Topic: Unalienable Rights

Former President Obama delivered a speech commemorating the upcoming 250th anniversary of the United States, emphasizing the radical nature of self-government established in 1776. He highlighted the transition from a world of "conquest and caste" to one of equal citizens with unalienable rights. A minor linguistic debate ensues regarding his use of "unalienable" versus "inalienable."

A presidential proclamation for National Character Counts Week prompts a debate over the linguistic and legal differences between "unalienable" and "inalienable" rights. The discussion references the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, concluding that unalienable rights are those that cannot be surrendered or transferred.