The United States Constitution was created to ensure the people were free and government was severely restrained. When we talk about rights, we should take a step back and understand why the founders included certain rights in our Constitution. Each one has a purpose, each one is vital to the future of this nation.
The first step to understanding our rights is to understand the basic concept. Picture yourself standing alone on a planet with no other human beings. The things that you can do are natural rights. Now, add a second person to the mix. That person has the same rights and when you move into an area that removes his rights, we have conflict. Since both of you have the same rights, that conflict creates the need for government so civilized people can resolve issues, while maintaining the natural rights of each other. As the saying goes, your right to swing your fist ends at my nose.
There is an immense amount of confusion regarding rights. While you have the right to self defense, you may not possess the ability to defend yourself. While you have the right to improve your life by seeking good health care, you do not have the right to make the life of another worse by demanding that person donate his kidney to extend your life. Too many among us have started to expand rights to things like the right to health care, the right to free college and so on. Your rights cannot extend to the point of demanding action of another.
Rights aren't dependent on government to exist. Rights aren't dependent on the actions of others to exist. When you hear someone talk about the right to free health care, please understand that in order to have that "right", we must first confiscate the labor or wealth of another in order for you to have that right. This is an important distinction because blurring the lines between rights and wants puts our real rights in danger.
When looking at the careful balance between Liberty and Tyranny, it's important to understand what rights we DO have and what rights are created by politicians and why. Why would a politician drive us to tyranny? It's almost never intentional but the result is still the same.