Does America have the right to Exist?

[Philosoraptor]

As in, exist without maniacs overthrowing government and destroying the nation in the process? Don't we have the right to exist as a TRUE democracy?

I hear this query all the time, does Israel have the right to exist? Does Palestine have the right to exist? Its a pointless question, meant to make some ridiculous right wing point.

I say America has the right to exist WITHOUT WAR PIGS in the white house, the right to exist in freedom from tyranny, the right to exist and earn a decent living and get decent health care.

The right to exist without manufactured terror and media manipulation and the right to exist without conflict and division and chaos and uncertainty.

I want the nation to exist in a sane and rational and logical manner, and if we don't soon change our crazy ways, we won't exist very much longer, and neither will the planet.

[Ravenseye]

1. Nobody and Nothing has a 'right' to exist

To paraphrase my parents when they browbeat the thought into me when I learned how to drive...Existing is not a 'right', it's a priviledge.

We're lucky to be here, and lucky to be alive, and we need to respect the priviledge and our existance. Therefore we need to do everything we can to respect our existance, and others whether it be not going to war, or universal health care.

[no_hypocrisy]

2. I like that.

Y'know, one can engage in philosophy and argue the "right" of ANY sovereign nation to exist, with its present boundaries. In many cases, the land acquired to establish a "country" was taken by force from its preceding inhabitants who did not believe in the need for recording documents (deeds) or purchasing what Mother Earth (or its equivalent deity-wise) provided. (I'll bet Rand McNally publishes an updated Atlas every year due to perpertual wars around the world that keep moving borders.)

You could argue a lot of countries have no right to exist, and if you did, you'd have a heck of time with the consequent issues of establishing the "true" owner and the compensation (with interest and penalties) for land not "rightfully" transferred.

[Philosoraptor]

3. The Navajo and Sioux had the right to exist too.

supposedly.

[no_hypocrisy]

6. Totally in agreement. And you extend my point.

Some civilians are viewed as "legitimate" if they are recognized as "sovereign nations" with a formula of government, monetary system, and military, etc., not to mentioned recognized by other "sovereign nations". Being a de facto/default entity by a dominant "sovereign" and assigned a "reservation" does make ethnic group less legimate as their right to be. Native American tribes don't have any seats in the Senate, the House, or the U.N. But they still stand apart as an autonomy. Unfortunately, Native Americans are not given the appropriate recognition they deserve.

[liberalitch]

9. The Nat. Amer. need to form a militia.... take over a state...

and shell major US population centers from inside that state..... Now that is a terrorist action I would support.... seriously..... but of course...... they would NEVER do that.
It is in opposition to many of their ideals

[Deja Q]

4. If everything is a privilege,

what's the point to living?

People work hard and educate themselves. But it gets harder to do when those who define our lives spit on us and tell us we're no good...

[Ravenseye]

10. I didn't say everything is a priviledge

I just said 'existing' was. It's not a 'right' because what happens if two people's 'rights' to exist contradict? It's not a consistent system, therefore it's invalid.

Or not.

I just think when people say "X has a right to exist." it is usually very defensive, becuase some else is claiming X doesn't have a right to exist, because X exists by impeding Y's right to exist. Therefore there are two competeing claims and who determines which right to exist supercedes the other?

Or you could take it the opposite way and agree that X does have a right to exist, and also that Y has a right to exist, even if the two are incompatible. Then there is no solution which makes the claims equally invalid.

Or you neuter what the phrase 'right to exist' means to the point where it becomes meaningless, and neither a right, nor necessarily gauged by existance.

So, if everything is a priviledge, what's the point to living?

42.

[Jim Sagle]

5. Yes. Next!

[porphyrian]

7. Does America exist?

America is a concept created by people who will it to exist. This concept has been given geographic "borders," which are also conceptual and exist only because a consensus of people accept that they do. However, most people who believe in the concept of America have different conceptions of it, some extremely so. Are some right and others wrong? Do concepts exist?

[LiberalPartisan]

8. Slight correction

We're a representative republic, not a democracy.

Now you might say then why don't our representatives represent us? No doubt big money plays a big role in who gets time at the table but frankly the mess we are in is as much of our own making. We have an apathetic, intellectually lazy and a gratuitously illinformed electorate which is content to let whatever critical thinking skill they possess atrophy. People get the government they deserve.