Rights

As Oliver Wendell Holmes once said, "My right to swing my fist ends at your nose." This means that my rights cannot, by definition, trump your rights. No one, not even the constitution, 'gives' us rights.  We are born with them. If we are lucky, we are born in a time and place that recognizes and protects our rights.

A right to bear arms is not a right to take life - the right to fling a bullet ends at your victim's body.

A right to speak is not a right to bully or defame - the right to fling harsh words ends at your victim’s honor.

A right to religion is not a right to force others to live by your faith.  Your right to believe in that which cannot be seen isn’t your right to force a woman to have a child she doesn’t want, or deny a same sex couple the right of happiness and marriage.

My right to freedom, happiness, and safety are exactly equal to yours. I can have all my rights, without ever infringing on yours. You can have your rights without ever trampling mine.

Let us not forget this.

Your nose.

My fist.

May they never meet.