Freedom, Liberty, and Rights

This week we read Freedom, Liberty, and Rights: Three Cautionary Tales by Aryeh Neier and Neier mainly made the point about Bush's use of words, or as Orwell would call them, "meaningless words." He notes how many times Bush uses the words freedom, liberty, and rights and how he does not define these terms that are used almost everyday. Neier believes that rights serve as a limit on powers and that we are free because we exercise these rights. Later in his essay, he talks this term, rights, and says how it is just used any ol' way. Neier says there is such a "promiscuous use of the term rights" and we even have third generation rights, such as the right to development. I love the way Neier ended his essay, because I believe he made a great point! He said that "both sides diminish the value of these words in expressing the need to limit power, question claims to virtue, and foster debate." I think this is a point Orwell was trying to make when we mentioned meaningless words in his essay and this is a very important point that everyone should take into considerate when they write essays.