Rights Talk

We are now used to hearing that the Supreme Court or Congress has `expanded’ such and such a right, usually to the applause of liberals. It sounds as if our rights could be multiplied by an act of the will, in which case one wonders why we don’t just get on with it. But in fact one man’s right is another man’s obligation. A right can only be enlarged by lessening another right elsewhere.

Single Issues, Razing the Past. Sometimes, that “other right” is simply that of democratic self-governance.