You’ve hit the nail exactly on the head: the burning issue of the day is collectivism versus individualism.

Left versus right has ceased to matter, because both ends of the political spectrum are now firmly collectivist. The collectivism of the left is totalitarianism; the collectivism of the right is fascism. And that’s the only choice you get. In other words…

Would you rather be oppressed by the Homeland Security Nazis or the Global Warming Nazis?

The option to reject oppression outright has been removed from the ballot, and no one is even talking about it. Why? Because people no longer have the moral or intellectual context required even to notice that something is missing. The Cultural Marxists who control the schools, the media and the government have seen to that. For most people, self-respect, self-reliance and self-determination no longer even come to mind as viable options.

So sing along with me:

Totalitarians to the left of me.
Fascists to the right.
Here I am.
Stuck in the middle with no one to vote for.

Since I’m on a dial-up connection, I won’t even try to watch the video. But your summary makes me suspicious: human rights, at any given time, are what people agree they are.

This could not be more wrong!

The essence of a right is the fact that there are certain things a man must be free to do, simply by virtue of what kind of creature he is. And what kind of creature is he? He is a rational animal. From this fact all his needs and abilities, and therefore all his rights, are derived: life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness, freedom of speech, property, self-defence… all of them. Take away any one of them and either the rationality or the animality, or both, are thwarted, and existence becomes misery… at best.

When you are alone, you have all the rights you were born with, and no one and nothing stands in your way of exercising them.

The proximity of other people can only diminish your freedom to exercise your rights, never increase it. Invariably, the question comes down to, how much infringement of your rights are you willing to tolerate in return for some company? (Not much! Unless the company is particularly good. But maybe that’s just me.)

Anyone who tries to gull you into believing that your rights depend on their agreement, or that they can give you rights that you wouldn’t have without them is not your friend! In particular, so-called rights which are given by the state are not rights at all, just as so-called benefits paid for by tax money are not benefits at all.

The pattern is the same in both cases:
First we break your legs. Then we use your own money to buy you a crutch.
And we expect you to be very grateful for all we have done for you!

Your rights are what you are born with. In the last analysis, they are all you are born with. Guard them with your life, because without them life becomes impossible… or, worse, unbearable.

Xanthippa says:
Yes, of course, you are correct.

It’s about THIS mindset difference that I am going to be talking about in later posts…

BTW, did you hear, the Conservative Party Convention has voted overwhelmingly to repeal Section 13 of the Human Rights Act or Code or whatever it’s proper name is. YAHOOO!! Now, lets hope they take that intent the rest of the way actually do it when parliament resumes. I am so happy about that!! I’m positively giddy. I might even become a member of the party again.

Xanthippa says:

Excellent news about Section 13!!! An excellent 1st step!!! Let’s hope they can carry it out in the ‘House’!!!

Xanthippa says:

I am 100% Canadian – by choice, having come here in my teens from Europe. I live and think ‘Canadian’, even if not ‘mainstream’ – much appreciate the link!