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Individual Rights Day comes on August 29 of every year. The day marks the birth date of John Locke, the philosopher who first prominently argued that a human being has a fundamental property right based upon his status as a sovereign person and that it is the government’s role to defend that right and not to treat its citizens as slaves.
“Individual rights are not subject to a public vote; a majority has no right to vote away the rights of a minority; the political function of rights is precisely to protect minorities from oppression by majorities (and the smallest minority on earth is the individual).” – Ayn Rand
History of Individual Rights Day
Dr. Tom Stevens, the founder of the Objectivist Party, who supports John Locke’s philosophies regarding the rights of society’s smallest minority and basic unit – the individual started Individual Rights Day. According to John Locke, “Anything that the man has as a matter of human rights or civil rights is to remain inviolably his,” Locke admitted that people surrendered some natural rights in exchange for the collective security afforded by societies. He held that fundamental individual rights include life, property, liberty, freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and freedom to petition the government.
Other Celebrations on August 29
August 29 is also celebrated as
How to Celebrate Individuals Rights Day
The best way to celebrate the day is by reading about John Locke and his views, evaluating your country’s commitment to the security of rights, and appreciating the value of freedom and its religious nature. You can also read about Ayn Rand and her basis for recognizing that every man is born with “individual rights” that cannot be crushed by the government or by others. Then you can compare the concept with those of “collective rights.” You can use the hashtag #IndividualsRightsDay to post on social media.
Thank you for reading the post. You can celebrate every day with Happydays365.org and Happy Individuals Rights Day 2023.