If you are against liberty in one area, you are against liberty.
If you are for anti-gun “laws,” you are against liberty.
If you support cops, you are against liberty.
If you are for the War on Politically Incorrect Drugs, you are against liberty.
If you are wishy-washy about the right of association, you are against liberty.
If you don’t respect property rights, you are against liberty.
If you are for a government “solution” to anything, you are against liberty.
You can pick and choose the bits of liberty you personally exercise, but not which bits you unconditionally respect and support. Not and still value liberty.
You may still be a nice person; you may even be mainly “good”, but by undercutting liberty anywhere, you undermine it all.
If you drive on roads and highways that were financed by the government are you against liberty? In a medical emergency if you don’t refuse to be sent and treated at a state hospital are you against liberty? If you don’t refuse mail delivered by the USPO are you against liberty?
No. But if you support the government monopoly on any of these services, or would demand that someone pay for them when they are happy to not use them, then you would be. You have already been forced at gunpoint to pay for these things, and I wouldn’t denigrate anyone for using services they’ve paid for… as long as those services aren’t used to violate others.
Thanks for your response. I agree with you on this point. Would you say that a person who teaches at a state school including a college or university does not support liberty? There are people who advocate liberty who work at state colleges and universities. Would you say that they are being hypocritical? Some justify it by saying that a voice for liberty is needed at state schools. I believe that students should be taught how to think rationally and not what specifically to think. I oppose indoctrination even if I agree with what is being taught.
I agree, though it pains me a bit. I know some of them believe they are doing a good thing– teaching liberty in a statist environment. But, yeah, I think they are hypocritical. People see what you do more clearly than they hear what you say. If you are legitimizing a state college or university, which is funded by coercion, how much weight will your message of liberty really have? Maybe, just maybe, they can plant some seeds under those conditions, but it would be so much better to get out from under the thumb of the State. I will… Read more »