Hacker Newsnew | past | comments | ask | show | jobs | submitlogin

The Declaration of Independence doesn't claim rights are derived from human nature, but that "certain inalienable rights" are "Endowed by [a] Creator."

So I guess that solves it. We can have all the guns we want because God said so.



The Declaration of Independence isn't part of the U.S. Constitution. The words "god" or "creator" don't appear in the Constitution or Bill of Rights that I'm aware of. It seems quite secular.

https://constitution.congress.gov/constitution/


The Declaration of Independence is not a legally binding document either.


Thanks, that's what I was getting at if I was unclear. It predates the Constitution by more than a decade, with an abandoned Articles of Confederation in the middle.

It's historically important, but not legally meaningful when talking about the later US Constitution of 1789.


Honestly? Those words seem like they could be interpreted as being intended as timeless placeholders.




Consider applying for YC's Winter 2026 batch! Applications are open till Nov 10

Guidelines | FAQ | Lists | API | Security | Legal | Apply to YC | Contact

Search: