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From: jrrt@ahuta.UUCP (r.mitchell)
Newsgroups: net.politics.theory
Subject: Rights, or Wrongs?
Message-ID: <636@ahuta.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 23-Apr-85 16:32:34 EST
Article-I.D.: ahuta.636
Posted: Tue Apr 23 16:32:34 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 26-Apr-85 08:12:00 EST
Organization: AT&T Information Systems Labs, Holmdel NJ
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		>I don't believe rights exist ... (Mike Huybensz) 
	I thought as much.  I'm content to leave the discussion here, 
	although I hope all netters will ponder carefully the consequences 
	of Mr. Huybensz's statement. (Barry Fagin)

OK, I'll bite.  I missed the original posting, so I can't tell if
you are quoting Mr. Huybensz out of context, but I agree with what
you extracted.  I don't believe in rights, either, if by "rights"
you mean some absolute standards of behavior that are beyond argument.
I can intellectually understand the concept of "legal rights," even though 
I dispute their claim on my behavior.  I cannot understand the concept
of absolute rights being intrinsic to the universe.

I do believe in "courtesies," though.  I will not kill you, steal from you,
tell you whether you may have an abortion, deny you a loan or fail to hire 
you because of your race/creed/sex/age/sexual preference/whatever, etc.
However, I do so not because of any alleged "right" of yours to life,
property, self-determination, or freedom from discrimination.  No, I
do not do those things because you are a human being, and I extend
such courtesies to all human beings.  Out of respect for our common
humanity, I treat you with dignity and rationality.  You may or may not 
reciprocate, as you see fit, but I'd be a hypocrite if I said you *should* 
do so.  I think it would be rational of you to extend those courtesies to 
everyone around you, and I may wish everyone did likewise, but I can't 
expect everyone to agree with me.  After all, I have no *right* to tell
you how to run your life.

I suppose this conversation is now treading on net.philosophy turf.

Rob Mitchell
{allegra,ihnp4}!ahuta!jrrt

Let me have my way exactly in everything, and you will find that a
pleasanter creature does not exist. -- Carlyle