One of the basic ideas that underlie the Constitution and the entire concept of American law is that, as the Declaration of Independence says, each person has been endowed by his or her creator with certain unalienable rights; among them are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
That concept evolved over time. There was an exception for slaves at the time of the revolution in some of the states. That was expunged at the time of the Civil War. Women got the vote 100 years ago. There are more examples, but basically, in each of these instances, the rights of the majority were expanded to cover more people. Voting that was originally for white male property owners is now for all citizens, and so forth.
Today, that sort of expansion of equal rights is not enough for some. These people push for superior rights for some who used to lack certain rights. For example, some of the Democrat candidates for president are pushing for reparations as a result of slavery. These candidates want people whose ancestors were slaves to get payments from the rest of the country. That would make people who were the right race but who had no ancestors who were slaves get payments from people whose ancestors didn't even live in the USA during slavery. How can that be "equality"?
Another example comes up with people who identify as a gender other than their biological sex. Many trans people want the right to use showers in schools with those of the sex with which they identify. It's their right, or so they say. But what about the rights of the others in that shower? Don't they have the right to shower with others of their same biological sex? Why must the majority give up rights? That's not spreading equality; rather it is elevating the rights of certain people above those of others.
That concept evolved over time. There was an exception for slaves at the time of the revolution in some of the states. That was expunged at the time of the Civil War. Women got the vote 100 years ago. There are more examples, but basically, in each of these instances, the rights of the majority were expanded to cover more people. Voting that was originally for white male property owners is now for all citizens, and so forth.
Today, that sort of expansion of equal rights is not enough for some. These people push for superior rights for some who used to lack certain rights. For example, some of the Democrat candidates for president are pushing for reparations as a result of slavery. These candidates want people whose ancestors were slaves to get payments from the rest of the country. That would make people who were the right race but who had no ancestors who were slaves get payments from people whose ancestors didn't even live in the USA during slavery. How can that be "equality"?
Another example comes up with people who identify as a gender other than their biological sex. Many trans people want the right to use showers in schools with those of the sex with which they identify. It's their right, or so they say. But what about the rights of the others in that shower? Don't they have the right to shower with others of their same biological sex? Why must the majority give up rights? That's not spreading equality; rather it is elevating the rights of certain people above those of others.
No comments:
Post a Comment