Well it a cultural thing really~Americans take the stand for "liberty and justice for all", we were taught at a young age that , yet nothing in the New Testament teaches that these are indeed "inalienable" rights....yet it's the core of what we are, we have these "God-given" rights and the right to defend them and you can't step on my turf physically nor intellectually without gettin' a fight...it's the antithesis of "denying yourself, pick up your cross and follow Me".
Actually the very concept of inalienable rights is based on the bible. It was formulated by men who knew the bible inside and out and used the bible as the basis of their social theory.
In fact, the concept upon which America was founded of liberty and justice for all is the heart of meekness when you really get down to it.
The defacto principle of the world up to that point had been that the strong ruled the weak, and might made right.
There was a tradition within political philosophy that regarded the rule of law and the protection of the people as the goals of government but it had, for the most part, never been realized in practice.
So essentially the order of government was the very opposite of meekness. It was unadulterated, uncontroled strength crushing opposition and doing whatever it desired.
The entire principle upon which the american ethic was based, was the idea that the strength of government must be restrained so that the people can be protected.
Further, the American's who lead the revolt were not simple rebels out for their own glory and their own power. They deeply respected authority and, right or wrong, they had very intricate and indepth thoughts about what made a statement of independance justifiable and what did not.
Their actions were not selfish, but were based on deep conviction and the persuit of something they deeply cared about, a just government that allowed people to pursue the duties that God had laid upon them.
That ultimately is the source of inalienable rights. God has given all men duties which he requires of them, as a result all men have the right to pursue fulfilling those duties to the best of their ability as their conscience dictates.
One of the keys to understanding the biblical meekness is that meekness in the bible is understood to be toward God. Those who are meek toward God. Let alone unbelievers, I have seen many believers who demand their rights from God, they demand that their words be heard, they demand that their petitions be granted and the even go so far as to call God a liar if he doesn't give them what they want.
The truth is that while God has given us rights among men, we have no rights against God. He is the owner of all. Thus if God puts us in a position where our rights are comprimised, that is his perogative and we must simply accept it and do as he directs us to do.
When we look at the history of God's people we find both instances in which God's people have been oppressed, and God directed them to fight their oppressors and they one spectacular victories, and we see situations in which God directed them not to fight their oppressors and the suffered terrible things, but they still won great victories, but victories of a different kind.
The secret there is simply knowing the times, and knowing what God has directed you to do. Are you in the situation of the Macabees? or the Zealots?
Meekness in no way automaticaly requires surrender to death and persucution because you do not know from the outset whether God has called you to martyrdom, or to war.
Now, what you guys are saying is very true of the individualism that has invaded american thought. That is not the truth upon which we were founded, but every truth has its abuse. Every strength has its corresponding weakness. Individuality is important and it is a feature of how God made us. Individualism is based on selfishness and self exaltation.
