All people have human rights (and I suppose that animals have animal rights), which is not to say that they can not be violated. Not allowing people to have a trial does not take away their right to a trial, making people slaves does not take away their right to be free, and killing me does not take away my right to life.
You are right, the ability to exercise rights can be violated - but that missed the mark.
"Therefore I have no problem in using one's interpretation of the Second Amendment as a sort of litmus test for one's understanding of the Constitution, and of civil liberties generally"
I have a different litmus test:
The constitution does not give us rights. We have rights as humans - the constitution serves to enumerate some of those rights. VERY important difference.
"it merely outlines their reason for granting the right they're about to".......
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Should have been Wimpy New World.
e.g. Might makes right.
All people have human rights (and I suppose that animals have animal rights), which is not to say that they can not be violated. Not allowing people to have a trial does not take away their right to a trial, making people slaves does not take away their right to be free, and killing me does not take away my right to life.
You are right, the ability to exercise rights can be violated - but that missed the mark.
"Therefore I have no problem in using one's interpretation of the Second Amendment as a sort of litmus test for one's understanding of the Constitution, and of civil liberties generally" I have a different litmus test: The constitution does not give us rights. We have rights as humans - the constitution serves to enumerate some of those rights. VERY important difference. "it merely outlines their reason for granting the right they're about to" .......