Microsoft Hatred FAQ 5167

I'd say to that that you're confusing a belief with a right. A belief doesn't become a right until society acknowledges it as such and puts measures in place to ensure it. If people are perfectly happy living under communist rule, who are you to tell them they must have the right to own property? If that society later acknowledges that it wants the right to own property then the government (in an ideal society) should respond accordingly. If the society demands a right and governments denies it, only then are the people's rights being oppressed (which may be what you were originally saying now that I look back, but I read it at first as the citizen's not ackowledging the right either).

The counter-argument is that oppressive socities work to prevent their citizens from expressing their desire for rights or selectively apply them, which is all true. Without just laws and the instruments of justice to enforce them, however, you cannot correct the problem. There is still an acknowledgement on the part of society that things are wrong, and societal problems eventually come to a head when the time is right else we wouldn't be where we are and still not be where we need to go.

I'm not claiming that the world is an easy place to live in... : )

Matt