There is a lot of saber rattling these days about rights. I hear a lot of sentences that start with the phrase, ‘I have a right to’¦’ or ‘It s my right to’¦’ or ‘The Constitution guarantees my right to’¦’ Well, folks, rights come with responsibilities and sometimes one of those responsibilities is knowing when to use some judgment in exercising those rights. Cause guess what, everyone else has them too! And in our Constitution, everyone else has just as much right to their rights as you do. Funny how that works, isn t it?
Yes, we have a right to free speech in this country. But just because we can say something, that we have the right to freely express ourselves, does not mean we should. I have the right to greet every person I see with the greeting, ‘Hi there a**hole! Have you f***ed your mother today?’ This is the United States of America. I have the right to do that as stated on a 200 plus year old piece of paper. But does the fact that I have the right to do it mean I am right to do it?
We have the right to bear arms. But just because I can buy a weapon, carry it and use it, as long as I don t commit a crime with it and get the proper permit for it, mean that I should walk around using a shot gun as an accessory or wave a pistol around as a form of hand gesturing? I may have the right to do it, but am I right to do it?
I could go on, down the whole Bill of Rights, but I don t see why I should have to. Last time I checked the Constitution, it didn t read, ‘You have the unlimited right to’¦’
The point of this post should be pretty clear, but let me explain it again for those who seem to read only selected words or between the lines. With rights come inherent responsibilities and in order to allow and preserve the free exercise of rights by all, judgment must be used by all individuals in the exercise of their rights. Respect the rights of others through how you exercise your rights and others will do the same.
In this nation, all are equal under the eyes of the law. It is not all about you, or me, or any one person. It is about ALL of us. The first words of the Constitution are ‘WE the people,’ not ‘ME, and everyone else who make up the people.’
The 2012 Presidential Election is fast approaching
The GOP race is now a field of 4 with only Romney, Gingrich, Paul, & Santorum still standing. Who will be the next candidate to exit the race & who will emerge as the eminent GOP nominee?
Follow us on Twitter & join our 2012 election FaceBook page for updates & new blog articles.
Contact us if you are passionate about politics & want to blog with us.
