Comment by leot
12 years ago
Every state privileges its own citizens. There are good reasons for doing so that have nothing to do with bigotry or exceptionalism.
12 years ago
Every state privileges its own citizens. There are good reasons for doing so that have nothing to do with bigotry or exceptionalism.
Some of us don't consider human rights a "privilege".
If privacy is a human right, it's not (to me, at least) of the same caliber as "life, liberty, and security of person". People behave best because they have internalized social norms, those arguments and attitudes that we proudly expose.
http://www.un.org/en/documents/udhr/
Article 12.
No one shall be subjected to arbitrary interference with his privacy, family, home or correspondence, nor to attacks upon his honour and reputation. Everyone has the right to the protection of the law against such interference or attacks.
Otherwise, how would you define "liberty" or "security of person"? You're free to do what you want as long as it doesn't encroach on the freedom of others, and if being spied on makes you not want to do some things you ought to be able to do, then that's just tough luck, but not a restriction on liberty or your security? I'd say freedom of action is worthless without freedom of thought and speech, and that you can't pick and choose human rights, or rank them.
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