🙅🏾‍♂️ The Government Has No Rights

What does Trump's ability to declassify documents mean for our privacy rights?

Triggers the first year associate in me

Last week Donald Trump claimed he had declassified all the documents the FBI seized at Mar-a-Lago, including those marked top secret. Can a president really do that? What does that mean for the public’s right to know? As someone who has read, written, and relied upon numerous classified documents, here are some thoughts …

YOU have human rights, civil rights and civil liberties

Let’s start at the beginning.

We live in a society inspired by Greco-Roman ideals, one that says we have “inalienable” rights. No one gives you these rights, you are born with them - they are human rights, rights you have because you are a human being. The right to life or freedom from torture are examples.

Civil rights, on the other hand, are rights you have because you are a member of a state or fall under its protection (e.g. you are a tourist visiting LA). Each country has a different set of civil rights. Often, these rights are codified in written documents like the United…