Those who deny the right of a jury to protect an individual in resisting an unjust law of the government, deny him all defence whatsoever against oppression.
Lysander Spooner: “Those who deny the right of a jury to protect an individual in resisting an unjust law of the government, deny him all…”
Editor's note · Context
Spooner claims that denying a jury's right to protect individuals from unjust laws denies them all defense against oppression.
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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 we are the freest and happiest people on earth, inasmuch as each of our male adults is allowed one voice in ten millions in the choice of the men, who are to rob, enslave, and murder us.
They do not attempt to deceive us, or mislead us, or reconcile us to their doings, by any such pretences, impostures, or insults as these.
In short, they acknowledge themselves hostes humani generis: enemies of the human race.