Yes, we do have all of those rights but unfortunately, to piggy back on your secondary statement, it seems that hearing and seeing is a privilege and not a right. Since there are those intolerant entities that have an apparent right to decide what we can see and hear, one can only surmise that whilst we do have the freedom of speech, some have the power to edit it or to deny others any right to hear it ergo, hearing and seeing can only be privileges.
Unfortunately, the sad truth is that rights are not guaranteed except with the use of force by people claiming them. Hence the never ending push to disarm the civilian population. People need to understand that when governments talk about banning guns, they mean only for the common folks, not for their enforcers. They want power to reside with the rulers, not those they supposedly serve. In other words, they really don’t want us free.
On the other hand, I feel we have tolerated far too much. Some things shouldn't be tolerated. Leave the children alone first off.
Just think, those that simply can't be around, or want to be around, smokers, due to heath reasons, like my wife, are told "you are judging". Those that don't like hearing the really foul words, like the "F" bomb, are told "you are judging". Those that don't like many things a person wears are told "you are judging". Just when will be understand why "judging" is done? If more "judging" was done, instead of tolerating everything, perhaps young folks would get rid of friends that do illegal drugs and use the "F" word. I truly believe that many-to-most of us, on this forum and off, do judge, but don't want to admit it. Tolerating things you really don't like, sort of goes with "if you're going to complain about something, do something about your complaint". IOW, don't like smoking, don't associate with smokers. Don't like words like the "F" bomb, don't get around those that use those words. People can "pick and choose" their friends, but many do not. We do and will continue to.
And….what do you Think it means Cody? Read it again, think about it, come up with your own translation and then I’ll discuss it. I mean, why do I have to lead a horse to the water when he’s already standing at the trough?
Well, either tell me your translation, or don't. Doesn't make me much difference! However, there is something else I just thought about: What about those, like yourself, that got judged by society for being in Vietnam? I didn't get "judged", because I was in the Navy. Army Soldier and Marines got called all kinds of foul things in airports, after returning home. Sort of funny though, there were protestors that carried signs saying "Bring Our Troops Home", but when they did come home, they got very ridiculed for being over there. IOW, Bobby, a lot of society judged our participation in Vietnam.
Ayn Rand made an impression on me many years ago with these words. “One must never fail to pronounce moral judgment. Nothing can corrupt and disintegrate a culture or a man’s character as thoroughly as does the precept of moral agnosticism, the idea that one must never pass moral judgment on others, that one must be morally tolerant of anything, that the good consists of never distinguishing good from evil. It is obvious who profits and who loses by such a precept. It is not justice or equal treatment that you grant to men when you abstain equally from praising men’s virtues and from condemning men’s vices. When your impartial attitude declares, in effect, that neither the good nor the evil may expect anything from you—whom do you betray and whom do you encourage?” http://aynrandlexicon.com/lexicon/moral_judgment.html
The basic premise is that a person has to look at the entire picture before coming to a judgment of any kind. Just because it looks like a duck at first, doesn’t mean it’s a duck. If it doesn’t have the other parameters that makes a duck, a duck, then it must be something other than a duck. I have seen big, mean looking guys that turned out to be pussycats, and in turn, I have seen small skinny guys that looked like they wouldn’t say crap even if they had a mouthful turn out to be something society shouldn’t have to tolerate. Just like your earlier post about returning vets from Vietnam, there were those who judged the men’s character just by looking at a uniform and nothing else. We could see and hear what was in the hearts of those civilians but still, for the most part we tolerated the intolerant which showed good character on our parts but did nothing for theirs. There isn’t one single day that goes by on my street when I haven’t seen good coming from someone who I previously thought to be a ne’er do well. Just because I hear someone who can’t say a sentence without an expletive or two in it doesn’t mean they’re a bad person, In order for me to know that a person bad, I have to know that all the other parameters that make a bad person bad, are in the mix too. If we could all be so harsh with our judgments whilst standing in front of the mirror.
Well, Bobby, your idea of a bad person/personality sure is different than ours. As far as Vietnam goes, it was the uniform, but also the media and what they said about what was going on there. Drug use, killing children and all of the rest. I guess there was drug use, but as far as "baby killers", the media didn't want to report that there were children holding rifles with the intention of killing Americans. I remember, from another forum, where I said that wife and I didn't like being around smokers. A few criticized us for being "judgmental" toward smokers, but one guy told everyone who was criticizing us "leave them alone! If they prefer not to associate with smokers, that's entirely up to them." I told the guy "thanks a million for your comment". Like I've said numerous times, 99% of people judge others, while a small percentage will acknowledge it, others won't and will say "I never judge anyone". Well, that's is definitely a bunch of bull!!
I would really hate to have you on a jury. All you need to do is to look at a person in order to decide if they are guilty or innocent. And yes, that was a judgment call but it was based on everything you have written over the years.