3.2: Are rights only for men?
Description
This article is from the Lawful Arrest/Search/Seizure FAQ, by Ahimsa Dhamapada ahimsa@mu.clarityconnect.net with numerous contributions by others.
3.2: Are rights only for men?
While the Declaration of Independence says that all *men*
are created equal and endowed with certain rights, "men"
is commonly interpreted to mean "mankind". A better word
might be "persons", or "natural persons" (this would
help to distinguish between living, breathing creatures
with eyes and a brain, and "artificial persons", a.k.a.,
corporations, which do not deserve rights such as the
right to life since they never were alive to begin with!).
"Our task must be to free ourselves...by
widening our circle of compassion to embrace
all living creatures and the whole of nature
and its beauty." -- Albert Einstein
Our notion of "whom is deserving of rights" is constantly
expanding. In the days when the Declaration was written,
it is possible that Jefferson actually meant "men" so as
to exclude women. Slaves and bonded servants were once
commonplace and also thought to be less than a person and
undeserving of rights. However, as this concept expands,
perhaps one day all things with eyes and a brain will be
recognized as persons and deserving to live and be free.
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