Rights or simply Wants?

Everyday I see banners and news
Brandishing all means of protest
Demanding for their rights
Some even resorting to violence
Justifying all these acts
In the name of fighting for their rights.

But how many actually knows
What it means to have rights
That there is never absolute rights
Rights comes with a price
A price many refuses to pay
A price superceded by their wants and greed,
Responsibilities and Compromises

How many
workers demanded for better benefits and pay,
Citing it's their rights even after a raise
People demanded for the right to own gun,
Citing its their right to protect but instead harmed others
Parents demanding to have say over their child's life ,
Demanding better performance in school,
Citing it's their rights but wants only to outshine others
Law makers wants more power to exercise the law,
Citing it's their right to defend and protect the public
But instead ending up preserving the interest of the rich and powerful but repressed the underdogs
The list grows endlessly

Rights only exist
Pertaining to only ourself,
The right to be respected,
But cannot demand to be respected
The right to be loved,
But cannot demand to be loved
The right to have a voice,
But cannot demand to be heard
Rights is not limitless
But our wants can be limitless.
Therefore,
We have the responsibility to balance
Our rights and wants
To make compromises
To find an equilibrium in an ever changing vortex
We call society for there to be peace.

Hence,
A judge doesn't have the right to sentence a criminal
But a responsibility to sentence a criminal
As prescribed by the law
A parent does not have a right over their kids
But a responsibility to nurture and guide their kids
A person has the right to own a gun
But a responsibility to protect others from their gun
An employer has the right to protect its interest
But is responsible for the well-being of his workers

Only when we uphold our responsibility
Balancing our wants and greeds
Can compromises be made
Right be preserved.
So,
Next time you want to talk about your rights,
Take a breather and ask yourself,
Is it about my wants or my rights?