Strange that people think rights are something other than an agreement to not fight over land and resources. First, societies that don't protect and foster its children fail. Second, societies with disparate groups that work together eventually overcome their difference and become stronger together..
“And can the liberties of a nation be thought secure, when we have removed their only firm basis — a conviction in the minds of the people that these liberties are the gift of God? And they are not to be violated but with His wrath.” —U.S. President Thomas Jefferson
Friend or mine emmigrated to this country from Iraq about 20 years ago. He still has family in Iraq. Lost his brother two years ago at a checkpoint set up by one or another militia. The whole car load of family and friends were murdered. All on the basis of their clan/sect. What he says is the biggest difference between US and Iraq today is that in the US, people don't kill others when they have a difference, or at least it rarely happens in the US. This compared to Iraq, where it happens every day and has been for a long time.
Rights that are not defended are lost. For the most part, we turn over defense of our rights to government but not entirely. There are two ways the US society enforces our rights, one via justice system the other via social pressure from friends, neighbors and family. Both are necessary. Government (ideally) defines and enforces laws which embody "rights" and society teaches and reinforces values that also embody "rights".
Those rights that you and Jefferson say come from the government via god are really due to people's behavior within the society. God has little to do with it. God fearing people in Iraq don't respect the right to life of others in a different clan and so, mayhem and chaos are always just around the corner. It's impossible to maintain, rebuild or mend society when its own people don't respect rights of others.
I've heard many people say they agree with the mission of the occupiers but almost nobody agreed with their method. Practically everybody says the armed take-over of the refuge was something they disagreed with. And so, even though we disagree over the issues, we agree that violence and lawlessness are not the avenue to be taken, not in the first resort and maybe never. Advantage to US.
Bundy crossed the line when he strapped on his gun and declared private ownership of public lands. Except for a fringe group, people of the US understand this.