America was founded in the pursuit of religious, economic, and social freedom. The British colonists threw off the shackles of their British overlords to create a grand republic. Sounds about right huh? For the most part, it is. America was founded with a minimalist government to guarantee its citizens freedom. But, if one looks back at the reason for this revolution, they will quickly see that the Founding Fathers had little reason, or at least in today’s perspective. The British monarchy was no great evil but was in fact the freest society at the time. The colonists enjoyed great freedom except for some relatively minor injustices. Would you believe that a large contributor to Revolution was the British Navy’s policy of seizing pine trees critical for its masts? Look even at the Intolerable Acts. Are they really intolerable, especially considering Britain had just defended the colonies in the French and Indian war? So was the American Revolution unnecessary and unreasonable?

No, the American Revolution was not in the least unreasonable. As British interest in the colonies grew, so would their regulation and abuse. Although the injustices were slight by today’s standards, the colonists realized that their economic freedom would not last long under such precedent. Nor could the colonists protest in British Parliament where they would be underrepresented and would only achieve justification for their abuse.

So what does this tell us about the United States today, a time of a paternalistic welfare state? Has the American will perished? Unfortunately, Americans today accept injustice with little care, even crying out for such policy. America is no longer the fabled “Land of the Free,” but the home of the blind.

You have no rights that cannot be bypassed by arbitrary and massive government. In one way or another, those with enough political power have, and will, ignore the Bill of Rights. There is no private property in America safe from seizure in the name of “public good.” Government may transfer private property to other private individuals for tax revenue or to fight “blight,” dictate the uses of private land in the name of historical preservation, wetland preservation, or city zoning, to name a few. Since the government has the power, and the will, to arbitrarily regulate and seize private property, there is effectively no property rights. Nor is there right to contract (minimum wage), freedom of speech (advertising without equal race), absence of racial discrimination (affirmative action), right to bear arms (gun control), economic freedom (subsidizing), due process (regulatory agency judges), unreasonable search and seizure, etc. One cannot document all such violations with even general details without writing a tome. Even worse, the only way to contest violations is through extremely costly legal procedures, effectively allowing the poor and middle class no defense.

Some may claim that Americans still hold these rights and that they must be regulated for a progressive society. This is false in principle and in practice. If ones freedom is subject to the will of government, there is no freedom. Also in practice, government has repeatedly abused its powers to abuse certain individuals.