Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness

As a devout atheist and a life inspired skeptic, I marvel at the perspicacity of our founding fathers in proclaiming that all humankind has “unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness”. In a search for the meaning of these rights I have been wondering just how far off track the United States has gotten.

In the popular definition of moral values in the recent presidential campaign the pursuit of happiness did not include the right to marry whomever one wishes or the right of a woman to choose not to have a child. But those values did include denying life to other people and destroying their way of life by invading their land and occupying their country. Over half of the population of the United States supported the war that denied those “unalienable rights” to the people of Iraq.

In the pursuit of happiness what are the limitations? The line between my pursuit and your pursuit is not a clear cut one. Our Supreme Court is always being asked to determine where my arm stops and your nose begins. If we can’t even agree what I do in private with a willing partner that does not affect anyone else is always my right then I wonder what does such a right mean. Still we have laws against sodomy and marijuana use. Our unalienable rights are not absolute after all.

One may not legally ride a motorcycle without a wearing a helmet. Isn’t that unreasonable? But if the helmet-less rider is left brain damaged after a crash it is the taxpayers who often pay for the injured person's support. So whose rights are abridged by the helmet law, the rider who can not have the wind in his hair or the taxpayer who must pay for a lifetime of support? The same argument can be made for smokers. But it can also be made for overweight people.

While absolute moral values may be very difficult to determine I think there should be no question at all about depriving a person of his life for specious reasons and dishonest allegations. It’s time for Americans to return to the values declared when the country was conceived; the unalienable right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness for everyone.