Recently I saw an advertisement that told me I have a right to a beautiful smile. Hmm. A right? Who decides when something is a right?
You have to admit it’s a genius strategy though. If you can get your special interest inducted into the “Rights Hall of Fame,” you’ve won. According to the doctrine of political correctness, everyone has to support your cause, because no decent human would deny someone his or her rights?
The Declaration of Independence referred to “unalienable rights.” It doesn’t give us an exhaustive list, but the signers at a minimum agreed it included life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Are these things rights only because a majority of voters agreed on them? What if some goofy country gets together and votes that liberty isn’t a right, does that mean it’s not, or does something universal make it a right regardless of what Goofyland voters agree on?
It’s important to figure out what qualifies as a right, else some fringe group of the future may make something a right that hamstrings our country financially and/or morally.
Finley Knowles
Ooltewah