Do rights come with responsibilities?

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   mike102771posted 11 years ago

   
   Do we (Americans) have freedom of speech? If so should Joan Rivers’s apologies for what she said? Can we learn from this and other people who say what they think without considering the consequences while you have the right to say what you want you have to take responsibility for what you say. Is this not true for all other rights that you have a right you also have a responsibility? “With great power comes great responsibility” Stan Lee.
   
   Do you think you (in America) have a responsibility that goes along with your rights?   
   
   1.    Are you responsible for what you say?
   2.    Are you responsible for safe ownership of your firearm?
   3.    With you have a responsibility to serve on a jury?
   
   Please list any responsibilities you feel we (as Americans) should honor. Note: even if you are not an American please post to this with your countries rights and citizen responsibilities.

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      swordsbaneposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      This falls under the heading of stupid questions, I'm afraid.  You're not the only one asking it, and the fact that some people can't figure out that rights and responsibility are inseparable highlights the problems with our society.  Freedom without responsibility is just anarchy.  People talk about the right to vote, but no one talks about the responsibility to vote.  People talk about Freedom of Speech, but they don't talk about the responsibility to those you are speaking to.  "I can say what I want" is the great battle cry of our era, but if what you say hurts other people, YOU are responsible for that.  If what you say is a lie, YOU are responsible for the consequences.  Politicians forget that, reporters forget that, and we forget that when we let the politicians and the reporters get away with it.
      
      There is no right that does not come with a responsibility.  You are responsible for what your actions do to other people, so why not your words?

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         mike102771posted 11 years agoin reply to this

         I asked this question to see if anyone could defend this notion that they have rights without any reasonability. “Can we learn from this and other people who say what they think without considering the consequences while you have the right to say what you want you have to take responsibility for what you say’ (me, 2013).

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      PhoenixVposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      1. People have the right "not to listen".  Although there are some limitations to free speech, such as giving false information that directly causes harm, limitations or the abridgment of free speech should never be infringed upon. That should be the number one rule. Any abridgment or limitations to free speech are a threat to liberty itself.
      2.  Of course everyone is responsible for the safe handling of weapons.
      3.  People should be willing to serve jury duty.
      
      Joan Rivers is a hypocrite.  She should apologize for her stupid joke. Instead of taking responsibility, she tries to shift responsibility.

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         mike102771posted 11 years agoin reply to this

         I think Joan is going to learn the other side of free speech. She can say what she wants, but it won’t be on her advertiser’s dime. TV is a business built on keeping the advertisers happy. There is such a thing as bad press just ask Mel Gibson.

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      prettydarkhorseposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Of course you live in a society so you either live by the rules of it face the consequences. Who are those people who are making the rules? Supposedly us, but it really depends on the economic and political settings of a country.

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   Zelkiiroposted 11 years ago

   In a way, yes. I can say whatever I want without any mandatory punishment, but that doesn't mean punishment won't come (usually in the form of some big badass guy whose mother is a saint).

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      mike102771posted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Go yell fire in a movie theatre (please don’t) then come back and say what happened. There are plenty of laws that limit speech as well as liability (including that guy whose mother you may have insulted). In some cases you are limited to what is allowed such as what a website will allow you to post (Obscenities).

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         innersmiffposted 11 years agoin reply to this

         These instances are not restrictions of rights seeing as the theatre-goer and the individual who uses the website are engaging in a voluntary contract. The owner of the theatre or website has the right to reasonably expect users to obey rules in exchange for the use of their service. A violation of freedom of speech would occur if an outside party interfered with this arrangement using force.

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         swordsbaneposted 11 years agoin reply to this

         But your responsibility that goes with your free speech goes further than the law.  You're allowed to legally insult someone for no reason, but you shouldn't.  This kind of respect is enforced by the community you live in.  You go around insulting everyone and very soon no one wants to talk to you.  You have a responsibility not to abuse your freedoms.

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            mike102771posted 11 years agoin reply to this

            So in a way the only rights we have are the ones society (community) will allow.

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               swordsbaneposted 11 years agoin reply to this

               No.  We have all the rights the law doesn't forbid.  Responsibility comes from inside ourselves and to a lesser extent our society (peer-pressure and shame)

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   The Frog Princeposted 11 years ago

   Assuming you mean the rights that have been bestowed upon you by your Creator then examine that closely.  The federal government doesn't give you your rights.  The US Constitution does and that needs to be examined closely too.  This nation was founded as a Christian nation and our rights, as we know them by our documents, are basic and bestowed upon us by God.  If you don't accept that premise then you'll let the government push you around and take those rights away from you.

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      mike102771posted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Ok then do you have any responsibilities to the rights God gave you?
      
      Matthew 7:12 (King James) “Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.”

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   LuisEGonzalezposted 11 years ago

   We are definitely responsible for our actions. Rights do carry a certain amount of responsibility that in part helps ensure the continuance of those rights.

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   psycheskinnerposted 11 years ago

   Having the right to do something (a.k.a. the duty not to prevent a person from doing that thing) does not abolish the natural consequences of doing that thing.

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   Wayne Brownposted 11 years ago

   The right of free speech protects the citizen from a government which would use the law to shut him up or deny him the right to express his views.  That does not give me or you any real right over our peer...in that regard we are all equal under the Constitution as well as protected...not from each other but from government.  The same holds true for the 2nd Amendment....a well-trained militia not withstanding, the government shall not infringe upon the individual right to bear arms.  In other words,  as the government, don't point out that there is an army here so therefore I need to relinquish my arms.  Those rights and others are defined for us by the Constitution and the Bill of Rights and they are not offered for compromise.  With those rights, we, as citizens have the responsibility to exercise them in a reasonable fashion which does not do damage or bring harm to innocent individuals.  People do not work for governments...on the contrary government works for the people and is put in place to do will of the people in majority form.  When the time comes that our government begans to define our rights, we are in serious trouble because we will have ignore the greatest responsibility of all....the defense and perservation of such rights.  ~WB

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   innersmiffposted 11 years ago

   I agree except with the responsibility to perform jury duty. This is nothing but involuntary servitude. One cannot have a responsibility forced upon them arbitrarily.

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      Drhuposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      The word is DUTY It comes with your right to vote. You have to take part.

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         innersmiffposted 11 years agoin reply to this

         What you are describing here is involuntary servitude, yet I was under the impression that slavery was made illegal.

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            swordsbaneposted 11 years agoin reply to this

            No.  It's not slavery any more than joining the military is slavery or having a job is slavery.  Think of it as an exchange.  If you vote, it is your responsibility to make an INFORMED vote.  If you can't make an informed vote, then you shouldn't vote.  There should be no "punishment" for not living up to your responsibilities, but you should WANT to be responsible.

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               innersmiffposted 11 years agoin reply to this

               What we're talking about here is jury duty, and whether the right to vote is sufficient to make jury duty not slavery. It isn't, because the government claims an aggressive, unsolicited monopoly over the individual. All exchanges in the market require a written or verbal contract, yet the government presumes consent purely because you happen to live in the country. They'll throw you in prison for not performing jury duty, which is absolutely fits the definition of slavery. Just because you put words like 'duty' on it doesn't change that fact.

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                  swordsbaneposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                  I don't like jury duty (or at least the way it is structured) for a number of reasons that have nothing to do with whether it is considered slavery or not.  Technically, you're describing extortion though.  You are required to perform a service for someone who threatens you with punishment.  Taxation is also like that.  There is no law anywhere written down that says a citizen is REQUIRED to pay an income tax, but if you don't, they will throw you in jail.  Slavery is an extortion so severe that it controls every aspect of your life.  You ARE in prison, not just threatened with it.
                  
                  It's all arguments over definitions though.  Whatever you call it, it's wrong and unfair.

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                     mike102771posted 11 years agoin reply to this

                     Most states will use the voter lists for jury duty or license registration (driving being a privilege not a right). This would suggest that if you want the perks of being a part of our society you must also accept responsibility for its care. This also brings up the reason for the Bill of Rights where we needed a written document spelling out our rights or they would not have been honored today. If they had cars in 1789 we would have a written right to drive. Also it took a constitutional amendment (the 16th amendment) to allow the government (national) the right to tax us.

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                  Drhuposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                  One can be excused from jury duty for various reasons.
                  Were you aware of that?

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                     innersmiffposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                     Yes, but this doesn't make it voluntary.

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                        Drhuposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                        Apparently you have an issue with the concept of serving on a jury. May I ask why?

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                           innersmiffposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                           Juries are absolutely necessary. I simply have an issue with being forced to serve on a jury.

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                              swordsbaneposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                              I get that.  I wear a helmet when I'm on my motorcycle, but I'm against helmet laws.

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                        mike102771posted 11 years agoin reply to this

                        It says you are from the UK. Are you still there now? If in the US are you a resident alien or a citizen? I just want to know if we are all on the same page (or continent).

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                           innersmiffposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                           Yeah I'm living in the UK at the moment.

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                              mike102771posted 11 years agoin reply to this

                              I am not too familiar with how the legal system works in the UK. The only knowledge I have of it is from the movies and TV (John Adams, Law & Order UK). So I have a hard time providing an opinion on it or commenting on any posts. It would be like trying to decipher parliament by comparing it to congress.

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                                 Zelkiiroposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                                 The only UK law I know is "Any and all potentially rude discussions must be settled like gentlemen over a spot of tea, lest the accused be given a soft slap on the fingers with a small ruler."

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                                    mike102771posted 11 years agoin reply to this

                                    Unless it is over football then let the fists fly.

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                                       Zelkiiroposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                                       That goes without saying, of course.

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