PRIVILEGE OR RIGHT

While reading an article on lobbying efforts by gay groups to secure passage of Gov. Paterson’s proposal to legalize same-sex marriage, I was struck by a quote from State Senator George Onorato, a Democrat from Queens. “They can have all the other privileges, but not marriage.” Now the purpose of this column is not to debate the merits of Gov. Paterson’s initiative but that quote got me thinking about the concept of privilege versus right.
For starters, are the terms mutually exclusive or do most privileges eventually evolve into rights. Voting for instance is often referred to as both a right and a privilege or is it both. For a considerable part of our history voting was indeed a privilege extended primarily to whites. In the years following the Civil War (I always find that term odd), as blacks began to assume the trappings of full citizenship, states began passing legislation making it difficult or impossible for blacks to vote. Those obstacles took the form of literacy tests and onerous poll taxes. So for too many years voting for some people only happened if someone extended the privilege. Eventually public sentiment coupled with the civil rights movement of the 1960’s secured the right to vote for African-Americans. It’s hard to argue voting should ever have been considered a privilege but it certainly is a right.
Other things once considered a privilege have evolved into rights as well. The recent bursting of the housing bubble is a good example. Owning a home was always considered a hard earned privilege and accomplishment. You worked hard, saved up the money for a down payment and then crossed your fingers the bank would extend you a mortgage. In the last 25 years as politicians began mining for votes, that all began to change.
The cynical political strategy was simple. A vote cast by the poorest, least productive resident of my district counts every bit as much as the doctor in the big house on the hill. I just need to get 51% of anybody and I’m in. So politicians, particularly democrats took the old campaign slogan of “A chicken in every pot” and turned it into “A house in every pot.” Home ownership was redefined as a right not a privilege, telling people they were entitled to a house.
Congress even created agencies like Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to finance and backstop the mortgages of people who had no business owning a home. The politicians either knew or didn’t care about the long term ramifications of giving poor people the means to buy something they clearly couldn’t afford. All they knew was these folks were going to say thank you with their votes. As we have seen that “right” blew up in everyone’s face and we’ll be paying off that tab for years to come.
Health care is another tough call. Is cradle to grave health care a right? Does the Constitution say “Life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness and free health care?” If you listen to some of the demagoguery out there, you’d have to believe it does. Or is health care like most things in life, an expensive privilege you work hard to pay for? But like the mortgage crisis, politicians know giving the American people something for nothing is going to help them at the ballot box. The fact that we can’t remotely afford it is of no concern to the powers to be. When that baby blows, they’ll all be long gone and we’ll be handing the bill to our grandchildren.
You can also debate the evolution of FDR’s temporary assistance programs of the 1930’s which have morphed into a perpetual welfare state augmented by virtually year round unemployment benefits. What was once considered a helping hand and privilege has become a way of life for large segments of society. Social Security is a far easier call. It’s a right because we paid into the fund during our working lives. Then there’s Medicare. It’s right up there with Social Security with the senior set in terms of entitlement. I have elderly relatives who go to the doctor for any and all real or imagined ailments. Would they go if they were paying for it? Not in a million years. I’m sorry because I’ll get there myself someday but reaching a certain age shouldn’t give you the right to stick everyone else with the bill.
Lastly, here’s my personal pet peeve in the privilege or right department. Just how long do these people in Louisiana think they’re entitled to money and trailers from Uncle Sam? If a natural disaster befalls you, there is no constitutional right to sit on your butt for the rest of your life snapping up checks. Get a job and move on and for God’s sake stop whining. There’s a very bright line between a right and a privilege.

Jim Langan can be reached at Jimlangan @thehudsonvalleynews.com