Rick Kelo speaks on Freedom of Association

Every individual makes their own moral decisions about how they'll interact with other people, and how they'll live their life as an individual.  Since this is an intrinsic aspect of what it means to be human anything that is a fundamental aspect of moral agency is called a "basic human right" or a "fundamental right."

One such example is the ability to associate with whomever you choose.  Rick Kelo, like many Classic Liberal social thinkers before him, teaches that the Freedom of Association is a basic human right.  Anything that infringes on this right is, by definition, tyrannical and illegitimate.

Rick Kelo

Consider the example of same sex marriage.

As Rick Kelo explains any law that prohibits voluntary association is illegitimate.  The various prohibitions on same sex marriage in many states is one example.  Many states hide behind pretending to promote what they consider "moral goodness" by banning same sex marriages.  However, as Rick Kelo and those who believe like him note, it isn't a legitimate function of government to dictate what types of people can associate with what other types.

The only morally consistent viewpoint is that people be left free to choose for themselves with whom they associate.