William Ellery Channing Quote

"The spirit of liberty is not merely, as multitudes imagine, a jealousy of our own particular rights, but a respect for the rights of others, and an unwillingness that any man, whether high or low, should be wronged and trampled under foot."

by:	William Ellery Channing (1780-1842) American Unitarian preacher
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Categories:	Commitment, Honor, Liberty, Respect, Rights
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-- Mike, Norwalk
We hold this truth to be self evident! One cannot be free if he doesn't respect the rights of others to be free. A criminal might think he is free to commit his crime but the laws of nature will catch up with him one day and set things right. Just like the common criminal, the same holds true for the elitist criminal who commits his crime with much more sophistication, nature will one day catch up to him.  -- Anon      3
And that is exactly the underlying truth of Libertarianism. While the shreiking left would have others believe that Libertarians are selfish and greedy, the fact is we can not advocate for ourselves that which we would not protect for all. Liberty must be universal or it is a false doctrine.  -- J Carlton, Calgary      4
Beautiful!  -- RBESRQ      3
Libertarians are indeed selfish, for they would see the unfortunate in the world mistreated rather than admit that society has a duty to meet the basic human rights and needs of every person in the world, and that this is funded by the fortunate in the world, who gain their wealth by the support of society... so, libertarians want to take for themselves and snub everyone else... and can't even read basic quotes such as this one with open eyes to see how self centered they are.  -- Anonymous, Reston, VA, US      2 5
anonymous, if you have mean things to say about anyone, be man enough to put your name with your words.  -- Wayne, Naples      5
Anoymous...that is small minded, ignorant and baseless. But then, that's the Liberal/Socialist way isn't it?  -- J Carlton, Calgary      4
Anoymous believes in the quote, "from each according to their abilities, to each according to their needs!"  -- cal, lewisville, tx      3
(-; great comments Wayne, J Carlton and cal ;-) I might add 'A' from Reston follows the admonition of Lenin: "A lie told often enough becomes the truth."  -- Mike, Norwalk      3
I am siding with Anonymous of Reston, Va., it is an uncivil society that will not consider the needs of people who are unable to provide for all their needs. While the wealthy are money grabbing high rents, high profits on investments in market especially food commodities, utilizing the labor of underpaid workers and cutting their benefits so they can increase profits and under educating them in the school system on the real things of life the poor will become a weight on the "'libertarians" because they will rise up and knock you off your thrones. For God's sake, where is your humanity. That is not the premise of our republic nor the Bible, but I guess all Libertarians are all athiests or Jews.  -- Judith, New Mexico      1 4
Judith, I don't know where your getting your information about libertarians but it is absolutely false. I am both a Christian and a libertarian. I will match the time and money I spend each week (or a day to day basis) on and for those less fortunate with any democrat or republican, liberal or conservative. Forced giving is not humanity or charity, it is more a kin to rape. Since the statist theocracy has taken over the the religious responsibilities of helping the poor, sick, and needy our society as declined into a bunch of thieves and slaves, power mongers and government helots and serfs. It is time for the government to get out of the business of religion and let the individuals once again be the responsible and charitable individuals / society we once were. When this land returns to the libertarian principles of responsibility (to others as well as self) the quicker we can break the shackles that have strangled this once great republic. "I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them." (Thomas Jefferson)  -- Mike, Norwalk      5
Gees Judith, did you learn nothing of the history of the world? Of the people of this country? Of our Constitution and Bill of Rights? Our Founders? I am amazed at your comments. They could have been written by a very young child with no experience in the world. Perhaps they were...in which case, I have no doubt you will come to understand later. Please don't vote until then.  -- Bette, Newport      3
I am always amazed at the thought process that created entitlements. It is fatally flawed. We all belong to many different communities: religious, ethnic regional, political, tribal and family to name a few. Each of these will band together and help its members who are having hard times. It is the small "c" communism, the community. The Pilgrims, among others, reminded all players of the Biblical admonition, "If any would not work, neither shall he eat." This has worked across the ages as well. The only entitlements are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of happiness. That last one is not happiness, it's the right to pursue it. Subtle, is it not?  -- J. B. Wulff, Bristol, CT      1
Mike, my wife an I buy school supplies for 20 to 30 kids in Peru every year. Why Peru? Because there is no bureaucracy attached and the money actually goes somewhere. We also volunteer our time and money to renovate buildings at a nearby YMCA Outreach camp for underpriveleged kids. We do this with money we've already been taxed on. So I'm more than a little tired of the socialists who volunteer nothing but the taxation of others and call me greedy and selfish. As far as I'm concerned they should all be driven into the sea for being the thieving wastes of skin that they are.  -- J Carlton, Calgary      3
Kudos J. I wonder if there might be more home schooling if people could afford the supplies in the USA? Of course we have the older parents who can do it and actually teach about the republic...the young moms were educated in the dumb down era...states should each decide the curriculum but a battle rages in TX about history books right now...our kids will have a centralized program that will possibly eliminate more of the very important history of our country and we can move further into big C communism... we have those who already don't know....  -- abigail, CM      2
Mike, yes you are a nice guys and do good things but alas your politics and religion blind you to reality. Well done Reston I agree with you. Libertarians have no constructive reality only complaints and selfish arrogance, which is highlight by their remarks above.  -- RBESRQ      5
J Carlton and abigail, you just have to smile; we can say all that we do after tax dollars to help our fellow man and then we continue to be called out for inhumane beliefs, our uncivil actions, non constructive realities, our exposing despotism and tyranny, etc. That's why I keep most of what I do to myself. One of my favorite examples though was Waffler. After more than a year of traveling down to the Gulf area to help with Katrina clean up and rebuild (on my own dime) Waffler came up with his humanitarian contribution, 'he sent money to the police, then he was enjoying a beer in New Orleans, listening to the music a little over 2 years after Katrina' ;-) you've just got to love it, it doesn't get any more typical than that.  -- Mike, Norwalk      2
Driven into the sea RBE....you're one of them. Theiving waste of skin.  -- J Carlton, Calgary      1
Why no outcry at the outrageous imperial warring expenses that are imposed on us for killing? I do not believe I should have to pay for those games Why do I never see any complaints by the regulars here about the money going to the military complex that pays such good earnings on the stock market Why is it that most complaints are about helping people with medical bills, food assistance, Medicare which most all have been required to contribute, and other social programs. No complaints about our 70 military bases throughout the world, and now more than 300 billion now on the wars in Iraqi, Afganistan, and Pakistan (denied by our gvmt), and likely Iran. Where in the constitution provides for this posture to police the world on our terms? We all do not inherit money, nor have the blessings of parents who inspire,encourage or pay for higher education or training. We will always have those who have less, and someone to exploit them, cheating them out of what they do have, and use them as donkeys (slaves) for profit. You feel society owes them nothing and they can has a life of Les Miserables, imprison them for stealing a loaf of bread. What selfishness, and hoarding by those who are born into advantage I certainly was not and overcame much disadvantage and hardship, but I am thankful I am white wasable to rise above it. Yet I do not look down upon those who have not done the same, and need government help or have life crises that place them in a position of impoverishment if no life line is available by our society Give them medical insurance, unemployment when the corporations outsource their jobs, and compassion. There are more reasons than you can guess why they are in the position they are in but until you walk in their shoes, you are leading a selfish life to denigrate them. You will suffocate in your own smugness.  -- Judith, New Mexico
By the way Bette, I do not have to agree with you to be eligible to vote, thank God. Don't personalize your comments to me or I will be obligated to do the same with you. Got it!  -- Judith, New Mexico      1
Right on Judith and the same applies to you Carlton. The war in Iraq and Afghanistan (a red flag operation) has cost over a trillion plus the already mighty military budget to keep its factories churning out death. We as a nation have spent trillions on war and corporate socialism and yet you on this blog complain because the likes of Judith and myself want the poor and suffering to be cared for. We kill thousands if not millions every year because we deny them health care. Health care should not be a profit center - we are obviously still in the dark ages in America.  -- RBESRQ      2
Mike, I'm very disappointed with you, praising such hate and ignorance.  -- RBESRQ      2
Judith, the history of this blog has shown the exact opposite of your observation(s). Those here that love liberty are consistent in their promotion of love, charity, assistance where needed, liberty, personal responsibility, prosperity, peace, AND - condemnation of killing, war and the occupying statist theocracy infesting this land's enslavement of 'We The People'. As per the national establishment of religion's unconstitutional activities verses private charity, it is the theocracy's (government) activities that promote hate, anger, degeneration of responsibility, poverty, caste systems, inflation and scarcity of food, medical availability, housing, clothing, etc.  -- Mike, Norwalk      3
An elegantly distilled definition of civilization.  -- Patrick Henry, Red Hill      2
Border states bear the blunt of their legislative foolishness at the cost of their own rightful citizens. Immigrational overthrow of this young nation, through the inclusive open armed subversive acts of an old denominational religious system, called Roman catholicism, as with all protestant clergy who alien themselves with such like mindedness of socialism by force. Classical economic Libertarians, though some are globalist, side strongly with Commonsense, less the bleeding heart of a childish disposition. A ship can only hold so many passengers at one time. Tariffs on imports, one of 13 attributes to guard a nations children At Liberty. MAGA  -- Ronw13, OR      2
This quote embodies all that's great about conservative Christians, and it illustrates all the deficiencies in the crooked anti-American lefty platform as practiced by the democrat plantation today. Our greatest threat to social harmony is, crooked lefties wanting to GRAB everything earned by an upstanding emancipated sovereign, and squander Our fruits on a permanent underclass and its attendant teat-keeper elites. Their spiteful lefty paradigm cannot exist where upstanding sovereigns lead the way to universal prosperity, when all are expected to contribute to the best of their ability, there vanishes the provision for eternal largesse for the parasites and tyrants, upon which they feed. LIBERTY IS TOO PRECIOUS TO WASTE ON A STATIST DEMOCRAT  -- Mark W, Aurora, CO      2
The libs are missing the point of the quote: "an unwillingness that any man, whether high or low, should be wronged and trampled under foot." I suppose the liberals would agree. The difference is crucial: the libertarians (classic liberals) consider this the responsibility of themselves, the progressive liberals consider this the responsibility of government. When liberals talk of 'society,' they speak of a group of people that are regulated by government, whereas a libertarian considers society self-regulating by each of the individuals within it. Liberty absolutely requires that individuals take responsibility, that's how they maintain their freedom. Society's ills can be traced to giving up the responsibility to a governing body that dictates rules and taxes to bend society to their will. Libertarians know history -- we do not wish to lose our freedom, and we know how that happens. Good intentions alone will not shield us from men with designs on our labors and property.  -- E Archer, NYC      2
-- jim k, Austin

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