Justice Louis D. Brandeis Quote 

"The makers of our constitution undertook to secure conditions
favorable to the pursuit of happiness... They sought to protect
Americans in their beliefs, their thoughts, their emotions and
their sensations. They conferred, as against the government,
the right to be let alone -- the most comprehensive of the rights
and the right most valued by civilized men."

by:
Justice Louis D. Brandeis
(1856-1941) US Supreme Court Justice
Source:
Olmstead v. United States, 1928
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Reader comments about this quote:
To be reasonably let alone is a great idea. But it is unreasonable to be totally let alone in a society where we are plugged in to all kinds of services and benefits. Living in a society (in a constitutional state) also obligates citizenship which ideally requires some involvement.
 -- Bruce, Alabama		 
right on!!! why doesn't anyone of our politicos think like this anymore?
 -- Rich Allison, Red Lion		 
 -- Mike, Norwalk 
Indeed the State should leave us alone -- that is not to be taken out of context to mean 'alone' in the wilderness. It means letting People choose for themselves and work out their own associations and agreements. It means no victimless crimes, no snooping into private lives, no coersive policies designed to pick on those with dissident views or those that thumb their noses to archaic customs. It is the idea that people do NOT need to be saved from themselves -- particularly by government or church.
 -- E Archer, NYC		 
Valued obviously not by our government
 -- Robert, Sarasota		 
What a novel concept: to be left alone in your thoughts, emotions, and sensations. Yet we are now on the verge of thought crimes in America, conveniently couched in hate crimes legislation.
 -- Ken, Allyn, WA		 
The world of course is made of opinion. I have had two spoken to me that I feel are very telling. One was by a Norwegian foreign exchange student. She said, "In America the people run their own churches." and the inflexion in her voice registered obvious surprise at this fact. Obviously she was comparing the American scene to her native Norway which like most of Europe still had a very cozy church/state relationship. The other was by my Hungarian sister-in-law who said, "There are so many temploms (churches) maybe that is why Americans are so happy or optimistic." So according to these two very modern European observers what Judge Brandeis claims the "makers of the constitution sought to do" has come to fruition in these latter days. What the hell our evil, invasive, detestable, money grapping, lazy Federal government is even "fighting" with the government of Germany to protect the Scientologists rights. So not only has our government under the Constitution sought and delivered these benefits to us but is trying to spread them around the world.
 -- Bruce, Alabama		 
 -- Asa Dunnington, Anderson, In. 
He understood the founding fathers.
 -- warren, olathe		 
I think the progressive Justice would today be a screaming Conservative.
 -- Craig Smith, Waterford, Va		 
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