Every citizen is free to perform any act which does not hamper the equal freedom of another. No law shall forbid the performance of any act, which does not damage the physical or economic welfare of any other person.

Robert A. Heinlein
About This Quote

This quote is a non-binding statement for the United States Constitution. It is the basis for our freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of assembly, freedom of expression, freedom of press, freedom of choice and other rights in the U.S. However, in law enforcement, laws are put in place to prevent any acts which hinder another's freedom. For instance, every citizen has the right to perform any act which does not hamper the equal freedom of another person.

If you have a right to perform an act that does not harm another person or their rights, then you also have the right to perform other acts that do not harm others. For example, if you have a right to vote because it doesn't interfere with another's right to vote then you have the right to run for elected office even if your views are unpopular or viewed as being harmful to others.

Source: For Us, The Living: A Comedy Of Customs

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  3. Immer wieder behauptete Unwahrheiten werden nicht zu Wahrheiten, sondern, was schlimmer ist, zu Gewohnheiten. - Oliver Hassencamp
  4. What people want, mainly, is to be told by some plausible authority that what they are already doing is right. I don't know know of a quicker way to become unpopular than to disagree. - John Brunner
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More Quotes By Robert A. Heinlein
  1. Love is that condition in which the happiness of another person is essential to your own.
  2. Jealousy is a disease, love is a healthy condition. The immature mind often mistakes one for the other, or assumes that the greater the love, the greater the jealousy - in fact, they are almost incompatible; one emotion hardly leaves room for the other.
  3. May you live as long as you wish and love as long as you live.
  4. Anybody can look at a pretty girl and see a pretty girl. An artist can look at a pretty girl and see the old woman she will become. A better artist can look at an old woman and see the pretty girl that she used...
  5. Some people insist that 'mediocre' is better than 'best.' They delight in clipping wings because they themselves can't fly. They despise brains because they have none.
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