Hi this is Tutor Nick P and this is Quotes 223.
Today we have another one by Ayn Rand.
Remember she was a political writer.
She was originally born in Russia, So she got to see the changeover in Russia and she
came to America and she really appreciated the rights that most Americans have.
She wrote about this for many, many years.
So let's take a look at the quote that she has here.
"Individual rights are not subject to public vote.
A majority has not right to vote away the rights of a minority.
The political function of rights is precisely to protect minorities and the smallest minority
on earth is the individual.
Those who deny individual rights cannot claim to be defenders of minorities.
Okay.
Let me cover this a little bit.
So individual rights.
Rights that every person has just by being a citizen are not subject to public vote.
So they don't depend on it.
So public vote is not supposed to be able to change this.
They are not subject to that.
A majority has not right to vote away . So the majority... if a majority does not like
it , they can' t vote away the rights of the minority.
The political function.
Well you know the purpose.
That is the reason have the government or the reason we are supposed to have government.
The function of rights is precisely.
Precisely means exactly to protect minorities and the smallest minority on earth is the
individual.
Because you can't get less than that.
Because that goes down to one person.
Those who deny individual rights.
So those who try to say that maybe you know.
we should limit individual rights or we should take away any individual rights.
Well if they say that than they cannot claim to be defenders of minorities.
Minorities mean, you know , minority groups usually groups that a are a smaller part of
the population.
Now let's continue here.
This quote often reminds me of the story.
You have two wolves and a sheep, and the two wolves can vote what is for dinner.
Yeah . this is what you often hear when people talk about something like this.
This is why you don't want the majority to be able to vote away the rights of the minority.
you know because if it really was two wolves and a sheep . You know the two wolves would
be the majority and they could vote to eat the sheep .and that would not be good.
So you wouldn't want them to be able to take away rights like that.
So that is a story that is often talked about.
when you talk about something like this. Or brought up. All right. Let's continue.
Most of the basic rights in the US constitution are based on individual rights.
None of them mentions that if the majority does not like it they can change our basic
rights.
Yeah . There is nothing in the constitution that says that.
and you know . here is the example, such as the freedom of speech probably the most important
freedom we have.
Freedom of religion.
Freedom to assemble . You know to gather together into groups.
You know, so sometimes if you have a tyrannical government.
You know they don't like you to do that because they might think you are planning something,
the right to keep and bear arms you know, to have weapons , guns. And the right to petition.
the right to petition the government to make changes or protest.
more or less, that is what we mean by the right to petition.
Okay.
Let's continue.
In our modern times, very often many politicians often are trying to put limits on our basic
rights.
Yes. We hear this a lot.
Little by little they are trying to do it.
Many of those very same ones, many of the same ones trying to put limits on our individual
rights are politicians often who claim they support minorities or minority groups.
Ayn Rand is letting you know the smallest minority is the individual . and all our rights
that are cover the individual need the most protection.
So she is saying If there is some politician out there and they are trying to limit some
rights that are on individual people.
Freedom of privacy, freedom of speech, freedom to bear arms, freedom to protest then they
cannot claim that they are in favor of any minority group.
Okay anyway, I guess it is food for thought.
Let me know what you think.
I hope you got it.
I hope it is clear . Thank you for your time.
I hope you got it . Bye-bye.