Right to Life

[Danoff]

In America, does a starving individual have a right to food? Should anyone go hungry in America? We have the wealth to feed the nation. Our farmers are paid not to grow more food. Certainly we can feed everyone in our country... so why don't we?Why does anyone ever go hungry here?

In general, do Americans have a right to live?

 

[milefile]

Because capitalism is based on competition and success. Success is conditioned by failure, and vice versa. There cannot be one without the other. Graditude is impossible without success and failure. So is humility. Greatness arises from success. Success looms over failures. In a free country we choose to do one or the other. Of course it's complicated and difficult to differing degrees for different people at different times, but anything else is artificial.

Of course Americans have a right to live. The definition of life is the sticking point.

Blame is bunk. So is luck.

 

[Red Eye Racer]

Nothing earned = nothing recieved

We have the right to keeping ourselves alive, not to keep others alive.

 

[Danoff]

Of course Americans have a right to live. The definition of life is the sticking point.

What if the definition of life is a heart beat and brain waves?

 

[Danoff]

We have the right to keeping ourselves alive, not to keep others alive.

I disagree. I think we have a right to keep others alive (at the very least attempt)

Does anyone havea right to be kept alive? (I think that's what you meant ).

 

[milefile]

Originally posted by danoff
What if the definition of life is a heart beat and brain waves?

Those aren't rights. When somebody dies we don't say they lost their right to live. They are more like conditions of life. In that constricted definition of life there is no room to deliniate good lives and bad lives and sad lives and happy lives. It is all just alive with no way of evaluating anything.

Some lives are worth more than others. People hate that.

I think RER meant people are not entitled to be kept alive. If somebody chooses to do it, good for them. This only adds value to the deed, too. Where can kindness exist in a world of entitlement?

 

[Danoff]

Where can kindness exist in a world of entitlement?

Wow. That's a great line. Did you come up with that yourself? I really like it. I want a bumper sticker with that on it... and I hate bumper stickers.

 

[milefile]

Originally posted by danoff
Did you come up with that yourself?

Indeed I did

 

[Red Eye Racer]

Originally posted by danoff

Does anyone havea right to be kept alive? (I think that's what you meant ).

Yeah 👍

And yeah,.. I still believe it. It's not a persons RIGHT to be kept alive because: their too lazy to get a job; made stupid mistakes in life; got "dealt a bad hand",... it stems from one of the many perspectives I take on life.

What if, before this life, were put back here for a reason? Maybe it was a reward for some, maybe punishment for another. The people who are suffering, not only in this land, but the whole world, IMO, are all connected to that in this scenereo.

Basically, before this life, we were given the choice of template for our new life,.... maybe not even given a choice, but one was made for each and every one of us. Basically, it's your template, not mine. I know it's way the F out there as far as most of it goes,.... but it makes sence to me. I feel absolutely no guilt for humanities struggle. Luckily, when I was given the right to keep myself alive, I was also given the right to care abotu what I want to care about,.... and not what someone else says I SHOULD care about.

On the other side of the coin,.. I'd push most anyone (stranger or not) out of the way of a speeding bus, and take the hit for em. Dont know why, but I've always felt like I could give my life,... but I dont feel the same about charity.

 

[Danoff]

Indeed I did

Well I'll be sure to credit you every time I use it.

 

[Danoff]

Doesn't the constitution say you have the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness?

 

[Red Eye Racer]

Originally posted by danoff
Doesn't the constitution say you have the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of _________?

Property, pursuit of property. (pretty sure, but Im wrong all the time)

 

[Danoff]

It's happiness. But thanks for keeping me honest.

 

[Red Eye Racer]

Look here

Technically, your right,... but in the link about is where "Happiness" is described

 

[Red Eye Racer]

Originally posted by danoff
I think we have a right to keep others alive (at the very least attempt)

Please expand on that thought. Help like how? Learn to be doctors type of help,... or commit our own personal earnings and efforts directly towards them (them being the 'under-privelaged')?

 

[milefile]

Like life, happiness is a word difficult to define. What might make you happy may make me miserable. Happiness' definition in this context is best kept very general so that each and every person may benefit from their own, individual pursuit.

 

[1X83Z]

Originally posted by Red Eye Racer
Nothing earned = nothing recieved

We have the right to keeping ourselves alive, not to keep others alive.

👍

Completely agree.

No real disclaimer, I'm on my laptop - but this message isn't intended to offend Red Eye Racer and if it does it was not this post or this poster's intention.

 

[DGB454]

Originally posted by danoff
Doesn't the constitution say you have the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness?

It does say the right to life. Not the right to be kept alive. Your liberty has been purchased by blood. The pursuit of happiness is your own pursuit not someone elses.

That being said. I believe that if you have abundance and your neighbor is starving then as a decent human being you have an obligation to give out of your abundance.

 

[1X83Z]

Originally posted by DGB454

That being said. I believe that if you have abundance and your neighbor is starving then as a decent human being you have an obligation to give out of your abundance.

But here's the problem I have for that and I would make the same argument for why I have a problem with welfare: I work for my money - why do I have to fork it over to somebody else if I've really earned it?

 

[DGB454]

You don't have to do anything with it you don't want too. It's your choice.But can you really stand and watch someone starve when you have the means to help?
I also have a problem with people who ask for handouts when they are able to work for it. In those instances I believe more in a hand up than a hand out.

 

[Duke]

Originally posted by M5Power
But here's the problem I have for that and I would make the same argument for why I have a problem with welfare: I work for my money - why do I have to fork it over to somebody else if I've really earned it?

Well, the thing is about small-l libertarian capitalism is this: if you feel the urge, nothing about it prevents you from donating as much as you wish, be it none or all of it. It is after all your property.

It's the assumption that you must do this, that you're inherently beholden to the whole human race, that creates the problem.

 

[1X83Z]

Originally posted by DGB454
You don't have to do anything with it you don't want too. It's your choice.But can you really stand and watch someone starve when you have the means to help?

What do you want? Nobody's helping out Africa - you're not, I'm not, President Bush is not, and they're the ones who need it. You're right - we should help out everybody, but the truth is we can't - there's so many poverty-stricken places, Russia, Africa, southeast Asia - I can't do it all, or even any of it, without really devoting my life to it, which I'm not prepared to do.

 

[Danoff]

Doesn't the constitution say you have the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness?

Personally, I think that they meant the right to not have your life taken from you.... not the right to be kept alive no matter what you do.

 

[Red Eye Racer]

Originally posted by danoff
Personally, I think that they meant the right to not have your life taken from you.... not the right to be kept alive no matter what you do.

All thats saying is that you dont suuport the death penalty,... right?

 

[DGB454]

Originally posted by M5Power


What do you want? Nobody's helping out Africa - you're not, I'm not, President Bush is not, and they're the ones who need it. You're right - we should help out everybody, but the truth is we can't - there's so many poverty-stricken places, Russia, Africa, southeast Asia - I can't do it all, or even any of it, without really devoting my life to it, which I'm not prepared to do. [/B]

That's the problem isn't it? So many need help and not enough help is offered. Just help where you can. It doesn't matter what others are doing around you. Lead by example and maybe it will catch on.

 

[1X83Z]

Originally posted by DGB454
That's the problem isn't it? So many need help and not enough help is offered. Just help where you can. It doesn't matter what others are doing around you. Lead by example and maybe it will catch on.

Mother Theresa never caught on.

 

[DGB454]

She did for some. Those who were paying attention.

 

[westside]

Just to clear matters up, the Declaration of Independence is the one that says we all have the right to "Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness..."

...and the Fourteenth Amendmant of the US Constitution says we can't be denied "life, liberty, or property, without due process of law..."

So you guys were both right. Property and happiness for all.

 

[1X83Z]

Originally posted by DGB454
She did for some. Those who were paying attention.

So then where's Mother Theresa II? Seems nobody pursued her cause as she did after she died.

 

[DGB454]

In smaller ways there are Mother Theresa II's everywhere. She just took it a lot further than most.