John Whitehead

Animal Farm Politics: The Deep State Wins Again
“No question, now, what had happened to the faces of the pigs. The creatures outside looked from pig to man, and from man to pig, and from pig to man again; but already it was impossible to say…

Welcome to 2025: Where Your Freedoms Go to Die… If We Let It
“There is no greater tyranny than that which is perpetrated under the shield of the law and in the name of justice.”—Montesquieu, Enlightenment philosopher Wondering what to expect from the government in 2025? So far, it looks like…

The Deep State’s Triumph: 2024 & The Erosion Of Liberty
“Everyday the future looks a little bit darker.” ― Alan Moore, Watchmen We have become a nation adrift in a sea of government overreach, abuse and corruption. The following is a sobering account of the challenges we faced in…

What If the Baby Jesus Had Been Born into the American Police State?
“When the song of the angels is stilled, when the star in the sky is gone, when the kings and princes are home, when the shepherds are back with their flocks, the work of Christmas begins: to find…

Wrong House. Wrong Raid. Wrong Justice: SWAT Teams Run Amok 30 Years After Crime Bill
WASHINGTON, DC — In the 30 years since the Crime Bill fueled the militarization of police and the explosive growth of SWAT teams, SWAT teams continue to terrorize innocent homeowners and then receive qualified immunity from the courts.…

A Gift America Can’t Return: The Police State Is America’s New Crime Boss
“There are always risks in challenging excessive police power, but the risks of not challenging it are more dangerous, even fatal.”—Hunter S. Thompson, Kingdom of Fear The American police state has become America’s new crime boss. Thirty years after…

When Rights Become Privileges: Is the Constitution Becoming Optional?
“Rights aren’t rights if someone can take them away. They’re privileges. That’s all we’ve ever had in this country is a ‘Bill of Temporary Privileges.’ And if you read the news, even badly, you know that the list gets…

Know Your Rights at Christmas: Constitutional Guidelines for Celebrating in Public, at School or Work
Charlottesville, Va. — As part of its annual effort to clear up much of the legal misunderstanding over the do’s and don’ts of celebrating Christmas, The Rutherford Institute has issued a Constitutional Q&A on the ‘Twelve Rules of Christmas,’ which…

You’d Better Watch Out: The Surveillance State Is Making a List, & You’re On It
“He sees you when you’re sleeping He knows when you’re awake He knows when you’ve been bad or good So be good for goodness’ sake!” —“Santa Claus Is Coming to Town” You’d better watch out—you’d better not pout—you’d…

Divide & Conquer: Political Riptides Threaten to Overwhelm the Nation
“We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented. Sometimes we must interfere. When human lives are endangered, when human dignity is in jeopardy, national borders and sensitivities become…

Supreme Court Sends Chilling Message to Gun Owners: Comply or Die—SCOTUS Fails to Hold Police Accountable for Shooting Armed Citizens Who Pose No Threat
WASHINGTON, DC — The U.S. Supreme Court is sending a chilling message to gun owners when it comes to encounters with police: comply or die. In refusing to hear an appeal in Argueta v. Jaradi, the Supreme Court is…

This Is How It Begins: The Deep State Wants to Terminate the Constitution
“That was when they suspended the Constitution. They said it would be temporary.”—Margaret Atwood, The Handmaid’s Tale This is how it begins. This is how it always begins, justified in the name of national security. Mass roundups. Raids. Indefinite detentions in…

Gulf War Veteran Defended As He Challenges Efforts to Chill Political Speech Critical of Public Officials
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — The Rutherford Institute is challenging attempts by government officials that could chill political speech which is critical of public officials and informs voters of important issues. In briefs to the Florida Supreme Court, Rutherford Institute…

The Very Definition of Tyranny: A Dictatorship Disguised as Democracy
“The accumulation of all powers, legislative, executive, and judiciary, in the same hands, whether of one, a few, or many, and whether hereditary, self-appointed, or elective, may justly be pronounced the very definition of tyranny.”—James Madison Power corrupts. Absolute…

Post-Election Truths: The Things That Won’t Change (No Matter Who Wins)
“If voting could ever really change anything, it’d be illegal.”— Thorne, Land of the Blind (2006) After months of handwringing and mud-slinging and fear-mongering, the votes have finally been cast and the outcome has been decided: the Deep State has…

The Politics of Fear: Laying the Groundwork for Fascism, American-Style
“No one can terrorize a whole nation, unless we are all his accomplices.”—Edward R. Murrow, broadcast journalist America is in the midst of an epidemic of historic proportions. The contagion being spread like wildfire is turning communities into…

Constitutional Q&A on the First Amendment and Your Right to Vote: From Political Apparel and Ballot Selfies to Elon Musk and Taylor Swift
CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA — With election day approaching, The Rutherford Institute has released a Constitutional Q&A on the First Amendment and the right to vote, especially as it relates to the right to wear political apparel and take ballot selfies…








