on my local Pacifica station (<a href="http://kpft.org" rel="nofollow">KPFT</a>). She was asked her current definition of "human rights". From KPFT's archives, at about 37:50 in <a href="http://archive.kpft.org/mp3/080511_200001aj.MP3" rel="nofollow">this downloadable MP3</a>: "That's not an easy question to answer in a nutshell, but what I will say is that initially, the notion of human rights, based as it was on the bourgois revolutions, the French Revolution of 1789, the American Revolution of 1776, the notion of human rights tends to focus on the rights of individuals. Now, this can be problematic in the sense that many forms of oppression that people suffer are meted out to them not as individuals, but as members of communities, as groups. And so I think what is important about the new definitions of human rights that are emerging is that they are taking into consideration poverty for example, the globalization of capital, leading to the denial of human rights to entire groups of people. And that is the definition I think is potentially most productive for those of us who are fighting for change." [Any transcription errors are my own.] Who was this traitorous weasel, trying to make my rights disappear by redefining them? Turns out to have been none other than...<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angela_Davis" rel="nofollow">Angela Davis</a>. Is this a meme that's been expanded from the "collective rights" crowbar being used to disarm individuals? Or is that itself merely a specific example of a long socialist/communist tradition of oppression by rights diffusion, by unfocusing the harsh glare of individual rights to the blur of "community rights"? Although Davis is primarily famous for being tried on a weapons charge, I did not find her current position on the Second Amendment with a cursory Google. (Is this something that's migrated from the RKBA fight, where the "collective right" is used to crowbar away a right of the people?) Weird coincidence:
I flicked on my car radio last night, and found myself listening to a black woman being interviewed on my local Pacifica station (KPFT). She was asked her current definition of “human rights”. From KPFT’s archives, at about 37:50 in this downloadable MP3: “That’s not an easy question to answer in a nutshell, but what I will say is that initially, the notion of human rights, based as it was on the bourgois revolutions, the French Revolution of 1789, the American Revolution of 1776, the notion of human rights tends to focus on the rights of individuals. Now, this can be problematic in the sense that many forms of oppression that people suffer are meted out to them not as individuals, but as members of communities, as groups. And so I think what is important about the new definitions of human rights that are emerging is that they are taking into consideration poverty for example, the globalization of capital, leading to the denial of human rights to entire groups of people. And that is the definition I think is potentially most productive for those of us who are fighting for change.” [Any transcription errors are my own.]

Who was this traitorous weasel, trying to make my rights disappear by redefining them?

Turns out to have been none other than…Angela Davis.

Is this a meme that’s been expanded from the “collective rights” crowbar being used to disarm individuals?

Or is that itself merely a specific example of a long socialist/communist tradition of oppression by rights diffusion, by unfocusing the harsh glare of individual rights to the blur of “community rights”?

Although Davis is primarily famous for being tried on a weapons charge, I did not find her current position on the Second Amendment with a cursory Google.

(Is this something that’s migrated from the RKBA fight, where the “collective right” is used to crowbar away a right of the people?)

]]> By: rightwingprof http://www.snowflakesinhell.com/2008/05/12/thinking-about-rights/#comment-23216 rightwingprof Mon, 12 May 2008 17:17:37 +0000 http://www.snowflakesinhell.com/?p=3463#comment-23216 Indeed, and that's exactly why these organizations (democracy rising, isn't it?) calling for a constitutional convention in PA are asshats. A constitutional convention? You gotta be kidding me. Can you imagine the leftwing garbage we'd end up with as a constitution? Indeed, and that’s exactly why these organizations (democracy rising, isn’t it?) calling for a constitutional convention in PA are asshats. A constitutional convention? You gotta be kidding me. Can you imagine the leftwing garbage we’d end up with as a constitution?

]]> By: Paul Simer http://www.snowflakesinhell.com/2008/05/12/thinking-about-rights/#comment-23200 Paul Simer Mon, 12 May 2008 14:58:29 +0000 http://www.snowflakesinhell.com/?p=3463#comment-23200 "Individual rights are not subject to a public vote; a majority has no right to vote away the rights of a minority; the political function of rights is precisely to protect minorities from oppression by majorities (and the smallest minority on earth is the individual)." - Ayn Rand “Individual rights are not subject to a public vote; a majority has no right to vote away the rights of a minority; the political function of rights is precisely to protect minorities from oppression by majorities (and the smallest minority on earth is the individual).” - Ayn Rand

]]> By: Kurt "45superman" Hofmann http://www.snowflakesinhell.com/2008/05/12/thinking-about-rights/#comment-23199 Kurt "45superman" Hofmann Mon, 12 May 2008 14:57:15 +0000 http://www.snowflakesinhell.com/?p=3463#comment-23199 This is the second day in a row that I've encountered that "dignitarian" word (with which I had previously been unfamiliar--and which I can't seem to find in any dictionary). Is there something "dignified" about surrendering fundamental human rights? What am I missing here? This is the second day in a row that I’ve encountered that “dignitarian” word (with which I had previously been unfamiliar–and which I can’t seem to find in any dictionary). Is there something “dignified” about surrendering fundamental human rights? What am I missing here?

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