20171127 Rights
November 27, 2017•176 words
The very resistance to simple anti-discrimination law completely demonstrates the need for it. Why reject a simple assertion in the form of, "rights to X shall not be denied to those of attribute Y" unless wanting to retain status and power over those of attribute Y? Is there more blatant prejudice?
Even so, "rights" are a crappy workaround. It is tedious to recognize and enumerate specific groups to protect—actually, impossible to cover all variations. It clutters the law, making what should be simple and obvious complex and debatable. Worse, by calling out specific groups to protect in particular circumstances it implies, to a certain type of mind, that other discrimination is still game. Many take advantage of that by intention, or benefit by negligence.
No, it's even worse than that: rights are born of dualism, fear, and greed. The atavistic division between "us" and "them," aversion to them, willingness to take from them because they are not us. Rights are a defensive construct for survival. Always necessary, always awkward, always lagging. Is there a better way?