Another reason is less often understood: there are two major definitions of freedom, and the Bible is the original source of the one the American founders adopted. The Hebrew definition is that freedom is the liberty to do anything good, anything right, anything you should do. In this tradition, freedom is the right to do whatever you want that is good.

The other tradition, widespread through ancient cultures around the world, is that freedom is the license to do whatever you want, period. From this perspective, freedom is the right to do whatever you choose without reference to good, right, morals, traditions, decency, caring, how it hurts others, or anything else. If you want it, do it or take it.

Montesquieu outlined the Hebraic view when he wrote: "Liberty is the right of doing whatever the law permits." By "law" he meant natural, or higher, law, since any tyrant could decree his own law and then follow it.

Plato articulated the second definition of freedom: "They would be subject to no one, neither to lawful ruler nor to the reign of law, but would be altogether and absolutely free."

The second kind of freedom always becomes the worst kind of tyranny. If a person wants to steal, kill, rape or anything else, and is free to do so, widespread freedom quickly disappears.