LETTER OF THE DAY - Don't confuse rights and privileges
Published:Saturday | July 6, 2013 | 12:00 AM
THE EDITOR, Sir:
Many Jamaicans are not too sure what a right is as against what a privilege is. You do not have to ask to exercise a right. You do have to ask to exercise a privilege.
You have a right to eat. You do not have a right to eat my food. A right cannot violate the rights of another. My food is my property. When I give it to you or you buy it from me, it becomes your property. Otherwise, if you take it, you violate my right to property.
Because we are so steeped in the 'eat-a-food' mentality, some of us believe that everything should be free. Some of us are lazy and tend to live off others like parasites. They believe that everyone else should work and give the rewards to them.
Many young people do not understand the difference between a right and a privilege. Nor do they understand the economic nature of privilege. Here are a few things to remember:
(1) You do not have a right to free tertiary education. That is a privileged endeavour for those who can afford it. You do have a right, though, to free primary education. If you choose to attend a university, be prepared to fund that higher education.
(2) You are not entitled to free housing, free light and free cable.
(3) You do not have a right to free money. You have to work so that you can be compensated for your labour. You do have a right to poor relief assistance, just as long as you are deemed to be qualified.
(4) You do not have a right to ride free on public transportation. You have to pay a fee for your passage.
(5) You do not have a right to disturb your neighbour, especially at nights, with your loud music or very loud conversation.You do have a right to enjoy peace and quiet in your home and your community.
A right is granted by society to its members in order for it to function; a privilege is granted by a group or individual as either a reward for, or conditional upon, good behaviour.
Privileges are not rights. Like power, privileges can be revoked.
NEVILLE BECKFORD
Spanish Town, St Catherine