Are unalienable rights really unalienable?

Recently in my English class we have been reading a book called Starship Troopers by Robert Heinlein. In this book the subject is brought up of whether or not the unalienable rights mentioned in the United States Declaration of Independence are really unalienable.
In the Declaration of Independence the founding fathers stated "...we hold these truths to be self evident that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness..." Unalienable is a word defined as something that is not to be separated, given or taken away. But are these rights really unalienable no matter what the circumstance?
This same book also brings to focus the fact that freedom is not free, nor is anything worthwhile free. I believe this is true, partly because my own dad was in the military and I know for a fact that it is because of him and others that we have our freedom. Someone has to pay the price whether by hard work or by sacrificing their own life.
The founding fathers did not say, when they wrote this into the Declaration, that men are endowed with these unalienable rights as long as they work hard and obey the laws of society. However it is implied that this must occur because we do not live in a perfect world with perfect people. Therefore life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness must be sought after and worked for. Our founding fathers included this passage into the Declaration because they wanted Americans to at least have the opportunity to pursue each of these rights. In most countries people do not have these rights; take China for example. They are only allowed one child and the rest are just killed. Talk about taking away the right to life. As Americans we are lucky, we have the right and the privilege to pursuing happiness, life and liberty.
So are they really without question unalienable rights? Some could argue no. But I think yes, if you choose to work and put forth effort in pursuit of them.

I did it because I love it

Isn't it funny how some of the hardest things you have to do in life are usually the most worthwhile? Last Saturday I had a violin audition at BYU to get into the music program there. I was so nervous and I started to get that sick feeling inside where you just wish that it was over or that you could turn around and go home. But I didn't go home, I went through with it and it actually wasn't that bad.
Interestingly enough I realized afterwords that I never even had to go through with the audition in the first place. I could have simply said that I didn't want to do it, and that would have been it. I was talking with a teacher at my school and eventually I got around to telling him about the audition and how I hadn't even known I was going to do it until about a week and a half before the actual audition. He then proceeded to ask me why I had decided to do it even though I knew that I only had a little over a week to prepare. I told him- realizing this within myself as I said it- that my reasons for going through with this were because I was passionate about the violin and a simple stage fright wasn't going to back me down, because I knew that I would immensely regret it if I didn't do the audition. After I told him that, he looked at me with a sense of awe and admiration at my determination and will to succeed at something that I love so much.
It is not always going to be easy to accomplish the things that you want most in life, but I guess that is what is so special and unique to a person. Knowing what you want is just part of developing and maintaining your very own personality, allowing you to express yourself with a sense of confidence; and confidence is the key to your success.