# On Being a Confused Second-Class Citizen (Hep me Jeezus) **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [November 16, 2004, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-being-a-confused-second-class-citizen-hep-me-jeezus/275115 "2004-11-16T20:15:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2004, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-being-a-confused-second-class-citizen-hep-me-jeezus/275115/21 "2004-11-18T01:22:52Z")
> [@Homebrew](#): > > I disagree. Rights don’t come from the government but are inherent in being a citizen and a person. If this is so, how do you propose we agree on what they are? I assume if we cut you open, we aren’t going to find a handy list starting on your spleen that ends, “See next organ,” for continuation. So merely asserting that they are “inherent in … a person” seems less than useful. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2004, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-being-a-confused-second-class-citizen-hep-me-jeezus/275115/22 "2004-11-18T02:11:20Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > In case you’re wondering, any hearing loss due to the loud WHOOSHing sounds will be temporary. Uh-huh. ---
**Author:** ![Homebrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Homebrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Homebrew)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2004, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-being-a-confused-second-class-citizen-hep-me-jeezus/275115/23 "2004-11-18T02:13:38Z")
You have absolute rights to your own body and property. Absolute. We don’t have to agree on any enumerated rights. The Constitution gives our government certain responsibilities and duties and certain powers to accomplish those. In some cases those powers may limit our absolute rights. But unless those powers are specifically given to the government then it has no power to limit our rights. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2004, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-being-a-confused-second-class-citizen-hep-me-jeezus/275115/24 "2004-11-18T06:05:34Z")
> [@Homebrew](#): > > One of the things about strict constructionalists that bugs the shit outta me is that y’all fall back onto garbage about “original intent” and “plain meaning” but ignore the actual words of the Federalists who helped shape and form this nation. You’re talking to the wrong person here. I’m not a strict constructionalist. I just don’t believe in natural human rights. A right exists because people agree that it does and agree to not violate it (or that those who violate it should be punished). If the government decides that gays can get married, then gays have the right to get married. If it decides that people whose last name starts with R will be killed, then people whose last name starts with R no longer have the right to live. Whether the government should let gays get married or not, or whether it should kill Richie Rich because of his last name or not is another question. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2004, 6:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-being-a-confused-second-class-citizen-hep-me-jeezus/275115/25 "2004-11-18T06:59:13Z")
> [@Homebrew](#): > > You have absolute rights to your own body and property. Absolute. We don’t have to agree on any enumerated rights. No, you don’t. My source informs me that under some circumstances, you and your body may be compelled to do some things for the greater good and survival of others, even if you don’t want to. ---
**Author:** ![Muad\_Dib](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/35a633/32.png) [@Muad\_Dib](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muad_Dib)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2004, 8:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-being-a-confused-second-class-citizen-hep-me-jeezus/275115/26 "2004-11-18T08:11:04Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > If this is so, how do you propose we agree on what they are? I assume if we cut you open, we aren’t going to find a handy list starting on your spleen that ends, “See next organ,” for continuation. So merely asserting that they are “inherent in … a person” seems less than useful. The rights arise from our being rationale, conscious creatures. Just as the pythagorian theorem arsise fram a triangle nature as a three sided object, so to do our rigts to “life, Liberty and the pursuit of happines”. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-being-a-confused-second-class-citizen-hep-me-jeezus/275115.md?page=1)