“Rights” defined and described by our Declaration of Independence

IN CONGRESS, July 4, 1776.

The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America,

When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.–That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, –That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.–Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.

(Read the rest of the Declaration of Independence by clicking the title above.)

The founding fathers of the United States defined and described equal “rights” for all Americans in the Declaration of Independence.  Our founding fathers then emphasized they truly meant and intended what they penned when they signed their personal signatures.  Our founders signed their own personal death warrant when they took oaths to one another by placing their signatures at the bottom of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776.

Rights are:

Something “the people”, all men (and women), have individually (and separately).

At the same time, every individual has EQUAL rights to every other individual in the USA; at exactly the SAME TIME.

Consider this concept.  Assume you and I are both individuals who are also American citizens.  Re-read this beginning:

“… and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them,…”

“the separate and equal station”

Notice rights are:

• Separate = Individual,  and
• Equal = no individual has more than any other individual.

Consider next;

“…all men are created equal, …”

Rights are something we are BORN with.  Rights NEVER come from Government, or “man’s laws”.

“… [Individuals] are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, …”

Notice, RIGHTS are:

• inherent in every individual when we are born, and
• Can never be taken away.

UNALIENABLE   =   CAN NEVER BE TAKEN AWAY

Now we understand; Rights are something we are born with and every individual American has an EXACT EQUAL amount to every other individual American.  Stated from a different point of view:

No single person, has more rights than any other individual person.

Allow that to sink in;

• I have the exact same kind and amount of rights as every other person in America, including you.
• You have the exact same amount and kind of rights as every other person in America, including me.

EQUAL means exactly the same amount.  Equal Rights for every individual in America.  Every single individual is entitled to the EXACT SAME amount of protection under EVERY LAW.  Hence, the concept of “Equal Protection under the LAW”.  No one can ever have more Rights than any other individual.  Never.  No one can have, or be given any more than any other individual.  EQUAL, EQUALITY, THE SAME.  No one is entitled to more protection under the law than anyone else for ANY REASON.

No one gets treated differently, or extra enforcement/consideration because of:

• who they are,
• who they are friends with,
• how wealthy they are,
• what group they choose to be a member of,
• what group they are born within.

Why?  In America, ALL individuals are created with the SAME rights that can never be taken away by any other individual, or government.

What is this amorphous thing, concept, called “Rights”?

Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.–

Every single individual who is an American citizen, has the EXACT same amount and entitlement to LIFE, LIBERTY, and to pursue “happiness”.  No individual, can in any way have MORE of these things, or be given more of these things, or be “allowed” more of these things, than ANY OTHER INDIVIDUAL.  But only when these things are RIGHTS.

Equality.  For every individual and EVERY right.

No individual can accrue MORE of any right than any other individual.

No individual can have a Court enforce MORE of any right than any other individual.  Why?  Equal protection under the law for all individuals.  No individual can join a group, and gather more “rights” than any other individual.  Why?  Because

“all are created EQUAL”

How do individuals ensure this equality and enforce equal protection under the law?

“–That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, …”

Government is CREATED by INDIVIDUALS.

REMEMBER and CONSIDER this;

Individuals get together and CREATE government.   The Government can only exercise JUST POWERS that ALL individuals CONSENT to.

JUST POWERS are those powers consented to by “the People” which is made up of all individuals.   Powers can only be “JUST” if the powers in question are exercised equally upon each and every individual.  (Remember:  Equal Protection under the law.)

A power is “not Just” if:

• the “power” is not consented to by individuals who make up “the people”, or
• the “power” is not exercised the same upon every single individual.

What happens when, any Government, created and consented to by individuals, the People, begins to exceed its authority?

-That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.

When do all individuals know when the RIGHT to abolish the government rises? When government exceeds its just powers and violates the EQUAL RIGHTS of all individuals;

But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.-

What happens when the government, created by “the people”, made up of equal individuals, takes actions and exercises power:

• Not consented to by “individuals/the People”,
• Greater than the scope consented to by “the People”,
• Allows different individuals to do some things and not others?
• Arbitrarily takes property from some individuals and “gives” that taken to favored individuals . . .
• Requires some individuals to “pay” more than other individuals,
• Restrains some individuals from taking actions or competing.
• Allows other individuals to act alone without competition thereby allowing them to take more from others.
• Allows some individuals to move ahead of other individuals in any “line”,
• Allows some individuals to identify themselves as part of a “group” and thereby force others to take actions, or refrain from actions based upon the “group identity”?

Government, is arbitrarily “enforcing” different amounts of “rights” for different individuals.  The opposite of equal protection of the law. When Government no longer applies “the law” equally to all individuals, then the government no longer acts justly or with the consent of the governed.  Government gives rise to the RIGHT of “the People” (made up of all individuals) when unjust actions are taken:

-That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.

and

… it is [every individual’s] right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.–

RIGHTS are the reason for and the basis of, a future security that recognizes and protects equality of every single individual American.  Individual Rights are within each of us upon being created.  Government has the duty of protecting every individual’s Rights equally.  “Equal” is completely different, separate and apart from “fair”.  Government acts illegally when it favors any group, individual, or entity, by giving them privileges which place them above any individual;

RIGHTS can never justly, [legally] be taken away by the “created” (the government) from the creators of government, “the People”.  When “the created”, Government, no longer provides and enforces “equal protection of the law”; then Government is acting illegally when it exceeds its legal powers.  When Government acts illegally; then “the People”, made up of all American individuals, have the DUTY to restrain the old and remake a new government that will ensure the rights of all Americans.

A new government that protects all American’s unalienable rights to:

“LIFE, LIBERTY, AND THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS”