In honor of John Locke, whose philosophical writings argued for the rights of each single human being, Individual Rights Day is celebrated on August 29th, the date of Locke’s birth.
According to Locke, “Anything that a man has as a matter of human rights or civil rights is to remain inviolably his,” and although Locke conceded that humans surrendered some natural rights in exchange for the collective protection afforded by societies, he held that basic individual rights include life, liberty, property, freedom of speech, freedom of religion and freedom to petition government.
Individual Rights Day was initiated by the founder of the Objectivist Party, Dr. Tom Stevens, who supports John Locke’s philosophies regarding the rights of society’s smallest minority and basic unit – the individual.
Celebrations of Individual Rights Day include reading about John Locke and his views, reviewing your country’s commitment to the protection of rights and appreciating the value of freedom and the sacrosanct nature of individual rights.
