Quote:
Originally Posted by Trollheart
[MERIT] you win: in the face of such intransigence and constantly moving the goalposts around, strawman arguments, flip-flopping and more that has just confused and frustrated the hell out of me, I give up. I'll leave you to the mercy of the man I have to admit is one of the best debaters on this forum. May you die honourably.
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He hasn’t moved the goal post around. He’s given various hypotheticals in defense of a consistent position: People shouldn’t be forced by the government to do things they don’t believe in. People are up in arms because he’s putting economic liberty in front of social reform to prevent discrimination. The Libertarian position is that if you’re not actively trespassing on others the government should not intervene.
My thoughts:
Even if you take the position that eliminating discrimination is more important than the liberty to run your own business as you see fit everyone should be able to see there’s a social cost either way. The government enforces laws by force. As an anarchist, I want the government to exert no force but less force is better than more force. That’s why I have some sympathy for Merit’s position. I also have issues with it but I see where he’s coming from.
Let me give what I think is a fair equivalency. Let’s say I’m, not surprisingly, a free speech absolutist.
In today’s world, walking around with a sign that advocates genocide against African Americans would be offensive but I support your right to say it.
100 years ago it would have been more offensive to most people to advocate for interracial gay sex. A free speech absolutist would have supported your right to say that as well. It’s not about the position but the right to speak freely.
It’s not exactly the same but the Libertarian perspective of no or very limited workplace interference is also a position that can be rooted in a desire for maximum freedom not as a means to support discrimination. Discrimination, like hate speech, is an unfortunate side effect in a world that isn’t perfect.
Now, I’m not a Libertarian because I don’t believe in private property and money. None-the-less I think you’re unfairly maligning the philosophy.