Privilege vs. Right vs. Will

I was drinking a cup of coffee with some friends this morning when we touched on some items in the news, specifically the Smuggling case in Laos and the highway shooting case in Arizona of a Speed Camera operator. It was kind of a rowdy conversation - we had touched upon an HMO's mis-diagnosis of a friend with rheumatoid arthritis, who was told she had Lime's disease and paid thousands of dollars for treatments which made no improvement, and on a local bank's requirement to provide fingerprints when cashing a customer's check for a non-customer (example: you go to a bank you don't bank at, such as oh say Bank of America with a check issued to you by a BOA customer, and you ask to cash that check.) Also, we covered the new phenomenon of restaurants charging for water and bread when we dine.

At times, there were murmers of 'big brother' and 'personal choice' but they were from different corners at different times.

It was generally agreed that:

1. the woman in Laos will unfortunately likely meet her fate there; dealing with local governments on their terms means dealing with the consequences.
2. the poor schlub in the speed camera van ought never have been harmed, although the opponents of speed cameras should probably be held as culpable as the man who pulled the trigger, since they provide an environment that encourages people to break the law by 'protecting their privacy.'
3. The HMO caused the woman additional pain and expenses by not running a thorough second diagnosis before putting her to treatment. Question of how the HMO might have benefited financially.
4. We all were a little revolted by the idea of giving up our fingerprints just to get a check cashed. It seems a way the bank can avoid providing service to 'non-customers.' Wonder how they would like it if all the landlords whose clients bank with them had to come in and withdraw cash instead of writing checks? Probably they would not care very much.
5. There were suggestions of posting the names of restaurants who are charging for 'amenities' like bread, water, and butter. Hopefully though this won't be necessary!

The klatch got me thinking as I drove home about the expectations we have as Americans in the North American society. We tend to think about things like gun ownership; driving; good medical coverage; a legal process that can get you off when you're in trouble; privacy, and free bread (and circus) as not only benefits of location but benefits everyone should expect.

Many folks took up the Briton in Laos' situation as 'a travesty,' for one reason or another taking the side that the government in Laos is barbaric and therefore something ought to be done for her. The fact that Laotian authorities have upheld this very widely publicized punishment on the books for years seems to deepen their 'barbarism.' I don't wish to judge the poor woman who finds herself in this fix, but Laos is a long way from home for her, and arguing she didn't know she was carrying over a half-kilo of heroin is disingenuous. You would notice if you were carrying an extra pound of anything. Do we have the right to flout a country's laws, or expect the leniency of our own courts in other jurisdictions?

A lot of folks look at driving as a personal right. I'm told that in some states, drivers whose licenses were suspended due to drunken driving are permitted to drive to and from their jobs during suspension, so that their work doesn't suffer for the penalty. People forget, we're allowed the privilege to drive, provided we do so safely. Which in turn means driving in the proper lanes, at the proper speed. Without alcohol or firearms in hand (firearms my addendum).

Do we have the right not to have our photograph taken when/if our vehicle exceeds the speed limit? Good question. I say, 'forget it. You're driving, it's a privilege, and if you break the rules you get what you get.'

Hopefully that opinion won't earn me a cap in my trunk.

The rest of it, well, sign's o'the times I guess. Restaurants and banks can cut their noses off to spite their faces, and HMO's will do what they do because.... well, they can. But it was a good morning, and I'm glad I went down to 'little Athens' to meet and klatch.