When Rights Become Privileges

When Rights Become Privileges

The United States Constitution guarantees certain inalienable rights, including the right to own property and the right to travel freely. Yet, modern state laws and regulations often convert these fundamental rights into conditional privileges, requiring citizens to pay fees, enter contracts, or obtain licenses simply to exercise them. This two-fold violation represents a direct infringement of the Constitution.

1. Charging Citizens to Exercise the Right to Own Property

Vehicles are private property, protected under the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments. Ownership of property is a fundamental right and cannot be conditioned on government permission, payment, or contractual obligations:

• Vehicle registration fees and mandatory insurance convert property ownership into a privilege contingent upon payment, effectively excluding those unable to afford it.

• Requiring citizens to enter contracts, subscribe to insurance, or pay monthly fees in order to exercise property rights constitutes government overreach and price discrimination, violating the principles of due process.

• Any law that monetizes ownership of constitutionally protected property goes beyond the government’s authority and constitutes a violation of anti-discrimination protections and constitutional property rights.

This practice is particularly concerning because it creates economic barriers to inalienable rights, placing citizens who cannot pay at a permanent disadvantage.

2. The Absolute Right to Travel

The right to travel freely is a fundamental constitutional right, protected by the Privileges and Immunities Clause of Article IV, Section 2, the Commerce Clause, and reinforced by numerous Supreme Court decisions (Shapiro v. Thompson, 394 U.S. 618, 1969):

• Travel has no limitations on method, means, or conveyance: citizens may walk, ride horseback, use a bicycle, or operate a motorized vehicle without government interference.

• Vehicle registration or licensing cannot lawfully restrict this right, as such laws create a de facto barrier to movement.

• Any law requiring payment, licensing, or contractual compliance to travel in a private vehicle violates the constitutional guarantee of freedom of movement.

In essence, the government cannot convert travel into a conditional privilege, nor can it require citizens to pay fees to exercise a basic right.

3. Government Tyranny Through Conditional Rights

When the government:

1. Charges fees or demands contracts to exercise ownership of property, or

2. Restricts travel based on licensing, registration, or payment,

…it is overstepping constitutional authority. These practices turn fundamental rights into privileges subject to government control, which is the definition of tyranny.

The Constitution protects inalienable rights from being monetized, regulated away, or denied due to economic status. Vehicle registration laws and insurance requirements, while often framed as safety measures, cannot override the absolute rights of citizens.

4. Key Takeaways

• Ownership of property is a fundamental right; the government cannot impose fees or contractual requirements to exercise it.

• The right to travel is absolute, unrestricted by method, means, or conveyance.

• Licensing, registration, and mandatory insurance that effectively restrict property ownership or travel constitute unconstitutional violations.

• Citizens have a constitutional duty to challenge regulations that convert rights into privileges and defend their inalienable freedoms.