Posted on 01/15/2002 6:27:04 AM PST by tberry
I disagree with this comment, quite strongly. First you state that you are against the use of government force to impose religion, to which all Libertarians both religious and non-religious agree. Then you make the totally false claim Libertarians would use government to suppress individual religious views!! Pure ignorance! I guess you are not always right.
The right to express ones religion is just like any other property they may have, as long as the rights of others are not impinged, in Libertarian government you are free to worship, who, how, or what you may. If your religion is honorable and just, the Libertarian Government is you best defender and protector, being absent of both coersion and suppression.
Oh, get out of town.
Only if you lack the character and self-restrain to refrain from drug abuse or promiscuous sexuality.
I guess if you fear that you are unable to control yourself, the next best thing is to ask government to do it for you.
If we had a tangible one here in Alabama, I would have already gone.
Okay, you have my full attention. How is that a violation of your neighbor's rights?
What you have described is the direct threat of initiation of force, and it would directly violate libertarian philosophy. Funny you should use that as an example though, because that's precisely the means used to prevent the voluntary act of prostitution.
Prostitution and drugs are an endangerment to my being
How?
my property value
Only because it's illegal and driven outdoors. In places where it is legal, it is centralized in certain areas, away from homes and churches. This is like any other business, say an oil refinery locating in your neighborhood. BTW, you have no right to high property values at the expense of your neighbor's property rights.
my children's welfare
How? Your children's welfare is your own responsibility. This isn't Hillary's 'village'.
and my community's quality
Communities have no rights, only individuals do.
Please, Tex, let me eat lunch, so I can get some fresh coffee too! WM is getting cranky, and I am getting SAD! Just ask CJ what happens when people get sad.....
Apples and oranges. In a libertarian (or any) system of laws, your first example is clear-cut evidence of criminal threat. Your second example (prostitutes and drugs) would be prima facie evidence of no crime in a libertarian system---you have to define these behaviors as criminial in order to make them criminal. You're assuming that prostitution and drugs---however broadly you define them---necessarily create crime. In other words, you're not fighting the actual crimes you fear, like stick-ups or drive-bys or what have you, you're railing against what you perceive is the cause of the crime.Why create bad law? Fight actual crime---a stick-up is a stick up whether or not the goal was to score money for crack or baby food.
At most, we have solemn clucking over the sad fate of sinners in a free society.
If one of you so-called 'conservative' jaspers has an intelligent point to make, MAKE IT, elsewise shut up and listen, for a change.
Counter Myth #1: If the libertarianism was the fastest growing political creed, as this article states, then we would expect it's official party, the LP, to have at least 20% of the popular vote by now. In the 22 years since this was written, either the LP would better represent Libertarians, or real Libertarians would have formed their own party. But that hasn't happened.
Counter Myth #2: Libertarianism, as a political philosophy dealing with the proper role of violence, takes the universal ethic that most of us hold toward violence and applies it fearlessly to government: Take a look at the LP web site. Look at its so-called "stand" on abortion. Fearless? Hardly. Top-notch fence walking - absolutely.
When I point a gun at someone, it does not mean that it will fire. There is a significant threat of harm, just as with the use of hard drugs by your neighbor.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.