It Is Dangerous to Be Right When the Government Is Wrong: The Case for Personal Freedom

344 Pages·2011·1.73 MB·English

by  Andrew P. Napolitano

i

IT IS DANGEROUS TO
BE RIGHT
WHEN THE
GOVERNMENT
IS WRONG
ii

Also by Andrew P. Napolitano
Constitutional Chaos: What Happens When Government Breaks Its Own
Laws
The Constitution in Exile: How the Federal Government Has Seized Power
by Rewriting the Supreme Law of the Land
A Nation of Sheep
Dred Scott’s Revenge: A Legal History of Race and Freedom in America
Lies the Government Told You: Myth, Power, and Deception in American
History
iii
IT IS DANGEROUS TO
BE RIGHT
WHEN THE
GOVERNMENT
IS WRONG
THE CASE FOR PERSONAL
FREEDOM

ANDREW P. NAPOLITANO
iv
© 2011 by Andrew P. Napolitano
All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted
in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, scanning, or other—except for
brief quotations in critical reviews or articles, without the prior written permission of the publisher.
Published in Nashville, Tennessee, by Thomas Nelson. Thomas Nelson is a registered trademark of Thomas
Nelson, Inc.
Thomas Nelson, Inc., titles may be purchased in bulk for educational, business, fund-raising, or sales
promotional use. For information, please e-mail
v

This book is dedicated to
Congressman Ron Paul,
Physician, Philosopher, Economist, Public Servant,
and Defender of the Constitution.
Through his tireless efforts,
Freedom itself
has been rekindled
in the hearts of millions of Americans.
vii
“Our rulers will best promote the improvement of the people by strictly
confining themselves to their own legitimate duties—by leaving capital to find its
most lucrative course, commodities their fair price, industry and intelligence
their natural reward, idleness and folly their natural punishment—by
maintaining peace, by defending property, by diminishing the price of law and
by observing strict economy in every department of the State. Let the government
do this: The people will assuredly do the rest.”
—THOMAS BABINGTON MACAULAY
“It is dangerous to be right when the government is wrong.”
—VOLTAIRE
“Does the government exist to protect our freedoms, or do we exist to serve the
government?”
—ANONYMOUS
“You have rights antecedent to all earthly governments; rights that cannot be
repealed or restrained by human laws; rights derived from the Great Legislator
of the Universe.”
—PRESIDENT JOHN ADAMS
ix
Contents
Author’s Note: Is Freedom a Myth or Reality?
Introduction: Where Do Our Rights Come From?
Chapter 1:
Jefferson’s Masterpiece: The Declaration of Independence
Chapter 2:
Get Off My Land: The Right to Own Property
Chapter 3:
Names Will Never Hurt Me: The Freedom of Speech
Chapter 4:
I Left My Rights in San Francisco: The Freedom of Association
Chapter 5:
You Can Leave Any Time You Want: The Freedom to Travel
Chapter 6:
You Can Leave Me Alone: The Right to Privacy
Chapter 7:
Hands Off: You Own Your Body
Chapter 8:
Sticks and Stones Will Break My Bones: The Right to Self-Defense
Chapter 9:
You’ll Hear from Me: The Right to Petition the Government for Redress of
Grievances
Chapter 10:
War . . . War . . . What Is It Good For?: The Right to Enjoy Peace
Chapter 11:
When the Devil Turns Round on You: The Right to Fairness from the
Government
Chapter 12:
A Dime Isn’t Worth a Penny Anymore: The Right to Sound Money
Chapter 13:
Theft by Any Other Name: The Right to Spend Your Own Money
Chapter 14:
A Ride on Dr. Feinberg’s Bus: The Right to Be Governed by Laws with Moral
Limits
Chapter 15:
Ignoring Stupidity: The Right to Reject the State
Acknowledgments
Notes
Index
About the Author