Re: Klingon WOTD: DIb (n)

["William H. Martin" <whm2m@virginia.edu>]

On Mon, 20 Dec 1999 13:06:49 -0500 SuSvaj 
<zayericd@pilot.msu.edu> wrote:

> At 11:44 AM 12/20/99 -0500, you wrote:
> >
> >Realize that in Klingon culture, a right IS a privaledge. There 
> >are no universal rights that one does not need to earn. All 
> >rights and all privaledges are earned.
> 
> bortaS DIb bajnISbe' vay'.  chut DIb 'oHbej.

bortaS DIb DaloplaHpa' batlhHa' vangnIS latlh. SoHvaD DIbvam baj 
latlh. If no one has wronged you, no one has earned for you the 
right to revenge. You have no right to revenge until one has 
wronged you.

What I meant was that rights/privaledges follow from deeds. They 
do not simply exist in the way that we might say one has a right 
to free speech or that one has a right to pursue happiness, or a 
right to be fed and sheltered. For a Klingon, you can speak 
freely when you can prove that you can defend yourself if 
someone objects. You have a right to pursue happiness if you 
prove that you have the strength and determination to destroy 
any barriers between you and your goal. You have a right to food 
and shelter when you defend these resources successfully.

If you are arrested on Qo'noS, they don't tell you that you have 
the right to remain silent. They merely tell you to remain 
silent. It's more to the point.
 
> SuSvaj
> > 
> >> ijeyD
> >
> >charghwI'

charghwI'