Your rights don't come from government—they come from your Creator. Understanding the difference between unalienable rights and government-granted privileges is crucial to defending your freedom.

What Are Unalienable Rights?

The Declaration of Independence establishes the foundational principle of American government:

"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."

The word "unalienable" means these rights cannot be surrendered, transferred, or taken away. They are inherent to your existence as a human being.

The Source of Rights

Understanding where rights come from determines whether they can be taken away:

Unalienable Rights (God-Given):

• Come from the Creator, not government
• Cannot be surrendered or transferred
• Exist prior to government
• Government's purpose is to secure these rights, not grant them
• Include life, liberty, property, self-defense, conscience

Legal Privileges (Government-Granted):

• Come from government legislation
• Can be regulated, restricted, or revoked
• Exist only because government created them
• Require permission or licensing
• Include driver's licenses, business permits, professional licenses

Natural Law Foundation

The Founders based their understanding of rights on natural law—universal principles discoverable through reason and observation of nature. Natural law recognizes that:

• Human beings have inherent dignity and worth
• Certain moral truths exist independent of human opinion
• Rights flow from human nature, not government decree
• Just laws align with natural law; unjust laws violate it

"The natural liberty of man is to be free from any superior power on Earth, and not to be under the will or legislative authority of man, but only to have the law of nature for his rule."

Government's Proper Role

The Declaration of Independence explains government's legitimate purpose:

"That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed."

Notice the language carefully:

• Government exists to secure rights, not grant them
• Government power is derived from the people
• Only just powers are legitimate
• Government requires consent of the governed

The Transformation

Modern government has inverted this relationship:

• Before: Rights come from God; government secures them
• Now: Rights come from government; government can revoke them

• Before: Government power is limited by the Constitution
• Now: Government claims unlimited power for "public good"

• Before: Natural persons have unalienable rights
• Now: Corporations claim constitutional rights (1886 fraud)

Practical Implications

Understanding unalienable rights changes how you interact with government:

1. You don't need permission to exercise unalienable rights
2. Government restrictions on unalienable rights are presumptively unconstitutional
3. You can challenge government actions that violate unalienable rights
4. Officers who violate unalienable rights act outside their authority

The Bill of Rights

The Bill of Rights doesn't grant rights—it recognizes and protects pre-existing unalienable rights from government infringement. Notice the language:

• First Amendment: "Congress shall make no law..."
• Second Amendment: "...shall not be infringed"
• Fourth Amendment: "...shall not be violated"
• Ninth Amendment: Rights retained by the people
• Tenth Amendment: Powers reserved to the states or the people

These are prohibitions on government, not grants of permission to the people.

Taking Action

To reclaim your unalienable rights:

1. Study the Declaration of Independence and Constitution
2. Understand the difference between rights and privileges
3. Challenge government overreach through proper legal channels
4. Demand that government officers honor their constitutional oaths
5. Support constitutional restoration efforts in your jurisdiction

For detailed legal frameworks on defending unalienable rights and challenging government violations, explore the ADVANCED platform's comprehensive research and implementation strategies.