Intro
I saw something this morning that kind of irk'd me so I thought I'd write some thoughts on it... It was one of those maps of countries and the results of a poll. The poll what "Is food a human right?" and like every country except USA voted "yes" and we voted "no" - ie. Americans hate people... obviously...
Obviously that's ridiculous... or it obvious to me anyways... But the ridiculousness of the graphic aside, it's the baseline question that got me thinking...
What is a right?
Things to be Protected
The thing is - you can not be entitled to the labor of another human being... I think this is axiomatic, and I know there are large groups of people who disagree, but I would call every one of those groups inhumane.
My Right Trumps Your Freedom
If my right requires that another person works, then that person is not free... sounds familiar, ya?
So with the understanding that I have ZERO regard for a worldview that thinks some humans can force labor on another group of humans - let's talk about what a right is.
A right is something all humans have the ability to do AND at the same time is a thing that CAN BE defended
Ultimately, rights are just force
Note I'm not saying all humans have to agree on the thing, nor am I saying that it MUST BE defended to be a right, but if something can forcefully be taken away then I think the verbiage of calling it a "right" is nothing more than emotional argumentation.
I want all people to have clean drinking water, the ability to work and make a life for themselves, the freedom to express creativity, and also food to eat... I want these things for all humans, but calling anything of them a "right" on their own is either deeply misguided or, as noted above, axiomatic to a worldview that is essentially pro-slavery. The simpleton thinking about "rights" is doing the world, and our country specifically no favors in public discourse...
For Example
I hear that Trump's administration is "taking away basic human rights" and I've had the privilege of asking a few people what they mean... Either nothing or abortion. The nothing crowd is led astray by a misguided narrative, and the abortion crowd simply denies the humanity of the unborn. They would deny the humanity of any group of humans they can eliminate or enslave for their own gain. Ironically it's in restoring the idea of liberty from the government that I think this WH administration is actually doing a good job of defending huamn rights - and by civil necessity that means the rights of citizens primarily.
Might Makes Right
Unfortunately, a reality of our broken world is that might makes right. ie. the Strong make the rules for the Weak, and if the Strong don't protect the Weak's ability, say to eat, then the language of a "right to food" has absolutely zero weight.
Let me say plainly that I don't subscribe to a worldview where "might makes right" is appropriate - I believe Jesus will come back to judge the living and the dead, and that his people (ie. the Church) should work the world for the betterment of all people. But while I believe this and live my life in this direction - I recognize the functional reality that the only things you "have a right to" are the things you can protect.
This is one reason I've come to appreciate America so much. It isn't that our country demonstrates every moral conviction I have, or even that it was founded on "Christian Principals" (history is hard), but our country was founded on a principal that all people have inalienable rights... But those rights are recognized in our country because our country can and does defend those liberties.
If no one will defend you, you functionally have a right to nothing - to argue otherwise is to be needlessly pedantic in a conversation that must revolve around practicality to be useful
It's high-time some political activists start thinking pragmatically instead of spewing emotional language into a field they probably have no business being in (besides those sweet sweet lobby-dollars of course)
Fin
So... what's the point? I think I'm saying we should just speak honestly about our world, because emotional and vague language is actually not helpful... To that end, honestly many many people need to practice silence in the public sector - the internet has made everyone an expert commentator on the current thing, and it's destroying actual rhetoric.
And although I can't say "all humans have a right to food" because not all humans have their ability to obtain and eat food protected, I absolutely believe all humans should have this ability of theirs protected. This conclusion can't be expressed in a simple map created undoubtedly to perpetuate political anger and division...
So go out there and protect the weaker person's "right" to whatever you feel is being wrongly taken from them - but if you can't protect it then either vote for someone who will or frankly quit talking...