Ben Bayer, director of content at Ayn Rand Institute, misquotes himself

The‧right‧to‧self-defense‧is‧an‧unconditional‧*right*,‧not‧a‧permission‧doled‧out‧only‧under‧comfortable‧conditions.‧It‧is‧an‧immediate‧implication‧of‧the[Your]‧right‧to‧life.‧If‧your‧life‧is‧yours‧*by‧right*,‧your‧claim‧to‧it‧‧…‧is‧not‧compromised‧by‧the‧fact‧that‧someone‧threatening‧to‧kill‧you‧has‧also‧taken‧a‧hostage‧who‧might‧be‧hurt‧in‧your‧attempt‧to‧defend‧yourself.

Explanation

The‧right‧to‧self-defense‧is‧an‧unconditional‧

*

right

*

,‧not‧a‧permission‧doled‧out‧only‧under‧comfortable‧conditions.‧

It‧is‧an‧immediate‧implication‧of‧the

[Your]

‧right‧to‧life

.‧If‧your‧life‧is‧yours‧*by‧right*,‧your‧claim‧to‧it‧

‧…‧

is‧not‧compromised‧by‧the‧fact‧that‧someone‧threatening‧to‧kill‧you‧has‧also‧taken‧a‧hostage‧who‧might‧be‧hurt

‧in‧your‧attempt‧to‧defend‧yourself

.

Notes

From Bayer’s Twitter bio: “Fellow and Director of Content, the Ayn Rand Institute. Former philosophy prof.” You’d think that a director of content and former philosophy professor would know how to quote. Note also that the ellipsis changes the meaning. In the quote, it’s the right to life that isn’t compromised, but in the original, it’s your claim to your life that isn’t compromised.