Don't trivialize rights
There's been this commercial on radio lately. It's targeting people who have bad credit and who want to drive luxury cars. Well, if someone wants to target that market, go ahead. I wouldn't even bring it up except for the fact that there's one line in it that sticks in my head. It's something like this:
"You've earned the right to drive a nice car."
Give me a break.
I have two problems with this.
First, the concept of "earning" a right is self-contradictory. A right is something that you have without having to earn it. I have the rights to free speech and gun ownership and to not have soldiers quartered in my house and not be searched without probably cause. I don't need to earn them. As an American, I find that idea abhorrent.
Secondly, when did driving a luxury car become a divinely-given right? I'm definitely open to realistic debate about whether certain things are rights. Is there a right not to be tortured? A right to health care?
But I'll tell you now that there's no right to drive a nice car. Don't cheapen the concept of a right that way.
Comments
Some would tell you there are positive rights like health care. This would fall under the idea of "life, liberty and property". Actually I think we had a class discussion on this.
Posted by: Shira | May 3, 2004 12:38 AM