All too frequently, late at night, I fall foul of the "Oh my god, I can't believe that's what they really think!" and rattle some keys which really should have stayed silent. I shall try and be stronger with myself.
I think it is more a question of what people believe the major responsibilities of government to be.
One point of view is that the government's mandate is to protect its citizenry from danger, even from themselves. Rights are nice to have and important too, but if it comes to a choice, the life and well-being of the citizen is more important than individual concepts like liberty.
Another point of view is that the government's mandate is to protect liberty from encroachment, even by itself. Life and well-being are nice to have and important too, but if it comes to a choice, individual civil liberties are more important than individual concepts like personal safety and health.
In truth, we live with compromises in both directions. We wear seat belts and motorcycle helmets by law in most states; yet the only danger from not doing so is to ourselves - surely we have the right to risk our own health? Yet as adults, we can choose to smoke, drink to excess, skydive, engage in risky unprotected sexual behavior - surely these are dangers from which we should be protected?
Ultimately, my position is that the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights, are the core documents that define and shape what and how far the government intrudes for our own good, whether or not citizens ask for (or even demand) it. There is no prohibition on the federal government (or states) infringing upon a right to smoke, for example. Theoretically, the government could very well ban it. There is one prohibiting the suppression of free speech, religion, assembly, firearm possession, and so on; and to me, these represent the areas that are not really open to compromise. It is clear that our founders meant for these rights to be sacrosanct. I rather like that.
I am reminded that when I took my Enlistment Oath some twenty five plus years ago, I swore to
"support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same..." My allegiance was not to the President (other than obeying his or her lawful orders as Commander in Chief), or to the Congress, the Supreme Court, the People, or even to 'the country' or 'the nation' or 'the flag'. My oath was to a piece of paper (and the amendments to it) which form the backbone of what we really are in the USA, what we believe, what we defend. My oath was to the very concept and definition of liberty, the idea and ideal that is America.
I have to come down on the side of those who believe that as sad as it is when people are injured, become ill, or die, it is more important that our liberties be preserved, protected, and defended.
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. After all, we are building aircraft carriers again ... well, really little ones anyway :lol:.
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