Why America's obsession with rights is wrong

The Gray Area with Sean Illing

Vox Media Podcast Network

Society & Culture, News, Politics, News Commentary, Philosophy

4.6 • 10.8K Ratings

🗓️ 2 September 2021

⏱️ 54 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Vox's Zack Beauchamp talks with Columbia law professor Jamal Greene about his book How Rights Went Wrong: Why Our Obsession With Rights Is Tearing America Apart. They discuss how the US obsession with rights and their protections gives too much power to judges and the courts, makes it difficult for ordinary citizens to find reasonable solutions to legitimate problems, and has made this country's legal system not only nonsensical but dangerous. Host: Zack Beauchamp (@zackbeauchamp), Senior Correspondent, Vox Guest: Jamal Greene (@jamalgreene), Dwight Professor of Law, Columbia Law School References: How Rights Went Wrong: Why Our Obsession With Rights Is Tearing America Apart by Jamal Greene (HMH Books; 2021) "From Guns to Gay Marriage, How Did Rights Take Over Politics?" by Kelefa Sanneh (New Yorker; May 24) Lochner v. New York, 198 US 45 (1905) Masterpiece Cakeshop, Ltd. v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission, 584 US __ (2018) District of Columbia v. Heller, 554 US 570 (2008) "Texas's radical anti-abortion law, explained" by Ian Millhiser (Vox; Sept. 2) Enjoyed this episode? Rate Vox Conversations ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Subscribe for free. Be the first to hear the next episode of Vox Conversations by subscribing in your favorite podcast app. Support Vox Conversations by making a financial contribution to Vox! bit.ly/givepodcasts This episode was made by: Producer: Erikk Geannikis Editor: Amy Drozdowska VP, Vox Audio: Liz Kelly Nelson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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1:01.8	Have we been thinking about rights the wrong way?
1:06.9	This is Zach Beechoam, I'm a senior correspondent in Vox,
1:09.3	and I read about politics and ideology.
1:11.8	This week I'm your host for Vox Conversations.
1:22.4	Americans love to talk about rights.
1:24.6	The Declaration of Independence says, for example, that we all have certain unalienable rights.
1:29.1	The Bill of Rights is one of the best-known parts of the Constitution,
1:32.1	and in recent years the Supreme Court has given us all sorts of new rights,
1:35.5	from the right to privacy, to the right not to be forced to buy health insurance,
1:39.8	depending on how you read the recent Obamacare decisions.
1:42.3	So the standard line that you hear from a lot of Americans is that we need this kind of strong
1:47.4	right protection to protect our freedom.
	...

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