tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11368628.post7224047022015164004..comments2024-03-29T08:36:39.917-04:00Comments on Daniel Greenfield / Sultan Knish Articles at DanielGreenfield.org : When Positive and Negative Rights CollideDaniel Greenfieldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13575285186581875356noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11368628.post-28689350733648542882012-03-01T01:49:32.622-05:002012-03-01T01:49:32.622-05:00This just might be the clearest piece I've rea...This just might be the clearest piece I've read showing how positive rights usurp liberty. On one hand it created a picture in my mind of a world where people of differing beliefs, values and ideas, chosen obligations and lifestyles can go their own differing ways together in peace (negative rights). On the other hand I can already see for myself a world where people seethe with resentment against each other as some are forced to act against their beliefs, values, and ideas in order to serve the "official" set of values.<br /><br />Regarding gay marriage, under a system of "negative rights" I would expect a gay couple to be able to form a civil union or civil marriage, protected by a contract and by the law, as marriage is. And any religion that accepted gay marriage in its theology would be free to conduct a marriage ceremony. But no church which rejected homosexual unions would be forced to preside over them. And, of course, the "negative rights" model requires that the right to be free from the initiation of physical force (including force against one's property) and fraud will be protected equally for everyone by law.Tallulahnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11368628.post-70262950241327868372012-02-23T12:36:02.002-05:002012-02-23T12:36:02.002-05:00Good article. Secularism has become the new state ...Good article. Secularism has become the new state religion, by bowing to those types who are "offended" by, for example, a display of the 10 commandments at a courthouse. (Really -- that's offensive?) Thus traditional religious ethics gets pushed into the closet ...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11368628.post-17334652261927076962012-02-23T07:28:02.343-05:002012-02-23T07:28:02.343-05:00Switzerland is the only country in the world where...Switzerland is the only country in the world where every decision that impacts on society has to be subjected to a referendum. This is not just at the national level but at the lowest level ie the parish level.<br /><br />Representative democracies always lead to the kind of problems that are evident in all democracies(except Switzerland)- capture of the agenda by the best organised to pressure the government to adopt an agenda.<br /><br />I believe that for us now, ie the Western democracies, the only hope is for Direct Democracy of the Swiss type.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11368628.post-51454600893762414632012-02-22T12:17:03.386-05:002012-02-22T12:17:03.386-05:00Read Isaiah Berlin's essay 'Two Concepts o...Read Isaiah Berlin's essay 'Two Concepts of Liberty' (1958). Also, check out Adam Curtis' three part documentary, 'The Trap'. And while I'm at it, his seminal 'The Century of the Self', one of the best documentary series ever made. Both superb.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11368628.post-31987904558936345702012-02-22T11:32:06.444-05:002012-02-22T11:32:06.444-05:00If anyone has any "progressive" friends ...If anyone has any "progressive" friends or relatives who might be willing to listen (mine aren't, unfortunately), they should tell them this about "positive rights":<br /><br />Even if they truly believe that Obama and his cronies are the most perfect and righteous masters imaginable, who says that the next guys who inherit all this power will be as good? Why aren't they even a little bit scared about putting so much control in the hands of human beings?<br /><br />I think that even most of the left will admit that the idealism of the Russian Revolution led to a Stalin, whom even they don't admire anymore. Of course, we know that Lenin was at least as bad, but just didn't have as much time to do damage, but maybe some of this will get through to a few of them, the ones whose minds haven't been completely destroyed by public 'education', as mentioned by a previous commenter.fsynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11368628.post-60523080472274000772012-02-22T08:34:06.400-05:002012-02-22T08:34:06.400-05:00As you pointed out early on, the crisis in the edu...As you pointed out early on, the crisis in the educational institutions of this country have significantly contributed to this loss of freedom. Our public schools have become less concerned about educating our children how to think and far more concerned about indoctrinating them on proper thought. Proper thought, of course, reflects these same values that they are trying to force on the citizenry. I wish we could at least point to the religious colleges and universities as a guard against this tide of collective thought, but alas, they too have eaten from the poisoned apple. Seems to me, that we a Josiah to rise up in the land and rediscover the Book of the Law and bring reform to the land...back to our roots. It is not clear to me that this kind of reform will be allowed to occur in peace.dadamnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11368628.post-69821255198697377452012-02-22T06:20:29.183-05:002012-02-22T06:20:29.183-05:00Unless a strong and unified libertarian conservati...Unless a strong and unified libertarian conservative (negative right) group makes itself heard extremely loud and clear, America will sink into the same quagmire of positive rights as Europe. The gradual imposition of the European model made its citizens unaware of the loss of individual freedom whereby it should be noted that only the enlightenment for a short while created a feeling of individuality and freedom but such was illusionary as there was no real political freedom either. Do realize that most Europeans however, when asked if they feel happy living in Europe with it's tons of regulations in "social justice heaven" they answer predominantly: "yes" and apparently do not crave for what was once known as the model of the land of the free.mindRiderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12160934421830568737noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11368628.post-84194579421566777092012-02-22T05:08:49.937-05:002012-02-22T05:08:49.937-05:00Not only do entitlements intrude on the spaces of ...Not only do entitlements intrude on the spaces of freedoms it also teaches people via example that the world is to take freedoms trivially. The Torah is a book of responsibilities whereas those who are entitlement minded scream of their rights.<br />Responsibilities influence a society to be healthy whereas screaming and demanding ones rights only produces this sense of entitlement.<br /> A book of responsibilities truly is the way we help each other by being concerned for one another.<br />Unfortunately it is sorely lacking. I am glad to be a member of my Jewish heritage that has a bookof responsibilities.<br /> Hats off to another fine article full of clarity, Daniel!Leahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00338022892863788418noreply@blogger.com