Balancing Rights with Responsibilities

The emphasis on rights in the United States, for example, has led some people to criticize the country for being too concerned with rights, while neglecting responsibilities. Some say that "with every right there comes a responsibility" and urge people to act more responsibly toward one another, their families, and their communities.

While individual rights are important, they must be matched by social responsibilities, these critics say. For example, if people wish to be tried by juries of their peers, they must be willing to serve on such juries. If they want to be governed by elected officials who respond to their values and needs, they must not only vote but also get involved in other ways: attend election forums, work for candidates, and run for positions on school boards, city councils, and community associations. Many laws also require people to act responsibly. For example, parents must provide their children with adequate food, shelter, and clothing; drivers must obey traffic laws; and all workers must pay taxes.

Critics of the emphasis on rights also point out that "just because you have a legal right to do (or not to do) something does not mean it is the right thing to do." For example, the First Amendment protects freedom of speech and sometimes gives people the right to say hateful and abusive things to others. However, it does not make such speech morally right.

Others emphasize the pride that people take because rights have been extended to women, minorities, and persons with disabilities, all of whom had been previously excluded from full participation in society. Striking the correct balance between rights and responsibilities can be difficult.

Task 3. Find English equivalents in the text:

• убеждать, настоятельно советовать

• распространяться

• ровня, равный

• пренебрегать обязанностями

• частные права

• выставлять свою кандидатуру на выборах

• устанавливать равновесие

• правила дорожного движения

• ненавистный

• оскорбительный

Task 4. Translate the sentences from Russian into English

1. Каждое право влечет за собой ответственность.

2. В то время как частные права важны, они должны соответствовать социальной ответственности.

3. Только потому, что у Вас есть законное право сделать (или не сделать) что-то не означает, что это как раз то, что надо сделать.

4. Права были расширены на женщин, меньшинства и людей с ограниченными возможностями, всех тех, кто ранее был исключен из полноправного участия в обществе.

5. Установить равновесие между правами и обязанностями может быть трудным.

Task 5. Write (present) the main idea of the text using the highlighted words.

Case Study

The Case of…

The Apathetic Bystanders

Lead in:

Task 1. Are these statements true or false? Give arguments to support your choice.

1. A failure to assist a person in need is a crime or tort.

2. There is a legal duty to assist a person in need due to the relationship between them.

   1. Parents have a legal duty to help their children.

   2. Spouses have a legal duty to help one another.

3. There is an affirmative duty to act because one party has assumed the responsibility either by contract or otherwise.

   1. A day care center has a duty to call an ambulance if a child under its care has a seizure.

   2. A day care worker walking home from work has a duty to help a child who is having a seizure on the other side of the road.

   3. A lifeguard has a duty to assist a drowning swimmer in the area being guarded.

   4. A nearby swimmer who is a certified guard can be held criminally responsible for failing to help.

4. A duty to help exists where one person has caused the situation.

   1. A negligent driver who hits another car, injury to the other driver, has a duty to call an ambulance for that other one driver.

Catherine "Kitty" Genovese was attacked and stabbed to death in 1964 in a highly populated area of Queens, New York. During the half-hour ordeal, 38 people heard Kitty's screams for help and watched from their windows. Twice the killer was scared off by the sound of voices and the realization that he was being watched. However, both times, when it became obvious that nobody was going to call the police, the killer returned to finish off his victim. Rather than give any aid to Kitty, such as calling the police or an ambulance, all 38 bystanders chose to pull their shades, draw their blinds, and ignore Kitty's urgent pleas for help as her life was taken by the deranged attacker.

stabbed to death – заколота до смерти

ordeal – суровое испытание

scare off – спугивать

finish off – добить

give aid – оказывать помощь

bystanders – случайные свидетели

plea for help – мольба о помощи

deranged – безумный, невменяемый

Follow-up

Task 1

1. What happened in this case?

2. Who are the parties?

3. What facts are important? Unimportant?

4. Is any significant information missing?

5. Why did the people involved act the way they did?

6. What are the arguments in favor of and against each point of view?

7. Which arguments are most persuasive? Least persuasive? Why?

8. What might be the consequences of each course of action? To the parties? To society?

9. Are there any alternatives?

10. What questions might you pose if you had an opportunity to interview individuals involved in the case?

Task 2

1. Why do you think the bystanders took no action to help Kitty?

2. Did the bystanders commit a crime by not acting? Give your reasons.

3. Did the bystanders do the right thing?

4. Should the law hold citizens responsible for not helping out in cases such as this one?

5. Should the law impose civil or criminal liability on the bystanders who fails to help? Give pros and cons of such laws.