🚀 go-pugleaf

Joe wrote, "there were no *rights* until we created them by law."

On the contrary, that is _not_ the basis on which this country was
founded.  The Declaration of Independence clearly states a philosophy
of natural rights ("...all men are...endowed by their Creator with
certain unalienable rights...") and that government and laws are
created to "secure these rights."

The idea of rights stemming from a government is the idea that
underlies tyrrany.  If a government creates rights, then the
government can take them away.  If rights, on the other hand, are
antecedent to government, the government has only such powers as are
given to it for the necessary purpose of protecting the rights of its
citizens.

Unfortunately, too many of us have been brainwashed into believing
what Joe does.  It's not Joe's fault; those who would enslave us are
very good at getting us to swallow the bait without noticing the hook.

Driving is a privilege (and there's no "d" in that word, guys) only
because it is possible to do great harm by driving irresponsibly. 
Actually, we could still say that driving is a right, recognizing that
rights may be restricted by those who have exercised them in ways that
hurt other people.  (The right to free speech is limited by the laws
on libel, slander, and incitement to riot.)

Incidentally, a small proportion of drivers get most of the tickets. 
It is quite possible for many of us to go years or decades without
being stopped by an officer of the law.  Those who accumulate three or
four tickets in a year are habitual abusers of the right to drive: 
They constantly exceed the speed limit, run red lights, weave in and
out of traffic, and engage in other practices that could result in
injury and death to themselves and others.  These people do not belong
behind the wheel of a car because they are likely to violate the
rights of others, and the government does have the power to protect
those others' rights.  It is just not that hard to drive safely and
responsibly for most of us; auto insurance is as expensive as it is
because of the few who cause horrific accidents with grave bodily
harm.  Anyone can have a $300 fender-bender; people who drink and
drive are fewer than 10% of drivers but cause 50% of major accidents.
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