11-20-1991, me age 19 musing, part of a longer group discussion on autonomy vs guidance
[…]
(except the rights that they are TOLD they can have… like the RIGHT to say NO (Umm… sounds more like the RESPONSIBILITY to say NO.
Calling it the RESPONSIBILITY to say “NO” is more truthful, and might get more people to actually say it, being that it would be shown in its true light.
I mean, how can you have the right to say no, when you don’t have the equal right to say yes? Rights never seem to be ‘handed’ to a person unless it’s beneficial to the person handing the rights. Then the “Rights” aren’t “Rights”; they are requirements (or, at the very least, responsibilities).
Rights can’t be assigned on basis of merit – Rights just ARE.
–Ken