What is a right? There are many ways to complete a definition of this word that people seem to bandy about like some sort of malleable shuttlecock. A right can be defined as having sufficient sovereignty to act without the permission of others, including government. It carries with it the unexpressed restriction that no person may exercise his or her rights when the exercise thereof infringes unjustly upon the rights of others to live as their own sovereign. Under this condition, a right is an absolute.

If each person has a right to function as the sovereign over his or her life, then, a right is universal and applies equally to all men; not to just a few in elite positions of power. Therefore, by definition, there can be no such thing as special rights unique to groups such as women vs. men, whites vs. people of color, straights vs. gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgendered, between rich and poor, those who are sick and those who provide care, or those who can or cannot afford legal representation in criminal matters.

Rights pertain to individuals. They can never pertain to groups or to a collective as groups and collectives are comprised of individuals; each with differing perspectives on what comprises happiness and how to pursue it.

For an even broader examination of what constitutes a right and what constitutes a pseudo [or false] right, go here. The definitions and examples you will find may help those engaged in the battle over the immorality of the politics such as Massachusetts General Law 40B. It may be of help to those interested to think of these definitions and perspectives and how they relate to everyday zoning regulations and other restrictive government practices.