Calvin Coolidge Quote

I don't know how one would construct such an 'overflow' ('overflow' in the abstract) issue as constituting a situation such that "the collective has NO rights other than the rights the individuals possess".
 -- Terry Berg, Occidental, CA

This abstractualization/synthesis/inference function is what, hopefully (perennially the optimist, I am), separates humans from parrots who can regurgitate poetry and 'pretty' dicta but aren't often really very good at 'making' poetry or 'pretty' dicta themselves.

E. A.; I find it odd that someone who would say "So in that context, those uneducated about the rights and responsibilities in a republic would not be 'qualified' to be citizen. I often thought that at graduation from high school we should all make our own personal declaration of our commitment to libery and justice for all, and sign it like the founders did.", could then claim that such a ceremony could ever be, in fact, 'voluntary', and then claim not to be part of a 'collective'. You see, there are things that baffle me.

I see you've alluded to your, reluctant 'perhaps', but nevertheless existant (unless you change your mind, of course), 'recognition' of the validity of the 'collective' in your reference to the enforcement of 'American Common law':
"The 'collective' is not involved -- 12 of my peers, perhaps, but not the 'collective'."

Hello-o!, ... knock, knock. That 'law', under which those peers act, is the 'collective' and you, having been born 'under' it, are 'subject' to it - immediately - upon birth - no delays - no exceptions. You don't get asked "Do you, my child, agree with how we, the 'collective' (who are, naturally, subject to your desires as you have taught us) have set things up? We ask because, well, you know, of course, that if you don't like it you can opt out at your leisure." You also don't get asked "Just exactly when and in what manner do you wish to be recognized as an adult?" -- At least most of us little ignoramusses never got asked that sort of thing and most of us, upon and after the age of majority, are at least unlikely to ask our children that sort of thing.

That 'collective' 'law' includes the 'laws' affecting minors and the Constitution which is also the will of the 'collective' - at least until or unless it's overthrown. Who the heck do you think 'enforces' The Constitution? Not you in your 'independence' (the 'collective' isn't exactly doing such a hot job of it just now either I might add). If that 'collective', to which you claim to have no 'duty', took their marbles and went home tomorrow, there'd be no Constitution and very few groceries.

While it's true that, 'When a million people say a stupid thing, it's still a stupid thing', it's also true that 'When a few people say a stupid thing, it's still a stupid thing.'

Wishing doesn't make it so. Santa's not really coming to visit. Sad but true.
 -- Terry Berg, Occidental, CA