In response to the "Weekly Writing Corner," Kid Scoop, from Nov. 30, 2005.
This column encouraged kids to write in about a constitutional right that is
important to them. I take issue with the presumption that there is any such
thing as a "constitutional right." The Constitution or the government
doesn't grant anyone rights. The Constitution merely brings government into
existence to protect those rights and limit government powers.
To say that we have "constitutional rights" presumes to think that people
have no rights but for those granted by the Constitution (government). Do
people think that they would have no rights if the Constitution or
government didn't grant them?
We have rights that are natural and inherent just by virtue of the fact that
we exist.
The reason that this distinction is important is that we must not forget who
controls whom. We, the people, are supposed to control our government.
Therefore, rather than the Constitution granting us rights, we, the people
grant government limited powers.
