Dred Scott's Revenge: A Legal History of Race and Freedom in America

Judge Napolitano does a great job of showing the inherent sin written into our Constitution (3/5th clause) and the historical wrongsidedness of the courts and federal government. He brings us through major court decisions like Scott, Plessy and Brown and he looks at events and individuals (in stark honesty) like Civil War and Lincoln (antebellum and bellum) and the progressive movement and Teddy Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson that has lead up to where race relations are today. He dedicates a last chapter to Thomas Jefferson and his legacy on slavery. Excellent Read!!

There are too many people that want to bury their head in the sand and pretend that our government wants what's best for the citizens. Andrew Napolitano is a former judge, and he KNOWS what he's talking about. This is one of the few books that is waking up America's people in order to save 230 years of freedoms from being washed down the drain. Judge Napolitano brings facts to the table, like only a true judge can. I hope more people can get ahold of this book soon!

In Dred Scott's Revenge, Judge Andrew Napolitano recounts the story of racism in America. Juxtaposing slavery and the continued racism in the post-Civil War era with the ideal of "all men are created equal" as imbedded in the Constitution, Napolitano makes the case that America has not always practiced what it preached. This stunning expose does not hesitate to show the hypocrisy of the Founding Fathers in penning the Constitution and yet condoning--and enjoying--slavery. Most controversial is his depiction of Abraham Lincoln. Showing that history is merely the accepted version of the past we have all agreed upon, Napolitano recounts the less-known quotes and events of Lincoln's presidency, which shows Lincoln's relative indifference to slavery. Continuing on in history, Napolitano examines the post Civil War era and the emergence of Jim Crow laws, and concludes that with the election of an African-American as President, maybe America is beginning to forget to hate. Overall, this book is stunning and eye-opening, especially to someone who has never experienced the pain of racism. It is well-written and well-referenced. My only criticism is that the book is one-sided. Especially as regarding the present, Napolitano fails to mention many of the great advances--even advances that promote "reverse racism" against whites. I heartily recommend this book to anyone wanting to get an accurate view of the history of racism in America.

Judge Andrew Napolitano has written three previous books explaining his views on the role of natural law and our constitution. I have written favorable views of each of them even though I cannot follow him to the full extent of his arguments. For example, and he brings it up again in this book, he thinks very poorly of Abraham Lincoln and blames him for starting the Civil War. Nevertheless, and I want to be clear about this, if I had to choose only between Napolitano's view of America and the positivist view that has been prevalent and dominant in my lifetime, I would vote to go with Napolitano's views. This terrific book takes us through the sources of slavery in America, its violation of natural law, the contortions our laws had to go through to sustain the institution of slavery while also promising human liberty and individual rights that come prior to the state. I think you will find the summary of this history both illuminating and disturbing. Napolitano is concise in his telling of this history and focuses on how this horrible institution created a legacy we wrestle with to this day. I think his discussion of the way the federal government misused its power to keep racism alive after the Civil War and through the Jim Crow laws is especially good. His discussion of how the "Brown v. Board" reached a good conclusion but still used poor constitutional reasoning is, I think, correct. The judge is also correct that both parties have used race to protect their interests and the cost of African-Americans and with corruption to our society at large. He concludes with chapters on how race has distorted our efforts at law enforcement and recounts the heroism of Jackie Robinson in breaking the color-barrier in major league baseball. His conclusion takes a quick look at his three previous books on the Constitution and natural law and demonstrates why our federal government is acting far beyond its seventeen enumerated powers. A thoughtful book that is reasonable but still full of passion. I hope you will read it and consider what the Judge says whether or not you end up agreeing with him or not. Very worthwhile. Here are his other three books: Constitutional Chaos Constitutional Chaos: What Happens When the Government Breaks Its Own Laws The Constitution in Exile The Constitution in Exile: How the Federal Government Has Seized Power by Rewriting the Supreme Law of the Land A Nation of Sheep A Nation of Sheep Reviewed by Craig Matteson, Ann Arbor, MI

Dred Scott's Revenge: A Legal History of Race and Freedom in America... is thought provoking book which sheds light on the dark side of legal history throughout our country's history. A very highly recommend book to say the least. Judge Napolitano shows how "Natural Law" (God Given Rights or Rights come from our Humanity pg. xii) and "Positivism" (the law is whatever the lawgiver says it is or the majority says pg. xiii, xiv) have affected the interpretation and application of the Constitution and different laws throughout our history. Looking back from our time it is crazy to see how insane some of the judgments and the laws created. I thought I knew a lot about the history of race and freedom in America leading up to the civil rights movement but, after reading this book, I was greatly mistaken. This book covers from the founding of our country to today. It does not shy away from the ugliness and ignorance of our past. Judge Napolitano does not pull any punches. If it is there it is in this book - granted this is not a complete history but a very good summary of it. From Washington to Jefferson to Lincoln to Post Civil War to WWI and WWII to Brown v Board of Education to Baseball - he looks at the good and the bad the correct and the incorrect. You will be surprised when you read this book not everything was as it seemed to be or how at times we are taught in History class. Again, I give this book my Highest Recommendation. Read it. Share it. Discuss it.