No rights beyond Natural Law

In response to Eugene Robinson's Aug. 12 article, the U.S. Constitution does not construe "rights" but illustrates and codifies what is commonly known as Natural Law, an ethical code outside of oneself.

There is something behind the Constitution. Rights do not merely hang in thin air - they have to have a footing, a bearing. When one argues for one's "rights" the one is in essence arguing on the basis of natural law.

The Declaration of Independence, for example, presupposes monotheism - God, in the singular, is mentioned twice in the first two sentences and in no other manner and God as the author of the natural laws (e.g. The Law of Nature and of Nature's God).

Finding "rights" in the Constitution not rooted in the moral code of the universe is incorrect thinking and dangerous. One could theoretically find "rights" for all manner of behaviors and ideas in the Constitution otherwise.

It does no good to appeal to "rights" when the statistical majority does not go along with one's view on a given subject if there is no such thing as objective truth. Listen carefully to heated arguments: one or the other appeals to something outside of oneself to declare that something is just or right.

Norman Suire

Elgin