Pubdate: Mon, 08 Apr 2002
Source: Winston-Salem Journal (NC)
Copyright: 2002 Piedmont Publishing Co. Inc
Contact:  http://www.journalnow.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/504
Note: The Journal does not publish letters from writers outside its daily 
home delivery circulation area.
Author: Bobby Waddell

INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS

President Bush speaks of breathing freedom, but failed to tell us where to 
go to do that, because you won't do it in this country. Actually, what he 
means is freedom for the federal government rather than freedom for the 
individual.

People speak of rights. The only rights anyone has are the rights he can 
enforce for himself. If you can't enforce a right, you don't have it. The 
state's main goal for years has been to deny the public and the individual 
any enforcement capabilities. As the saying goes, if you want a helping 
hand, look at the end of your wrist.

As a student of history, I noted long ago that the older a government is, 
the more corrupt it becomes. The founding fathers found King George's 
policies of plunder and seizure so distasteful that they were opposed to 
property seizures under any circumstances, even in the case of treason. 
Here the culprit, after having been found guilty, would be executed and the 
property returned to the deceased's family. Contrast that with today and 
note the true face of organized crime. I know of people here who have had 
property seized and were never convicted of anything.

Philosopher John Locke said, "Whenever the legislatures endeavor to take 
away and destroy the property of the people ... they put themselves into a 
state of war with the people."

BOBBY WADDELL

Hays.
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