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To: tpaine
I'm not buying it. This is merely an assertion. A right requires a correlated obligation. If you have the "right" not to be assaulted, then I have the correlated obligation not to assault you.
Its not an 'obligation', it's in your rational self interest not to assault me. Lest I assault you, and it gets messy.

Tell that to anyone who ever mugged someone else, burned down a house then shot the survivors as they came out, or ran a concentration camp. Apparently your "rational self-interest" was no deterence there.

But if I disagree -- where then is your right? It only exists then upon being enforced.
Nope, it exists because we [rationally] do not want to be assaulted. So we selfishly agree not to assault each other, or others, and codify that agreement into our law. Thus our selfish individual non-assault right exists whether or not it is violated/enforced.

And if we do not agree? That is rather the point. You are assuming (rather academically I might add) that everyone, or even most people, are of course "rational". I suggest that your perspective has been shaped by your environment. Go live in Liberia for 6 months in the bush and then come back and tell us about it. Try discussing your "enlightened rational self-interest" to someone who thinks chopping off your arms with a machete is fun and besides, he wants a snack. Have fun trying to discuss your concept of "inalienable" rights (sans God or social group) while they turn your forearms into "meat on the stick".

79 posted on 09/02/2003 5:16:21 PM PDT by dark_lord (The Statue of Liberty now holds a baseball bat and she's yelling 'You want a piece of me?')
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To: dark_lord
And if we do not agree? That is rather the point. You are assuming (rather academically I might add) that everyone, or even most people, are of course "rational".
-DL-



You're right. I'd assumed you were rational enough to discuss this issue.
I was wrong.
81 posted on 09/03/2003 8:11:16 AM PDT by tpaine ( I'm trying to be Mr Nice Guy, but politics keep getting in me way. ArnieRino for Governator!)
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