On the record
If they forbid any man to do anything, which justice would permit him to do, they are criminal invasions of his natural and rightful liberty.
Said by
Lysander Spooner
Source
gutenberg.orgLysander Spooner: “If they forbid any man to do anything, which justice would permit him to do, they are criminal invasions of his natural…”
Editor's note · Context
Spooner argues that forbidding actions that justice allows is a violation of natural rights.
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More from Lysander Spooner
They do not tell us of the almshouses, hospitals, schools, churches, etc., which, out of the purest charity and benevolence, they maintain for our benefit, out of the money they take from us.
They do not tell us that they have established infallible supreme courts, to whom they refer all questions as to the legality of their acts, and that they do nothing that is not sanctioned by these courts.
In short, they acknowledge themselves hostes humani generis: enemies of the human race.
They do not carry their heads high, above all other men, and demand our reverence and admiration, as statesmen, patriots, and benefactors.