No. 588 - BILL OF NO RIGHTS

No. 588

Jim Davidson - NEWSPAPER COLUMN

A BILL OF "NO" RIGHTS

One time I heard my friend, the late Bob Murphy, tell about this government agent who visited a farmer and demanded to inspect his livestock, his grain program and the general operation of his farm. The farmer said, "I don't have time to fool with you. Get off my place." Then the government agent pulled out his card and said, "I represent the United States government and I have a right to inspect your place, your livestock and your grain program." The farmer then said, "Go ahead and inspect what you have a right to inspect and then get off my place" and he turned around and went back in the house.

At this point, the government agent started walking around the barn and the fields, "big eyeing" everything, and he got over in a little trap that contained a bull that he did not see when he opened and shut the gate. As they say, "The bull taken to him." The closest thing to the government agent was a little tree, which he promptly mounted, just out of reach of the hooking horns of the bull. Hopefully, you can see this in your mind as the government agent started hollering to the farmer, "Come get this bull !"

The farmer came back out of the house, sized up the situation and hollered back, "Show him your card."

In reality, sometimes we may think we have a right to have something or do something and, afterward, we don't like the consequences. Along these lines, a friend sent me something titled, "A Bill of 'NO' Rights" that was written in 1993 by Lewis Napper from the state of Mississippi. It's worth sharing. Hope you enjoy it.

"We, the sensible people of the United States, in an attempt to help everyone get along, restore some semblance of justice, avoid any more riots, keep our nation safe, promote positive behavior, and secure the blessings of debt-free liberty to ourselves and our great-great-great-grandchildren, hereby ordain this bill of 'NO RIGHTS'. We hold these truths to be self-evident that a whole lot of people are confused by the Bill of Rights and are so dim that they require a Bill of NO Rights."

ARTICLE I: You do not have the unearned right to new car, big screen TV or any other form of wealth. More power to you if you can legally acquire them, but no one is guaranteeing you anything.

ARTICLE II: You do not have the right to never be offended. This country is based on freedom, and that means freedom for everyone and not just you.

ARTICLE III: You do not have the right to be free from harm. If you stick a screwdriver in your eye, learn to be more careful, and do not expect the tool manufacturer to make you and all of your relatives independently wealthy.

ARTICLE IV: You do not have the right to free food and housing. Americans are the most charitable people to be found, and will gladly help anyone in need.

ARTICLE V: You do not have the right to free health care. It would be nice to have it but that's not a right. That's a privilege.

ARTICLE VI: You do not have the right to physically harm other people. If you kidnap, rape, intentionally maim or kill someone, don't be surprised if the rest of us want to see you fry in the electric chair.

ARTICLE VII: You do not have the right to the possessions of others. If you rob, cheat, or coerce away the goods and services of other citizens, you are inviting time in a place where you will not have these rights.

ARTICLE VIII: You do not have the right to demand that your chldren fight in a foreign war just to soothe your aching conscience.

ARTICLE IX: You do not have the right to a job. Everyone wants you to have a job, and will gladly help in hard times but we expect you to get an education and make yourself useful.

ARTICLE X: You do not have the right to happiness, only the right to pursue happiness."Lewis Napper concludes by saying. "I just think it is about time common sense is allowed to flourish - call it the age revisited. Live each day with an attitude of GRATITUDE!" ---

(EDITOR'S NOTE: Jim Davidson is a motivational speaker and syndicated columnist. You may contact him at 2 Bentley Drive, Conway, Ark. 72034. To support literacy, buy his book, "Learning, Earning & Giving Back.")