Rights, Privileges and Demands

Being looked upon as the "nation of freedom" has become almost burdensome for our country in today's world. When the people of other countries are feeling oppressed or in need, they always reach for the ever-philanthropic helping hand of Uncle Sam. We "come as liberators". But what about the battles that rage within our borders? How can we be leaders of the free world when we can barely clarify what we have the right to even here at home.

Prop 8, (banning Gay Marriage), was a hot topic for this past election, and rightly so. For the Christian Right, the word Marriage is a sacred privilege given to them by God via The Holy Bible. To them, marriage, is between a man and woman and has been defined as such since the beginning of time. When the California Supreme Court lifted the ban on Gay Marriage earlier this year, they claimed that banning Gay Marriage was discriminatory in such a manner that Gays have "the right" to be married, just as any man and woman does. So is "Marriage" a right, or a privilege? Is the pursuit of happiness more important than the sanctity of religious beliefs? If not, then why were the original settlers really running away from Europe if not for religious freedom?

The past eight years have been labeled by many as a disaster politically. One such debate has stirred the pot in Washington almost as much as the war in Iraq. Immigration. An influx of illegal-immigrants from South America and Mexico have created socioeconomic turmoil for many communities in the U.S. with little resolve from Washington. The past two years in LA have been witness to many demonstrations and marches with demands of equal rights for illegal-immigrants in the United States. How can non-citizens demand equal rights? How can a government such as ours bend towards amnesty while preaching the importance of nationalism? How can we ask our armed forces fight for a flag that can be waved and burned by people who make demands upon us?

The presidential race this year only created more blurred definitions of rights and demands within our political structure. The Wall Street bailout plan is a measure being utilized to "stabilize" the economy. Bureaucrats have told us that without this bailout, our economy will crumble sending us into a deep recession and possibly even a Depression. But as we look at the cause of these failed financial institutions we must ask ourselves if their rescue is a right, privilege, or is it being demanded by someone other than the American people? Do these companies have the right to be saved? Is it our privilege as Americans to have the government rescue failed business ventures? Or are we demanding less in the right of personal responsibility down a path that can only lead to complete disaster.

Many people around the world envy our "freedom", but know little of our rights. Maybe we're not so unlike them, because I have no Idea what we deserve anymore.