Without maturity, there can be no "Rights".
Maturity is not about conformity, copying others, or fitting in, nor is it about being stern, being domineering, acting like a "tough guy", acting superior, bossing others around, following certain people, or being part of a larger group.
It's about things like:
accepting that one is not perfect;
accepting that every person is "accepted" and "liked" in their own 'crowd', and "unaccepted" and "not liked" in someone else's 'crowd' ~ there are no universally accepted and liked individuals, nor are there any universally disliked, rejected, or despised individuals; (no, not even them...);
dealing with adversity and problems while remembering the 'bigger picture';
learning the difference between actions and feelings;
learning how to govern one's own behavior;
accepting and embracing accountability;
respecting other people without assuming and judging them on their body type and appearance;
understanding that the way we treat others comes from WITHIN ourselves, not from them;
learning how to learn about one's self and the world;
learning the difference between subjectivity and objectivity;
learning the difference between fact and opinion;
learning how to deal with change;
knowing how and why to treat others with civility;
understanding ethics and why they're important;
learning about listening to other points of view without feeling lectured or dominated, and without countering (arguing) OR becoming indoctrinated;
not twisting one's values just to fit in with others;
having the strength to stand up for one's self and for others;
learning and understanding that the world has been here before we were born and will continue after we're gone;
learning about one's own biases, prejudices, and assumptions;
learning why biases are not based in reality;
learning how to think critically and scientifically (without bias, without following);
learning how to both follow and lead respectfully, without following blindly or leading tyranically.
For a "people" to have and keep their privilege of "Rights", they must be able to comprehend and understand that in order for them to have the "right" for something, then every other citizen must also have that same right.
In order for one citizen (YOU, ME) to have freedom, you have to understand that your neighbor whom you can't stand or you think is stupid ALSO must have the SAME freedom.
In order for one citizen (YOU, ME) to have justice, you have to protect others' right to justice, even if you completely disagree with them, even if you think he or she is an idiot.
In order for one citizen (YOU, ME) to receive fair treatment, a fair trial, fair anything, then FAIRNESS ITSELF has to be protected, for every single citizen, including those you "can't stand".
RIGHTS are not "rights" if they are only for some (the 'good people'? the 'smart people'? the 'down to earth people'? the 'righteous people'? the "strong people"?) and not for others (those we don't like, those we disagree with). Those kind of "rights" are called "entitlements", not rights, and are found NOT in FREE countries, but in places where there are dictatorships and political caste systems (not "free"). So if a person with one ancestry or skin color makes a racial slur, that's not "more okay" or "less okay" than when another person does it, unless you want to forget about your own RIGHTS.
Rights aren't given out to "those we like" and denied for "who we don't like", or they're NOT RIGHTS.
If one person makes sexist remarks and everyone laughs, then it must be just as funny when another person makes sexist remarks! JUST AS FUNNY! Why isn't it funny, deary? Ego a little touchy today?
If one person gets encouraged and applauded when they "buck the system", then it must be just as awesome when another person does it, who is the opposite sex or a different color!
No? Not so much?
HOW COME, PRAY TELL?
But apparently only when THEY do it... because... um... well... you're just not cool enough... yeah that's it... you just aren't as cool as they are... sure... yeah, that's the reason we don't like it when YOU do it... that's why we try to shut you down... and try to make you look like a crazy person or a bad person...
even though we were all applauding when that OTHER person was doing and saying MUCH MORE OUTRAGEOUS THINGS than YOU were...
(See, it's OKAY when THEY do it... cuz... well, cuz... that's just the way it is! And because Uncle Jay said so!!! I don't know!!! Leave me alone!!! Daaad!!)
When one person expresses their BELIEFS and OPINIONS about anything and everything, that's GREAT, it's WONDERFUL, they have the RIGHT to say what they want to say...
and they KNOW WHAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT!
And they're SO SMART!
And they're SO WISE!
And they FIGHT FOR WHAT'S RIGHT and they SAY IT LIKE IT IS!
Right... yup... they sure do...
But ONLY IF WE AGREE WITH THEM,
and ONLY IF THEY'RE SAYING THINGS THAT WE LIKE.
AND... ONLY IF THEY LOOK AND TALK IN A CERTAIN WAY THAT SEEMS SMART.
(Or "tough", or "cool", or "righteous", or "bad ass", or "innocent")
Basically as long as they align with our HATES and PREJUDICES, and say what we LIKE, then we will support and fight for their RIGHT to express themselves and carry on, because they're LIKE US.
ESPECIALLY if they LOOK and SOUND like a "smart person" or a "cool person".
But for anyone we don't really like, or agree with, or who doesn't have the right sex, race, or appearance, then FORGET IT, we don't want to HEAR IT from them, they should just SHUT UP.
Isn't that right?
So let's go over that again... whoever WE LIKE deserves "rights", "justice", "freedom", and "respect", and whoever we DON'T LIKE should be UNDER OUR CONTROL and JUDGMENT.
Gee, hope you or I never fall into the category of someone else NOT LIKING US, huh?
So if we want JUSTICE and RIGHTS only for ourselves, but we don't think others (whom we don't like, whom we think are dumb, or whom we don't agree with) "deserve" the same rights as we do, then we should probably move to a country where there's a dictatorship, and see if they'll let us be one of the "privileged, entitled" class who has more entitlements than others.
Be careful though, usually there are specific requirements for being one of the "privileged", such as huge amounts of wealth, proof of the royal bloodline in that country, the "right" sex in that particular country, even the "right" height, the "right" skin tone (too light or too dark and you're out).
Oh, and they have to LIKE you, and TRUST you, personally. If they don't think you're "one of them", and that you'll go along with and obey everything they say, you're out. If they think you're too ugly or too good-looking, they won't like or trust you, and you'll be cast out. If they don't like one of your relatives because they're too ugly or too good-looking, they're out, and you're out. If you say something they don't like, you're out. If you like the wrong kind of ice cream, you're out. If they find you even slightly annoying, you're out.
Depending on the individuals you're dealing with, if they don't like you for any reason, you might not even survive being told that you're out.
But hey, that's what we want, isn't it? For only certain people to "deserve rights", and others not?
Happy Reading!
United States:
Constitution
Bill of Rights
List of Amendments
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