Quote:
Originally Posted by creekster
So the extent and number of natural rights depends upon the size of your biceps and your hand eye coordination? That's a rather unpleasant view of nature and not the one that spawned our nation's founding principles.
WHere in the delcaration of Independence does it say that due process is a natural right? I have the right to be alive, to have liberty and to pursue, but not necessarily be, happy. Of course these may be limited by social compact until we can't stand it anymore and we have a Rousseau-esque revoultion. Where does due process fit in to this?
Moreover, aren't the terrorists in Gitmo outside of our social compact? what standing do they have, in a government as social compact, of complaining about due process?
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As I have stated, due process is the linchpin of all of the other natural rights. It is the gatekeeper. If it goes, so too go the others since they may all be taken away without a fair hearing.
Because due process is a natural right, people do not need to be a part of our social contract to receive it. As the champion of natural rights, we, of all countries, should be happy to afford them due process.
Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness are not all of our natural rights. The founders knew this as well, noting that those rights were "among" other natural rights.