—he suggested that the state may override a given right when this is necessary
to protect the rights of others. This is a very common move in popular discussion
of these matters. Someone worries aloud about changes in civil liberties and the
rights of suspects etc., and people respond: “Well, what about the rights of those
who might get blown up by terrorists?”. Rights versus rights is a different ballgame
from rights versus social utility. If security is also a matter of rights, then