I picked up a challenging book at the library. It is slow going, but it is so thought provoking that I have to read on. The book is It Is Dangerous to Be Right when the Government Is Wrong, The case for personal freedom by Judge Andrew P. Napolitano.
The reason I am reading it is that it explores the government's role in keeping us free, something that is on our minds a lot these days of political turmoil in Washington. The book takes us back to basics on freedom, addressing some hard questions.
- What is a Constitution, and do we still have one?
- What are the limits to government power to in a free society?
- Why does the government attack, rather than defend, our rights?If our rights are inalienable, how can the government take them away?
Interesting, to say the least.
- Do we really own any private property?
Judge Napolitano is a lecturer on the U.S. Constitution, the rule of law, civil liberties in wartime, and human freedom. And he writes about this complex subject with illustrations that help lay people like me better understand it.
I'm not very far into the book, but already I keep asking things like: "who owns my body?" "Who decides what laws we must obey and which we can challenge?" "How are rights different from laws?" "Are we really all created equal?"
I don't know how far into the book I'll get before I'm totally overwhelmed. But I'm giving it a try.
What are you reading this summer? I'd love to know.
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