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0 pointsZigurd10y ago0 comments

The US constitution itself explains what is apparently mysterious to some people. Rights are not enumerated. Indeed, as long as they do not impinge on the rights of others they are limitless. Otherwise our rights would be mired in the context of 18th c. morals and technology, and would require constant amendments to keep up.

We have a right to use encryption. Cryptocurrency. CRISPR. Etc. We have those rights. Why? Because nothing in the constitution says we don't. Otherwise the constitution would be unmaintainable.

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rayiner10y ago· 1 in thread

A statement that a list of rights is non-exhaustive does not mean they are limitless. The purported right must be found somewhere else. E.g. Buying alcohol on Sundays is not prohibited in the Constitution, but you don't have a right to that because blue laws were accepted at the time.

Your idea of limitless rights turns Constitutional democracy on its head. Rights are exceptions to the power of the majority to regulate society. Limitless rights curtails democracy to nothing.

ZigurdOP10y ago

Your example about blue laws says nothing about rights. Blue laws regulate commerce but they don't prohibit anything outright. You can still drink on Sunday. If that restriction were to become too burdensome, a constitutional care could be made against it.

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