Letter misrepresented the idea of ‘positive rights’

TO THE EDITOR:

In his recent letter to the editor (“Rep. Price’s views differ from Founding Fathers’,” Sept. 4), James A. Wadsworth makes a number of preposterous assertions.

First of all, he criticizes U.S. Rep. David Price, D-N.C., not for his views on health care, but rather for supporting the idea of positive rights in the first place.

Wadsworth believes that somehow this isn’t in keeping with the ideals of the holy Founding Fathers.

On the contrary, one needs only look as far as the United States Constitution to find positive rights.

For example, The Sixth Amendment guarantees, among other things, the right to a speedy trial. This necessarily compels the people involved in a trial to act hastily in order to provide the defendant with his or her constitutional right.

The Sixth Amendment even “enslaves” citizens to show up as part of a grand jury.

Anyone can see, by merely skimming our founding documents, that positive rights play an integral role in the United States.

If you don’t like positive rights, fine. But it’s silly to imply that they’re un-American.

Wadsworth doesn’t stop there, though. He goes on to say that David Price’s views on rights are “wrong” and “dangerous”.

Seriously?

I don’t know if he really believes that, or if he was just using a rhetorical device to make Price seem like a scary communist, but either way it’s irresponsible.

Wadsworth needs to check his facts better and temper his language to reflect reality rather than fantasy.


Pete Miller
Senior
Political Science, Religious Studies