Saturday, March 20, 2010

We hold these truths

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." Declaration of Independence by Thomas Jefferson

Free education is not a right. Free health care is not a right. Both items could technically fall under the 10th Amendment:

The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.

But they are not a Creator-given right (or if you don't believe in one/any, it's not a basic human necessity as pointed out by countless philosophers). Therefore, they have no place in our Federal government.

There. I said it.

One may try to argue that they fall under the "pursuit of happiness" clause. And yes, I agree, getting an education and having health care falls under that. BUT, that line is only saying that we have the right to go after those things. Not that we HAVE TO be GIVEN them. See the distinction?

The only thing this country is obligated to give me is life, liberty and the freedom to chase my dreams. Because THAT is the true American dream.

I'm not guaranteed to actually BE happy. I'm not guaranteed a car, house, job, marriage, education, white picket fence, food, money or anything else. I'm guaranteed the freedom it takes to go out and get a job, work for those things, pay for those things and try to enjoy the new advantages that those things I've worked for now give me.

That being said, another great American said something that needs to be repeated over and over these days. We've become a greedy nation. A nation with it's hand out, demanding a job, demanding money for food, for education, for doctors (for free!). Franklin and Jefferson didn't have those things given to them, why should I? They've done more for my life and everyone else in this country than any of us have ever, could ever, do for them. So to you out there, demanding that the government gives us these things I repeat back to you:

And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country. President John F. Kennedy

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

AMEN! Couldn't have said it better myself!

malia said...

I am not trying to argue, please people understand that. I am just curious and want to understand.
When you (or others) say things like this, does that mean that you do not think Public Education is a good thing? or that we should not have public education?

Pixie said...

Public education isn't a right. It's nice to have, but the system that is in place is broken. Especially in CA. It's more run on a state level, so I'm less aggressively against it, but I'm a BIG supporter of the voucher system & charter schools. If I live in an area that has crap schools, why should I pay taxes to send my kids there (or in my current position, lack thereof)? They're obviously not putting my money to good use. I should be able to get my tax dollars BACK and use that money to send my kids to a private school that I deem better than the public ones I live in.

Downey, being the bubble that it is, has a WONDERFUL school system. Not perfect, but I'd be pretty happy to send my kids there. If there was a better school there, that offered better programs for my kids, be it a more advanced GATE program or more help with RSP and I was no longer happy with what I was getting from DUSD, why not give me my "school" tax dollars back to put towards tuition?

My issues with public schooling have come from watching friends who currently ARE teachers and friends like you, that can't even get into the system, as well as my own struggles as a student at a "public" college. We can talk about it any time. :)

JOCELYN AND JEREMY said...

I completely agree Meghan!

Shy said...

I have mixed feelings about this issue. Currently Colby and I have no medical right now. He had healthy families but with the budget cuts he has nothing now! We cannot go on Medi Cal because that's just a mess long story either way we have nothing. If either of us is sick I have to pay outta pocket hundreds of dollars. Which I do not have because I do not work and am trying to finish school to provide a better life for Colby and I. The current health program our country has just plain sucks. @ the beginning of this year I had the beginning stages of pneumonia and didn't even know. All i knew was I was tried all the time and it was hard to breath. I had to sit and wait in front of a free clinic. I think there should be something available for people especially those that r trying to better their lives. Unfortunitly, people in my situation that r honest and etc get the raw end of the deal. Not to mention if colby got extremely ill right now and had to be hospitalized I would be screwed. I think it's hard for people that currently have health insurance to think of those that don't. I'm not asking for a violin to be played but perhaps we should think of those that currently do not have it if for one reason or another that desperately need it !!

Pixie said...

And you don't know what people who do have benefits compromise in their lives to keep them. Medical care is a state level decision. It's not up to the FEDERAL government to take my money for this. It's unconstitutional.

Shy said...

I do know what u have to give up meg ( money). I have had medical benefits before ( so yes I've I've had to pay a lot for them in the past) . Please let me know what u compromise to keep yours. I think helping people have medical that do not right now is a great idea. How it has been executed i'm not 100 percent happy with. Plus i think we should wait until we r outta debt before we put something like this in place. Lastly, until ur a parent u have no idea the uneasiness i have knowing my child is without medical. Not to mention how much we need it but for some reason we cannot get it. Please don't tell me I don't work hard enough for them either, because we both know I'm working my butt off to get a create a better life for both Coby and I. Oh yes did u ever think about the people that have 3 jobs but non of their jobs provide health ? How they r making ends meat to try and even keep a roof over their head, and buying medical would only drive them to homelessness ( I have been there too!) All I'm asking is that you put urself in other people's shoes before anything else. I think we should help people put until they r on their feet that's all I'm saying. Because once they r back on their feet feeling better they can then help someone else out. It's like the church educational system. I get help now and when I'm on my feet then I can give someone else the same opportunity I had. I'm all about helping people out until they can do it themselves. Again don't get me wrong I don't agree 100 percent with the bill and how it's being handled but it's a good idea.

Pixie said...

Shy, this is my blog. I choose not to discuss the most intimate details of my life here. It's a place where I'm allowed to express my opinion AND where I come to share my art (the original intention of this site to begin with).

You're not going to change my mind on this matter. I don't care to sit here and play "pity me" games. If you knew half of what was going on in my life, you'd already know what I give up to keep MY medical. And I wasn't even talking about myself directly there either. I just know that I make sacrifices, not necessarily monetarily, and I know others must too. The fact that you threw being a parent in my face shows that you have no clue about my life.

Like I said, it is NOT the federal government's job to GIVE everything to everyone. And the BS about "until people are on their feet" is crap too. How many people live their entire lives off of the system?

I didn't have medical coverage for 70% of my life. Have I survived so far? Yes. Was it worrisome for my parents? Probably. Is the current system perfect? No. Did I ever claim it was? No.

I don't think you even READ my entry.