Thinking Citizen Blog — Freedom and Justice: Two Sides of the Same Coin?

Thinking Citizen Blog — Saturday is Justice, Freedom, Law, and Values Day

Today’s Topic: Two Sides of the Same Coin?

Are freedom and justice the flip sides of the same coin? Brandeis famously said that “the right to be let alone” is “the most comprehensive of rights and the right most valued by civilized men.” Plato said that justice is “minding your own business and not meddling in the affairs of others.” I have written in the past of the inseparability of freedom, justice, peace, prosperity, and truth. Today, yet another variation on the same theme. Experts — please chime in. Correct, elaborate, elucidate.

THE FRUITS OF YOUR OWN LABOR

1. What is freedom if not the freedom to enjoy the fruit of your own labor?

2. Who should decide how much of that fruit belongs to you versus to someone else?

3. Who should decide how much of that fruit is the product of your labor versus that of someone else?

NB: should the rate of taxation by income class be set by popular vote? should there be any limit? who should decide? should tax rates and productivity be inversely proportional based on the idea of diminishing returns and ability to pay?

WARTIME AND PEACE TIME

1. Who should bear the burden of defense?

2. Is a professional army fair?

3. Should not the risk of death and serious injury be spread more fairly?

NB: or is the draft a form of “slavery”? A violation of the 13th amendment as was argued in Shenck (1919)?

EXEMPTION FROM COVID VACCINATION

1. Should there be religious exemptions from Covid vaccinations?

2. Should the law only apply when it is consistent with your religious beliefs?

3. Does that not in effect give preference to members of specific religions? in effect “establishing” that religion? Aren’t religious exemptions de facto violations of the “no establishment” clause?

NB: Aren’t Covid exemptions a fundamental violation of the first principle of justice — equality before the law?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schenck_v._United_States

FINAL WORD

This reminds me of a conversation I had many years ago with a graduate student in engineering. I asked him what he learned in college. He replied, “Things are complicated.”

A LINK TO THE LAST THREE YEARS OF POSTS ORGANIZED BY THEME:

PDF with headlines — Google Drive

YOUR TURN

Please share the coolest thing you learned in the last week related to justice, freedom, the law or basic values. Or the coolest, most important thing you learned in your life related to justice, freedom, the law, or basic values. Or just some random justice-related fact that blew you away.

This is your chance to make some one’s day. Or to cement in your mind something that you might otherwise forget. Or to think more deeply about something dear to your heart.