Slaves to ideology

Issue # 107 - September 2008 Reader's comments Print this article

If you’ve ever spent much time online, you’ve
undoubtedly run into “libertarians”. I’m not sure why,
but these strange creatures are vastly over-
represented on the web.
I was first introduced to computers via the business
world, and for a long time I swore that the computer
was simply a tool of international conspiracists intent
on making everyone’s job more difficult by the forced
introduction of planned inefficiency. If that was the
plan, it did backfire rather delightfully.

I’d like to make a full confession: when I began

exploring cyberspace, I was getting paid for it. But one
can spend only so much time being frivolous with the
boss’s dime. So though I’m probably the world’s
foremost authority on Princess Di jokes, from perusing
bulletin boards, I soon began to feel guilty and began
to use my stolen time for self-improvement.
Thus I discovered political chat rooms, and there
encountered my first “libertarian” – they’re more
numerous there than wrinkles in a geriatric ward.

Initially, I assumed that any group defining itself by a

word rooted in something as inherently good as
“liberty” had to be a pretty nice bunch of people. I
couldn’t have been more mistaken. As a chat-room
neophyte I was astounded by the views expressed by
those I had initially assumed valued freedom.

My true education in “libertarianism” began when I

first heard a “libertarian” defend the practice of
slavery. I’m not kidding... honest. It seems that many
“libertarians” believe that governments have no
business denying the individual “right” of selling
oneself into long-term servitude.

Neither does the “libertarian” believe in public education. As Noam Chomsky puts it: “The public school system is a
sign of solidarity, sympathy and concern of people in general – even if it doesn’t benefit me, myself. There’s a
pathological brand of what’s called Libertarianism, which wants to eliminate that and turn you into a monster who
cares only about yourself. And that’s one aspect of undermining democracy, and undermining the attitudes that
underlie democracy, namely, that there should be a concern for others and a communal way of reacting to
community concerns.” ( www.chomsky.info/interviews/20080519.htm )

Nor do “libertarians” believe in public parks, public pools, public toilets, or public anything.
According to “libertarian” dogma only individuals can own property. The “public” can’t own anything. “Libertarians”
are called “Marxists of the right” for good reason.

These so-called “libertarians” are also very fond of quoting a deceased author of self-absorbed prose who bore the
strange name of Ayn Rand. I once tried to read an Ayn Rand novel and found that I was too fond of good literature
to endure the punishment. But I read enough to understand that her views could be very seductive to the
intellectually immature and to victims of that brand of egocentrism common to socially ostracized adolescents.

“Libertarianism” really boils down to one simple statement: Property rights are the only rights which should be
enforced by government. “Libertarians” divide human rights into two categories – positive rights and negative
rights. And they seek to abolish the former by government diktat. Yet it is their unmitigated audacity to claim to be
anti-authoritarian. In reality “libertarianism” is the most authoritarian scheme of government ever devised by
twisted minds.

Luckily, there are no “libertarian” governments on the face of our little planet. But “libertarian” influence has been
felt in governments and in modern schools of economic thought. For those wanting to peruse the ins and outs of
this strange “philosophy”, I highly recommend Critiques of Libertarianism by Mike Huben.

www.world.std.com/~mhuben/libindex.html

One Huben quote regarding “libertarian” beliefs really says it all: “Inviolate private property is the only true
measure of freedom. Those without property have the freedom to try to acquire it. If they can’t, let them find
somebody else’s property to complain on”.

Did I mention that the “libertarian” also has no problem whatsoever with a business which refuses to serve those of
different nationalities, creeds, or ethnicities? After all, businesses are the property of business owners and it is their
“inviolate right” to choose with whom they will or will not transact business. This belief makes “libertarianism” a
magnet for racists and bigots of all stripes.

One can find a myriad of websites espousing the supposed virtues of “libertarianism”, but I won’t bother to list any
here. Should you be curious enough to seek them out yourself and subsequently discover that you are in any way
attracted to this backward and authoritarian school of political thought, do consider finding yourself a good
psychiatrist.

Send your comments and suggestions to: marikeroth@yahoo.com