Libertarianism

What is libertarianism? It is having the respect for others that allows them to make their own decisions. It is allowing individuals to control their own lives UNLESS they violate the lives of others.

Libertarians have no irrational faith in government institutions. Organized institutions such as government are only desirable & effective to the extent that they are able to find individuals willing to utilize them. Government is a specific type of institution: among other things, we utilize government as a police force, to control others' behavior.

But if we respect each other, then our control of others' behavior will only involve preventing violations of individual choice. Thus the only proper function of government is to protect individual rights.

We must not look to government institutions to coercively (i.e. by aggressive force) create order in our society. Order is good, but it must arise naturally--we must not resort to coercion and aggressive force. Order arises through individuals interacting peacefully and voluntarily. Coercive force is ultimately futile, and is morally reprehensible. Examples of state-sanctioned aggressive force are:

• the INSANE war on drugs, which jails people for victimless "crimes" against their own body
• the harassment of adults who voluntarily agree to exchange money for sex
• Gestapo-style tactics by the DEA & the IRS
• gun control, which disarms the citizenry, leaving us defenseless, & dependent on an ineffective police force
• the kidnapping by the INS of people who move to this land wanting a better life for themselves
• violations of free speech through anti-porn laws and FCC control of T.V. and radio

This list may be confusing. Notice that I condemn both gun control and violations of free speech. It seems that condemning gun control is a "conservative" thing, and condemning violations of free speech is a "liberal" thing.

However, classifying political opinions as "conservative" or "liberal" is NOT enlightening. These labels should be discarded.

I say this because there is no reason to be pro-freedom in regards to fiscal/economic issues while being anti-freedom in regard to cultural & personal-body issues, as "conservatives" are.

Likewise, there is no reason to be pro-freedom in regards to cultural & personal-body issues while being anti-freedom in regards to fiscal/economic issues, as "liberals" are.

The true question is: Are individuals going to be allowed to control ALL parts of their lives, or only some parts? Both "conservatives" and "liberals" say "No" to full self-government. Libertarians believe that individuals can decide for themselves in every aspect of their lives.

Are individuals going to be allowed to control what is done with their income, as well as what is done with their bodies? The IRS says "no" to the former, while the FDA & the DEA say "no" to the latter.

Of course, criminals who interfere with others' lives--for example, through murder, rape, theft, and vandalism--must be punished. Our freedom is lessened, not increased, when criminals are among us. It is the actual criminals that the police should concentrate on, not the person who wishes only to get high or get laid.

There are better alternatives to government aggression if we wish to promote a rational, productive society: individuals teaching others through freely-chosen words and deeds what it is to lead a rational life. People with a personal connection to you--your mother, your father, friends, teachers, colleagues, bosses--are much more likely to have influence on you than a policeman or a bureaucrat. Through experience and the example of others, we learn wisdom.

(Of course, with criminals, "teaching wisdom" is absurd. We lock them up instead.)

Anyway, I hope I don't seem heavy-handed here. I fear I do, since I am very passionate on this topic. I want so much to have control of my own life!

The Libertarian Party.