## The Bill of No Rights

Post by drawscore » Thu Mar 29, 2012 5:53 pm

We the sensible people of the United States, in an attempt to help everyone get along, restore some semblance of justice, avoid any more riots, keep our nation safe, promote positive behavior and secure the blessings of debt free liberty to ourselves and our great great-great grandchildren, hereby try one more time to ordain and establish some common sense guidelines for the terminally whiny, guilt ridden, delusional, and other liberal bedwetters.
We hold these truths to be self-evident: That a whole lot of people were confused by the Bill of Rights and are so dim that they require a Bill of No Rights.
ARTICLE I -- You do not have the right to a new car, big screen TV or any form of wealth.
More power to you if you can legally acquire them, but no one is guaranteeing anything.
ARTICLE II -- You do not have the right to never be offended.
This country is based on freedom, and that means the freedom for everyone, not just you! You may leave the room, turn the channel, express a different opinion, etc., but the world is full of idiots and probably always will be.
ARTICLE III -- You do not have the right to be free from harm.
If you stick a screwdriver in your eye, learn to be more careful. Do not expect the tool manufacturer to make you and all your relatives independently wealthy.
ARTICLE IV -- You do not have the right to free food and housing.
Americans are the most charitable people to be found, and will gladly help anyone in need but we are quickly growing weary of subsidizing generations of professional couch potatoes who achieve nothing more than the creation of another generation of professional couch potatoes.
ARTICLE V -- You do not have the right to free health care.
That would be nice but, from the looks of public housing, we're just not interested in government run health care.
ARTICLE VI -- You do not have the right to physically harm other people.
If you kidnap, rape, intentionally maim or kill someone, don't be surprised if the rest of us want to see your ass fry in the electric chair.
ARTICLE VII -- You do not have the right to the possessions of others.
If you rob, cheat or coerce away the goods or services of other citizens, don't be surprised if the rest of us get together and lock you away in a place where you still won't have the right to a big screen TV or a life of leisure.
ARTICLE VIII -- You don't have the right to demand that our children risk their lives in foreign wars to soothe your aching conscience.
We hate oppressive governments and won't lift a finger to stop you from going to fight, if you'd like. However, we do not enjoy parenting the entire world and do not want to spend so much of our time battling each and every little tyrant with a military uniform and a funny hat.
ARTICLE IX -- You don't have the right to a job.
All of us sure want all of you to have one, and will gladly help you in hard times, but we expect you to take advantage of the opportunities of education and vocational training laid before you to make yourself useful.
ARTICLE X -- You do not have the right to happiness.
Being an American means that you have the right to pursue happiness -- which by the way, is a lot easier if you are unencumbered by an over abundance of idiotic laws created by those of you who were so dim, as to be confused by the original Bill of Rights.
Drawscore

### Re: The Bill of No Rights

Post by Kyle » Thu Mar 29, 2012 6:06 pm

About Article 9, how is someone supposed to get that kind of education if they can't find a job so they can pay for it?

### Re: The Bill of No Rights

Post by drawscore » Thu Mar 29, 2012 8:32 pm

First, education through the high school level is free.
Second, if you are smart enough, or play a sport well enough, you may obtain a scholarship. If not, there is military service, the Peace Corp, or an appointment to one of the five service academies (Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, Merchant Marine). If you don't qualify for a scholarship, do what others have done: work their way through college. If you show an inclination to help yourself, getting help from others is much easier. But, none of us owes you a damn thing. (See Article I)
Drawscore

### Re: The Bill of No Rights

Post by Kyle » Fri Mar 30, 2012 12:35 pm

> drawscore wrote:If you show an inclination to help yourself, getting help from others is much easier. But, none of us owes you a damn thing. (See Article I)
> Drawscore

I generally agree with what you wrote, but that's a very naive way of looking at the world.

### Re: The Bill of No Rights

Post by Jason Toddman » Fri Mar 30, 2012 9:39 pm

Actually, though I tend to disagree with a lot of things Drawscore says, everything he has said here is not only essentially correct but almost universal belief in this country less than a century ago.
It's not a kind way of saying it, but then I suppose we don't have a right to kindness either. More's the pity.
I even agree about is said here about health care. Of course, it sucks to be me if I get a majopr illness that costs more to cure than I possess. Of course, there is thankfully some help for those who most need it. Some hospitals won't charge you for emergency care (such as to remove a life threatening tumor) if you live at or below the poverty level. But it's not a right...
It's just something provided by those people who actually have a decent sense of compassion.
Thank God for those!
Otherwise I would be dead or bankrupt by now because of the tumor that was removed from my colon two years ago and a $70,000 hospital bill I incurred because of it that I couldn't pay.
Maybe free health care isn't a right... but affordable health care should be one.
Dare to be different... and make a difference.
To boldly go where no one in their right mind has gone before...

### Re: The Bill of No Rights

Post by drawscore » Sat Mar 31, 2012 2:16 pm

>>>It's not a kind way of saying it, but then I suppose we don't have a right to kindness either. More's the pity.<<<
We have the right to be kind, but we also have the right to be assholes. Of course, if you choose to be an asshole, don't be surprised if people don't want to be around you.
>>>I even agree about is said here about health care. Of course, it sucks to be me if I get a majopr illness that costs more to cure than I possess. Of course, there is thankfully some help for those who most need it. Some hospitals won't charge you for emergency care (such as to remove a life threatening tumor) if you live at or below the poverty level. But it's not a right...
It's just something provided by those people who actually have a decent sense of compassion.<<<
For veterans, there is the system of VA hospitals and medical centers. But this is something they earned through their service. And, under Article V, "Americans are the most charitable people to be found, and will gladly help anyone in need . . . " Most hospitals, even those "for profit" have a fund to cover the costs of services provided to indigent patients, and that fund is kept up by donations from charitable-minded Americans, and from churches and other charities and service organizations (Rotary, Sertoma, etc.). Locally, St. Paul's Hospital, (non profit) run by the local Catholic Diocese, has its indigent patients fund funded by Catholic Charities, Inc. (So be nice to the religious folks. Their "decent sense of compassion" may be responsible for your treatment, and for your debt being forgiven.)
>>>Maybe free health care isn't a right... but affordable health care should be one.<<<
Affordable health care was once the norm, but that ended under Lyndon Johnson back in the 60's, with the passage of Medicare. Doctors and hospitals found out they could bill the government for services not provided, and get rich. But if they charged Medicare patients more than they charged non-medicare patients, there would be an investigation, so everyone was charged equally. Hell, in 1965, I was treated in an emergency room, and it cost my parents $10. Now, it's $200 to walk in the door; $40 for a band aid, and $100 for an aspirin.
Of course, this just serves to confirm my belief that the government often has the Midas touch in reverse, in that many of the programs designed to help the poor, don't; and that nearly everything it touches turns to shit. Look at Johnson's "War on Poverty." $30 trillion since the mid 60's, and the percentage of people at or below the poverty line is higher.
Drawscore

### Re: The Bill of No Rights

Post by Jason Toddman » Sat Mar 31, 2012 10:12 pm

> drawscore wrote:We have the right to be kind, but we also have the right to be assholes. Drawscore

I won't make the expected comment about the second part of this statement, but wish to point out that when I mentioned kindness, I meant we don't have the right to expect kindness from others... not the right to be kind ourselves. That is, of course, everyone's right... it's just one that gets exercised a whole hell of a lot sometimes.
Dare to be different... and make a difference.
To boldly go where no one in their right mind has gone before...

### Re: The Bill of No Rights

Post by drawscore » Sat Mar 31, 2012 10:33 pm

>>>I meant we don't have the right to expect kindness from others... not the right to be kind ourselves. That is, of course, everyone's right... it's just one that gets exercised a whole hell of a lot sometimes.<<<
This is true. But the government should not force us to be charitable. If I have 100k and want to give it to several charities, particularly those that share my views, that's my right. But I don't want the government coming in, taking my money through taxes, and giving it to people, organizations, or charities that I don't support.
And if I want to be a tightwad SOB, and spend it all on myself, well, that's my right, too.
Drawscore

### Re: The Bill of No Rights

Post by Jason Toddman » Sun Apr 01, 2012 7:20 am

Had a typo in my messsage. Meant to say: wish to point out that when I mentioned kindness, I meant we don't have the right to expect kindness from others... not the right to be kind ourselves. That is, of course, everyone's right... it's just one that doesn't get exercised a whole hell of a lot sometimes.[/quote]
As for the whole Taxes for Socialism thing, I don't want to go there.
Dare to be different... and make a difference.
To boldly go where no one in their right mind has gone before...