Addresses Quote by James Lileks
“So now we're after a constitutional amendment that defines marriage as a guy-and-gal thing. To the founders, this would have been like an amendment requiring the sun to rise in the east; it would fall under the category of obvious truths that the Constitution need not address.”
About This Quote
Source Opinion Column: The Atlantic, 2015
Some truths are so obvious that they don’t need constitutional clarification, like the sun rising.
In simple terms: Obvious truths don’t need legal definition.
Key Takeaway
Recognize and accept inherent truths.
Themes
law
politics
common sense
Mood
analytical
critical
Type
political
philosophical
When to use this quote
- policy debates
- public discourse
- legal drafting
- civic education
Key Concepts
constitutional law
social norms
obviousness
Questions to Reflect On
- What are examples of obvious truths that still require debate?
- When does an obvious truth become contested?
A Different Perspective
May dismiss nuanced cultural differences.
![“[T]he appropriate form of address between man and man ought to be, not monsieur, sir, but fellow sufferer, compagnon de miseres.” quote by Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/be6/arthur-schopenhauer-226_addresses_t-he-appropriate-form-of-address-between_32897.jpg)
