Civil liberties are the "unalienable rights" of the Declaration of Independence, life, liberty, and in Thomas Jefferson's words, pursuit of happiness. Civil liberties are human or natural rights, our human birthright from God as designated in nature. Civil liberties list what government cannot take away. Civil rights are additional, expanded protections or rights granted by government to preserve and enhance our experience with our civil liberties. Right to vote, for example, is a civil right. Today, narcissistic culture makes new and continuous demands, pushing for government to give them what they desire and arguing it is their right - right to fair rent, right not to experience pain, right to not be hungry, right to equity, and much more. Problem is, what makes a desire a demand a "right," and why should such things necessarily be granted or guaranteed by government, thus involving Big Government ever more in our lives?
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