Twelve candidates have been disqualified from Hong Kong’s Legislative Council elections, but they do not understand why (“ How are hopefuls disqualified from Hong Kong elections, and who decides? ”, July 30). The pan-democrats say they have a right to candidacy and to vote. They do not understand that sovereign rights take precedence over individual rights. Rules to limit individual freedom obtain collective peace in society. See how the exercising of individual freedom not to wear a mask or social distance has left the United States with one Covid-19 death per minute . Sovereignty is most important. In times of war, who can guarantee human rights? Sovereignty comes before individual rights. And we must avoid civil wars due to differences over personal rights. Who cares about your family more than you? Who cares about China more than China? There are no free lunches. Foreign countries help you only if they see something in you that will benefit them. So beware of foreign interference. There are millions of people with no nationality. Ask them if they have any human rights at all. Hong Kong was a British colony. Ask older Hongkongers how much freedom they had then. Perhaps it is the failure of our education system. We are not trained to do independent research and thinking. We are not trained to think big, such as for the country. Instead we are taught, out of context, to focus on one narrow issue, such as individual freedom. We are not trained to think deeply enough to see that we have the most freedom when China is strong militarily ( largest in the world), so that we suffer no wars like in the Middle East. China is also strong economically (second largest) so we can live comfortably. Chinese rate government ‘more capable than ever before’: long-term study We are not trained to take a balanced view of all human rights. Instead, we are trained to take political or civil rights as an absolute god. We are not trained to understand that all political systems have good and bad sides. Instead, we take democracy as a god. If Legco candidates cannot think big and deep, I do not think they are qualified to become councillors and take care of Hong Kong’s future. P.Y. Chan, Ontario