Since there is no such entity as 'the public,' since the public is merely a number of individuals, the idea that 'the public interest' supersedes private interests and rights can have but one meaning: that the interests and rights of some individuals take precedence over the interests and rights of others.
Ayn RandThe purpose of man's life...is to become an abject zombie who serves a purpose he does not know, for reasons he is not to question.
Ayn RandThe sky is like a black sieve pierced by silver drops that tremble, ready to burst through.
Ayn Rand