Opinion: Our rights are imaginary? Don't be barbaric

It is often said there are two kinds of people. What kinds? It depends on the point being made. Yet, it’s usually true, if incomplete.

In this case, I’m talking about two kinds of people where liberty is concerned. There are people who are authoritarian and people who are libertarian; those who want everyone else controlled and those who don’t feel any such need.

Politics boils down to controlling someone in some way, so most politics is authoritarian. Maybe all politics. Both major parties and most, if not all, minor parties are included. Controlling other people is politically popular.

The only type of legitimate control is when someone is stopped in the act of violating another -- including violating them with political control.

Any legislation that seeks to control behavior that doesn’t violate life, liberty, or property is itself a violation. It is illegitimate control. Anyone who seeks to pass or enforce any such legislation is a violator. They are fundamentally the same as any mugger, attacker, kidnapper, or murderer. They are doing something they have no right to do.

No one has the right to violate anyone’s right to exercise their liberty. Not for any reason.

Having the power isn’t the same as having the right, but most people, as long as politics or government are involved, won’t understand the distinction.

I’ve heard people say rights are imaginary; all that matters is whether someone has the power to do something. This is both ridiculous and barbaric. The whole reason crime happens is because someone has the power to violate someone else. Their power doesn’t excuse them from doing wrong.

As I’ve pointed out in the past, if rights are imaginary, then no one can claim the right to govern others. I’m fine with this outcome. For some reason, this obvious conclusion makes those who want to rule people or be ruled change the subject.

It wouldn’t even be a problem if the authoritarian people could keep it between themselves and leave the rest of us out of it. Rule each other all they want, but don’t try to spread their toxicity beyond their ranks. Sadly, part of being authoritarian is the antisocial inability to live with that boundary.

This means the rest of us, those who understand and value liberty, must continually find ways to drive around avoiding the debris and potholes of authoritarianism on the road of life. It keeps us on our toes.

Farwell’s Kent McManigal champions liberty. Contact him at:

[email protected]