Freedom Is For Everyone

A reporter for the Missoula Independent tries to sum up libertarianism:

In the end, it is the American dream that is ultimately the goal of the Free State Project: the idea that individuals should be free to fly an F-15 fighter over Montana, shooting at clouds while snorting coke and shagging a prostitute and no one can tell you "no." Or the dream could be raising and teaching one's kids alone in the countryside on a diet of Whitman and the Bible without worrying about child services knocking on the door to see what's going on. It could mean a hundred different things to a hundred different people, and that's the whole point.

Not such different people, though -- he also claims, more snidely than accurately, that libertarians all have money.

Comments

[holger viking]

goddamn these liberal newspapers. freedom is only for those who follow the proper moral actions that are accepted and sanctioned by the ruling elite.

[Kevin B. O'Reilly]

I don't understand how we libertarians can be so well off after blowing all our dough on f-15s, coke, hookers, Bibles and copies of "Leaves of Grass." Are we really *that* good at evading taxes?

[Brian]

Someone should really explain to this guy the difference between "libertarian" and "Libertarian". He seems more than a little confused on this point.

Brian
(An extremely modestly-incomed libertarian)

[Warren]

I like the line about the guy who showed up to "meet chicks" ROFL Every Libertarian gathering I've been to was overwhelmingly populated by middle aged white guys (such as myself). But that's another story. This guy is just an idiot. Still, better to be misrepresented by others than to be embarrassed by the lunatics from within your own ranks.

[Robert Nabors]

Hell...

I'm libertarian as far as civil rights go, but as long as the democrats want to finance my way through university (pell grants, federally subsidized student loans) I'm in favor of 'em!

I could go for Democratic economics (Eat the rich!) and Libertarian civil rights (Guns, Drugs, Sex... sounds like a party!)

-Robert

[Jim N]

Why is it atheists like to present themselves as having a monopoly on reason, when mostly what they have are snide comments?

[david f]

hey Jim N!

as an atheist with no reason or clear-sight whatsoever (i get into arguments about the weather with our toaster), snide comments appear to be the only way to chat with some bible thumpers i know -- it's the only way they communicate to me. and talk about trying to disappear whenever i see them in the neighborhood! phew!

bad religion sang it best: "it's alright to have faith in god/ but when you bend to their rules and their fucking lies/ that's when i start to have pity on you..." so the organized religion snide comment remains. wafer, anyone?

🙂
drf

[joe]

drf,

I'm gonna go way out on a limb here, and guess that you are the type of person who doesn't believe the things Pat Robertson says. Correct me if I'm wrong.

Please add his assertions that his politics reflect Christian ideals to your list of things he says that you don't believe.

[Jim]

As an athiest myself I tend to reserve the snide remarks in response to snide remarks made by those of religious persuasion towards those like myself. Given that even politicians in this country who would never intentionally utter an anti-semitic statement feel free to insult the morals of the godless (even though statistically we outnumber Jews, and probably most of us vote), I can understand if some of us are a bit pissy about it from time to time.

How did we get on this discussion anyway? Anyhow, I embrace the reasoning abilities of anyone, Christian, Muslim, agnotic etc. who agrees with libertarian principles. No one has a monopoly on all the good ideas (or all the bad ones, I suppose...)

[Jim]

BTW no intention of picking on Jews in particular in the previous post, just pointing out the irony of one religious minority whose views are widely respected being actually outnumbered by another whose views are fairly often disparaged in public discourse. Fundamentalist Christians are probably in the same boat as athiests, in terms of public loathing, which is kind of ironic too.

[Rubber Glove]

I don't think a "composite" Democrat or Republican would appear any more flattering. Hell, look at D.C. And Springfield, Jefferson City, Topeka,...etc.

[Plutarck]

"the idea that individuals should be free to fly an F-15 fighter over Montana, shooting at clouds while snorting coke and shagging a prostitute and no one can tell you "no.""

Where do I sign up?

[david f]

better all that than grabbing the ankles in a church or other places of brainwashing...

zoom,
drf

[Ira Weatheral]

I just wanted the republicans out of my bedroom and the democrats out of my wallet, but I gotta admit, I'll take the blow and hookers while shooting at clouds!!!!

[App Pro Blow]

First) Libertarianism is a purist projection. Purism is impossible for society to obtain.

Second) Is he/she shagging the prostitute while flying the F-16?

Third) On Whitman, I agree with Homer Simpson: "Leaves of grass my ass."