3 ms·
> I have a right not to be murdered .... But I base that statement on my theology, not my economics .... Glad you recognize that. Pragmatically, a "right" exis
by dctoedt 13y ago
> I have a right not to be murdered .... But I base that statement on my theology, not my economics ....
Glad you recognize that. Pragmatically, a "right" exists only to the extent that others accept it, voluntarily or otherwise. I can also claim the right not to be murdered. But if I, an American, were to find myself in the hands of certain factions of the Taliban, then that so-called right might be of little efficacy.
There's a legal maxim -- OK, technically it's an equitable maxim -- ubi jus ibi remedium: Where there is a right, there must be a remedy. That is, once the courts recognize that a right exists, they will somehow fashion a remedy to vindicate a breach of that right. But there's a corollary: If there simply is no remedy that can be enforced, then neither is there a right.