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Targeting Libertarians with Clever Humor…and Not-So-Clever Humor
Townhall.com ^ | September 15, 2014 | Daniel J. Mitchell

Posted on 09/15/2014 8:33:27 AM PDT by Kaslin

I’m very depressed that my beloved Georgia Bulldogs lost to the South Carolina Gamecocks. So instead of writing about a serious topic, we’re going to enjoy some laughs today by reviewing some new anti-libertarian humor.

I’m a libertarian, of course, as are all decent and humane people.

But I appreciate clever humor, even when I’m the target. This video about Somalia being a libertarian paradise, for instance, is an excellent example of political satire. It takes a stereotype and milks it for some great laughs.

I also have to tip my proverbial hat to the person who put together this image of libertarian utopia.

It’s misleading, of course, since libertarians either have no problem with local paramedic services or they believe in private contracting of such services. But for purposes of humor, this image is great satire since it combines the stereotype of libertarians being all about profit and the stereotype of no basic government services in a libertarian world.

If you liked the above image, here’s some additional anti-libertarian satire that is similarly amusing.

Now let’s look at some anti-libertarian humor that falls flat.

As I suggested above, political humor effective is effective when it seizes on something that is true and then applies that stereotype to an absurd situation.

But this next image makes no sense. It implies that there will be more violent, drug-related crime in the absence of prohibition.

But there’s lot of violence surrounding marijuana and other drugs precisely because they are illegal and that creates lucrative opportunities for sellers in the black market.

Simply stated, if you end drug prohibition, then criminal gangs and cartels will lose their markets.

If you don’t believe me, ask yourself why there was lots of violence during the Al Capone era in the 1920, whereas you don’t see Heineken and Anheuser-Busch engaging in shoot outs today.

Or let’s look at the issue from another perspective. What if the lifestyle fascists banned cigarettes. Right now, with cigarettes being legal, there’s no violence between Philip Morris and R.J. Reynolds. But imagine what would happen if cigarettes went underground and their distribution was controlled by thugs? Of course there would be violence.

I’m not trying to turn this post into a lecture on drug prohibition, so I’ll stop here. But I did want to expose the intellectual vapidity of the person who put together the second image.

By the way, some of my libertarian friends complain when I share anti-libertarian humor. I have three responses.

1. I share lots of humor mocking statists and regular readers know that advocates of bigger government are my main targets.

2. Self-confident people should have the ability to laugh at themselves and libertarians (thanks in part to Obama) have ample reason to be confident of their ideas.

3. I’m more than happy to share pro-libertarian humor. The only problem is that I’ve only found a handful of examples.

Libertarian Jesus scolding modern statists.

This poster about confused statists.

The libertarian version of a sex fantasy.

So feel free to send any new material my way. All (good) political humor is appreciated.


TOPICS: Political Humor/Cartoons
KEYWORDS: libertarian; wod
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To: BenLurkin
Now....what to do about other malum in se behaviors such as drug use and prostitution? So far, society ( American society) has refused to be left defenseless against those particular offenses against society.

How well has that "defense" worked and with what unintended negative consequences?

And are those behaviors less malum in se than the Biblically-condemned practice of neglecting the needs of the poor? What ought the governmental arm of society do regarding that wrong?

101 posted on 09/15/2014 11:38:11 AM PDT by ConservingFreedom (A goverrnment strong enough to impose your standards is strong enough to ban them.)
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To: ConservingFreedom

This is a conservative forum, it is not a libertarian magazine, and I am not a candidate.


102 posted on 09/15/2014 11:39:17 AM PDT by ansel12 (LEGAL immigrants, 30 million 1980-2012, continues to remake the nation's electorate for democrats)
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To: morphing libertarian
Most are drug dealing, addict, whores, big government, tax raising, socialists. Aren’t you following along?

You forgot "God-hating." Please make a note of it.

103 posted on 09/15/2014 11:39:21 AM PDT by ConservingFreedom (A goverrnment strong enough to impose your standards is strong enough to ban them.)
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To: ConservingFreedom

Thanx

God hating peaceniks.


104 posted on 09/15/2014 11:42:47 AM PDT by morphing libertarian
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To: ansel12
Reagan was trying to win them over to conservatism

Was he right to do so? Are you following in his footsteps?

This is a conservative forum, it is not a libertarian magazine,

But it seems there are libertarians here - so an FR-posted outreach would address at least some of its intended audience.

and I am not a candidate.

So it's good for conservative candidates to reach out to libertarians but not for conservatives in general to do so? OK ... but that would make the candidates sound kind of disingenuous and sleazy IMHO.

105 posted on 09/15/2014 11:43:36 AM PDT by ConservingFreedom (A goverrnment strong enough to impose your standards is strong enough to ban them.)
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To: ConservingFreedom

Harry Reid loving. Most Losertarians will do/say anything in order for the donkeys to keep him in power.


106 posted on 09/15/2014 11:45:25 AM PDT by Drango (A liberal's compassion is limited only by the size of someone else's wallet.)
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To: ConservingFreedom

Welcome to freerepublic and your short time here, if you are not a conservative, then you may find it annoying to be here.


107 posted on 09/15/2014 11:46:32 AM PDT by ansel12 (LEGAL immigrants, 30 million 1980-2012, continues to remake the nation's electorate for democrats)
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To: Drango
Harry Reid loving.

Where do you get that? Has anyone posted on FR in support of Reid?

108 posted on 09/15/2014 11:46:53 AM PDT by ConservingFreedom (A goverrnment strong enough to impose your standards is strong enough to ban them.)
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To: ansel12
if you are not a conservative,

I am a conservative.

then you may find it annoying to be here.

Never annoyed, often amused (such as by blatant evasions of posted points).

109 posted on 09/15/2014 11:49:19 AM PDT by ConservingFreedom (A goverrnment strong enough to impose your standards is strong enough to ban them.)
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To: ConservingFreedom

Peeling of a % of voters from the flank of the GOP in tight senate races just gives the election to the donkeys.

Then the Losertarians come on FR and smugly assert it wasn’t them that lost the election, it was the GOP platform. Watch. It will happen on this thread or the next.

LOSERTARIANS FOR REID 2014


110 posted on 09/15/2014 11:53:08 AM PDT by Drango (A liberal's compassion is limited only by the size of someone else's wallet.)
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To: ConservingFreedom

A conservative that likes to argue against conservatives, in support of an anti-conservative political movement.

I don’t think so.


111 posted on 09/15/2014 11:54:32 AM PDT by ansel12 (LEGAL immigrants, 30 million 1980-2012, continues to remake the nation's electorate for democrats)
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To: ConservingFreedom
 
Most are drug dealing, addict, whores, big government, tax raising, socialists. Aren’t you following along?

You forgot "God-hating." Please make a note of it.

And retread newbie trolls. How could you - of all the liberal trolls on this thread - forget that?

112 posted on 09/15/2014 12:12:15 PM PDT by Responsibility2nd (NO LIBS. This Means Liberals and (L)libertarians! Same Thing. NO LIBS!!)
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To: morphing libertarian

Do libertarians believe that prostitution and drugs should be legal?

If so, then they are defending drug addiction and prostitution. That’s not me saying that — it’s them.

I am curious as to why you suggest an “honest exchange” Do you really have any intention of changing your mind on this subject?


113 posted on 09/15/2014 12:17:50 PM PDT by BenLurkin (This is not a statement of fact. It is either opinion or satire; or both.)
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To: ConservingFreedom

Look, all you need to do is convince society that Biblically-condemned practices are okay.

Then people will flock to the banner of dismantling the penal codes.


114 posted on 09/15/2014 12:19:12 PM PDT by BenLurkin (This is not a statement of fact. It is either opinion or satire; or both.)
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To: BenLurkin; morphing libertarian
Do libertarians believe that prostitution and drugs should be legal?

If so, then they are defending drug addiction and prostitution.

Do conservative believe that tobacco should be legal? If so, does it follow that they are defending tobacco addiction?

115 posted on 09/15/2014 12:21:40 PM PDT by ConservingFreedom (A goverrnment strong enough to impose your standards is strong enough to ban them.)
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To: BenLurkin
Now....what to do about other malum in se behaviors such as drug use and prostitution? So far, society ( American society) has refused to be left defenseless against those particular offenses against society.

How well has that "defense" worked and with what unintended negative consequences?

And are those behaviors less malum in se than the Biblically-condemned practice of neglecting the needs of the poor? What ought the governmental arm of society do regarding that wrong?

Look, all you need to do is

All you need to do is address a few straightfoward points.

Or you could continue to dodge, squirm, and evade.

116 posted on 09/15/2014 12:23:54 PM PDT by ConservingFreedom (A goverrnment strong enough to impose your standards is strong enough to ban them.)
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To: ConservingFreedom

What exactly do you want me to tell you?


117 posted on 09/15/2014 12:30:00 PM PDT by BenLurkin (This is not a statement of fact. It is either opinion or satire; or both.)
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To: ConservingFreedom

Now you’re getting the idea!


118 posted on 09/15/2014 12:30:25 PM PDT by BenLurkin (This is not a statement of fact. It is either opinion or satire; or both.)
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To: BenLurkin
So you defend tobacco addiction. Um ... OK; have fun with that.
119 posted on 09/15/2014 12:31:31 PM PDT by ConservingFreedom (A goverrnment strong enough to impose your standards is strong enough to ban them.)
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To: ConservingFreedom

I’m sorry.

You’re still not getting it.

My bad.


120 posted on 09/15/2014 12:32:18 PM PDT by BenLurkin (This is not a statement of fact. It is either opinion or satire; or both.)
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