[Tipsy]

Originally Posted by Stiver

I don't beleive in essentail liberties. I beleive in the stability of a country who uses liberties to placate and otherwise unruly mob of people who beleive themselves to be worth more than they actualy are. The idea that anyone has rights is only a political move to bring people to it's support. The United States has only used the terms of liberty and rights so that it's people would rally to it's side, something which essentialy was abused in it's revolution against the British, simply so the rich in power didn't have to pay taxes.

It's actually quite a lot more than that. The actual greviances against the British were spelled out and it was a lot more than economic reasons:

Originally Posted by Declaration of Independace

He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.

He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.

He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.

He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their Public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.

He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.

He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected, whereby the Legislative Powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.

He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.

...

The rest can be seen here.

There are many reasons that were specifically stated in the Declaration of Independance and those that the colonists petitioned about over years before that. Money is nowhere close to as important as you make it seem to be our rebellion.

What rights you have is given to you, and quite frankly, can be taken away if it is necissary. Do not be so quick to think everything will stay the way it is forever. Eventualy somethign will and may happen to throw the wester culture upside down, and we see everyhting which we beleived to be lost in the struggle for power and survival. Mankind in it's inner most ideals is nothing but a viscious beast, and needs to be lead by those who are enlightened.

In the case of the United States, our 'rights' are rights - they cannot be taken away:

Originally Posted by Preamble to the Bill of Rights

The Conventions of a number of the States having at the time of their adopting the Constitution, expressed a desire, in order to prevent misconstruction or abuse of its powers, that further declaratory and restrictive clauses should be added: And as extending the ground of public confidence in the Government, will best insure the beneficent ends of its institution.

Our Constitution puts limits upon our government, but the Bill of Rights puts limits upon the Constitution - they are "declaratory and restrictive clauses" upon the Constitution. Contrary the popular belief, the first ten amendments (the Bill of Rights) cannot be changed like the others that have come after it.

Originally Posted by Dw-Riot

Gun control is effective because it slows down the process of legally obtaining a firearm and can aid in the restriction of firearms of citizens undeserving of them.

That's gun registry rather than control. Control is making something like, as an example, a ban on automatic weapons.