Is Michael Michael Weinstein Confused?

Published On: October 27, 2020|Categories: MRFF's Inbox|4 Comments|

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Quote attributed to Michael Weinstein:

 

“Our rights in America are not God-given. They are given by our Constitution, which doesn’t mention anybody’s God at the time,” Weinstein told Insider, adding that he was Jewish.
(source – David Choi, Business Insider, Oct 26, 2020)
 
Small snippet from the US Declaration of Independence:

 

 “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
 
So, which is it? 
 
V/R,
(name withheld)

Response from MRFF Founder and President Mikey Weinstein
hi there, (name withheld)….the Declaration of Independence is not, Not, NOT our country’s governing document any more than the Federalist Papers are, my friend…..I hope that helps?…best, Mikey W….

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4 Comments

  1. Old_ColdWar_MP October 27, 2020 at 11:40 am

    I’m not sure which nation’s constitution “Name Withheld” is referring to – but it cannot possibly the Constitution of the U.S.A.
    I wonder how often this is addressed when raised in anger against MRFF?
    As a child, and later as an MP, I was taught was taught to quickly assess the situation at hand, and quickly find a string of resolutions and only escalate from the least risk to higher risks – and to do so before acting – or opening my mouth. And the only way to accomplish this was to remain objective and keep the “other” in mind before the “self.”
    This seems to be a lesson often neglected.
    I recommend the writer return to the library and re-read both founding documents and do some introspection prior to casting disparaging accounts on others.
    With Kindest Regards,

  2. Tom O October 27, 2020 at 12:24 pm

    Americans’ rights are protected from government infringement by the US constitution. The Declaration of Independence was written 11 years before the present US government existed. Whether or not Americans’ rights are “God-given” is a question that cannot be answered by any objective factual inquiry. Theocrats, like all authoritarians, determine the validity of an idea by how much “authority” is allegedly possessed by the person(s) voicing the idea, rather than by facts and logic.

  3. Jeff October 27, 2020 at 2:34 pm

    I agree with your assessment of theocrats, but the question of whether our rights in the USA are granted by a deity is very answerable. Our rights in the USA are determined by law and only law. The law, including the constitution, doesn’t grant any rights by God’s authority in the USA. Anyone who doesn’t believe that is welcome to go before a court and argue their case based on the authority of a supreme being rather than the law. Good luck with that.

  4. ironmoped October 27, 2020 at 2:40 pm

    I think the (name withheld) writer is confused!

    He is conflating the Declaration of Independence with the US Constitution. One is a legal document, the other isn’t!

    Try substituting Fred for “The Creator,” or for the word “God,” and you’ll see just how silly these “pick-and-choose” Christians are (I assume the writer is Christian).

    “We hold these truths to be self evident…….they are endowed by Fred…..”

    The “rights of man” can never be anything more than a conceptual and ideological construct, completely unenforceable by any legal standard. And that’s why we have laws!

    Reliance on one man’s idea of what unalienable rights are may not be applicable to all – just ask slaves! As you know, three of the five authors of the Declaration of Independence were slave owners! Really! “Certain unalienable rights!” Give it a rest with your unalienable rights bullshit given by “Fred!”

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