Protecting all our rights
As Americans we cherish our Bill of Rights. As a reporter, I value the freedom of the press; as a believer, I appreciate the freedom to worship; and as a thinking human being, I am grateful for my freedom of speech.
But back in 1944, President Franklin Roosevelt thought that as necessary as those rights were, Americans were entitled to even more.
In his message to Congress, Roosevelt said it was time to plan a way for giving Americans a higher standard of living than ever before.
He said, “We cannot be content, no matter how high that general standard of living may be, if some fraction of our people — whether it be one-third or one-fifth or one-tenth — is ill-fed, ill-clothed, ill-housed and insecure.”
Roosevelt praised the Bill of Rights for protecting Americans’ political rights and said they guaranteed the Declaration of Independence’s assertion that we all had unalienable rights, including the rights to life and liberty.
But the Declaration said we had a third right as well, and that was the right to pursue happiness. Notice the Declaration said we didn’t have the right to happiness itself. No, if some people choose to be miserable, well, more power to them.
But the Declaration declares that we all have the same right to pursue happiness. Whether you’re Bill Gates or, well, Barb Kromphardt, happiness should exist at the same distance from our grasp.
So, Roosevelt said Americans should also have their economic rights protected.
He said, “We have come to a clear realization of the fact that true individual freedom cannot exist without economic security and independence.”
(He also said “Necessitous men are not free men,” which makes me admire the language skills of your average Joe or Jane back in the 1940s.)
Roosevelt proposed the following:
• The right to a useful and remunerative job.
• The right to earn enough to provide adequate food and clothing and recreation.
• The right of every farmer to raise and sell his products at a return which will give him and his family a decent living.
• The right of every businessman, large and small, to trade in an atmosphere of freedom.
• The right of every family to a decent home.
• The right to adequate medical care and the opportunity to achieve and enjoy good health.
• The right to adequate protection from the economic fears of old age, sickness, accident, and unemployment.
• The right to a good education.
Now, this was all new to me, but I guess these economic rights are controversial to many people. Some say the government should back out of people’s lives and let us fight our own battles — kind of the survival of the fittest.
But haven’t we moved beyond that? It’s not a zero sum game, folks. Someone doesn’t have to lose in order for someone else to win.
To me, this is about fairness. If you work hard, you ought to be able to live on your salary. If you feed the nation, you ought to be able to feed your family. A low-paying job shouldn’t leave you adrift if you get sick, or hurt, or just plain old.
Bullies with more might or money or power shouldn’t be able to deprive you of your chance to pursue happiness from your labors.
That’s just not the American way.
Barb Kromphardt is a staff writer at the Bureau County Republican. She can be reached at bkromphardt@bcrnews.com.
