What are people entitled to?

[Mr. Dictator]

This is a two part question.

First, what is the individual entitled to?

Second, what are groups of people entitled to?

 

[bhsup]

Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Also the Bill of Rights. That's about it.

 

[Bigfoot3814]

Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Also the Bill of Rights. That's about it.

Well, um, uh, yeah there you go.

 

[Mr. Dictator]

well what about those who arent american citizens?

my personal belief is that you are entitled to something you've earned. what about people in a dictatorship who see no reason to overthrow it? are they entitled to nothing then?

 

[bhsup]

well what about those who arent american citizens?

Ideally, those ideals should apply to everyone around the world. That's why communism is my enemy.

my personal belief is that you are entitled to something you've earned. what about people in a dictatorship who see no reason to overthrow it? are they entitled to nothing then?

No, they are entitled to those rights as well. God-given and all that stuff, ya know. But, they must stand up for them as bad people will do bad things and deprive them of the rights if possible.

 

[cubsfan6506]

8200$......

 

[potatokiosk]

I'm going to go with the "life, liberty and pursuit of happiness" catchphrase, plus whatever additional entitlements a society agrees upon. It could be health care, it could be guns, I guess it's up to each society to decide.

 

[CaptainF]

Dignity.
Freedom.
Justice.

That about covers it for me.

 

[warpus]

Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Also the Bill of Rights. That's about it.

The bill of rights you speak of does not apply to me.

Also, liberty is kind of vague.

 

[Mr. Dictator]

Ideally, those ideals should apply to everyone around the world. That's why communism is my enemy.

while i understand the authoritarian form of communism being your enemy on this basis, what if a society decides they want to adopt the economic aspects?

No, they are entitled to those rights as well. God-given and all that stuff, ya know. But, they must stand up for them as bad people will do bad things and deprive them of the rights if possible.

let's keep this to arguments in favour of things based on things we know in certainty. not a knock on your faith, it explains your personal reasoning for your beliefs, but i want societally sound reasoning to defend these entitlements.

I'm going to go with the "life, liberty and pursuit of happiness" catchphrase, plus whatever additional entitlements a society agrees upon. It could be health care, it could be guns, I guess it's up to each society to decide.

which is what i was thinking. the society decides what individuals and groups are entitled to.

now, were we entitled to rebel against the british? and whats the difference between jews being entitled to a nation and blacks being entitled to reparations? curiousity, no underlying agenda.

 

[Tee Kay]

Dignity.
Freedom.
Justice.

Kids in schools get none of these things. This should be enough ground to sue for human rights abuse.

 

[covok48]

Wait till you have a job...

 

[Mr. Dictator]

i have a full time job with benefits.

 

[Fugitive Sisyphus]

Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Also the Bill of Rights. That's about it.

Life, liberty, and property. Pursuit of happiness is already covered by liberty imo.

 

[North King]

Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Also the Bill of Rights. That's about it.

To this I would add the right to privacy (though one could admittedly argue it is included under Amendment 9), and property (implied by amendments 4 and again 9, but never explicitly stated, IIRC).

But yes, the USA's body of rights is pretty good overall.*

* With the exception of the death penalty, which I believe should be outlawed, but that is controversial enough that if I had argued that along with the other ones above, it would obfuscate the point of the post.

 

[Fuzzz]

Read the declaration of human rights...

PLUS...

People should be entitled to decide whether or not they want to live.

 

[Shekwan]

I would believe everyone is entitled to their natural human rights.

Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Also the Bill of Rights. That's about it.

The pursuit of happiness bit seems a bit redundant. I mean come on, pursuit of happiness? What does that even mean?

 

[History_Buff]

Ideally, those ideals should apply to everyone around the world. That's why communism is my enemy. .

Ah, but what if my Constitution and Charter of Rights and Freedoms is better than your still Constitution and Bill of Rights?

The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms guarantees the rights and freedoms set out in it subject only to such reasonable limits prescribed by law as can be demonstrably justified in a free and democratic society.

Everyone has the following fundamental freedoms:
a) freedom of conscience and religion;
b) freedom of thought, belief, opinion and expression, including freedom of the press and other media of communication;
c) freedom of peaceful assembly; and
d) freedom of association.

That's a pretty solid bundle of rights in my opinion, and it's also crucial that these rights can be limited to a reasonable level. Best line in the Charter I think.

The pursuit of happiness bit seems a bit redundant. I mean come on, pursuit of happiness? What does that even mean?

It refers to the fact that while the government shouldn't stop you from trying to be happy, it in no way binds the government to ensure you are happy. I personally think it's redundant next to 'liberty'.

 

[GoodGame]

Totally depends on their nation-state and culture.

 

[Archbob]

The pursuit of happiness bit seems a bit redundant. I mean come on, pursuit of happiness? What does that even mean?

I means you can pursue a big screen TV, but are in no ways entitled to one.