The last period of open war on the Korean peninsula cost somewhere in the neighborhood of 3.5 million lives, including nearly a million soldiers on both sides (36,516 of them American) and 2.5 million civilians in the North and South. What did the American taxpayer get in return for three years of fighting, tens of thousands of Americans dead, and nearly $700 billion (in 2008 dollars)?
Tag: libertarian
A Letter to ‘Students Demand Action’ from a Gun Owner
I understand. You’ve witnessed — far too often at first hand and in the most terrifying circumstances — the violent deaths of your fellow students. You refuse to accept that that’s just how it has to be. You’re organizing for change. You deserve to be heard. Don’t let anyone talk down to you or minimize your concerns. You want action. I don’t blame you. But it’s important to consider what kind of action you want, how to go about getting it, and what it will accomplish.
Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Russiagate
In case anyone’s forgotten, Russia is a nuclear power. Throwing around the phrase “act of war” is over-the-top insanity. It’s a call for the transformation of some Facebook ads into burning cities and piles of body bags, all because an election didn’t come out the way some people wanted and expected it to.
Why We Must “Politicize” Guns
Every time there’s a mass shooting, or even a particularly well-publicized single homicide, all of America’s political factions go directly to battle stations on the question of whether or not the violence can be reduced or eliminated with “gun control” legislation. As the debate rages on, the calls begin to ring out from different corners that whatever else we do, we must avoid “politicizing” the issue. Have you ever noticed that the “let’s not get political” talk always seems to emanate from the side that perceives itself as on the losing end of the argument at the moment?
To “Advocate”
No one has the right to advocate the initiation of force or property violations. If you are libertarian, this is something you know. But, what exactly does it mean to “advocate” something?
Foolish Statists
Why would anyone be surprised that when the government investigates itself we the people do not hear the truth, insiders are rigging the investigation, and the deep state is never held accountable? This is not a flaw of the people (though they are all evil people), this is a flaw of the system.
Abortion, Gun Control, Phone Spying, & Trump’s Militarism (27m) – Editor’s Break 060
Editor’s Break 060 has Skyler giving his commentary on the following topics: the distinction of libertarian political philosophy from libertarian legal philosophy, the practice of abortion, where he comes down personally on the pro-life vs. pro-choice debate, Walter Block’s evictionism compromise, Richard Dawkins on gun control, the FBI on the possibility of China spying on Americans through their phones, and Trump’s insane militarism.
“Peace Through Strength” Is a Racket
“I’m going to make our military so big, so powerful, so strong, that nobody — absolutely nobody — is gonna to mess with us,” Trump says. On other occasions he’s said similar things: “We want to defer, avoid and prevent conflict through our unquestioned military strength” (same link) and, a year ago, “Nobody is going to mess with us. Nobody. It will be one of the greatest military build-ups in American history.”
No Huawei! US Spy Chiefs Reverse Course on Phone Spying
Testifying before the US Senate Intelligence Committee, officials from the FBI, CIA, NSA, et al. warned Americans against using phones made by Chinese companies Huawei and ZTE. Why? Because, Christopher Wray (Comey’s successor at the FBI) explains, the Chinese government might equip, or find and exploit weaknesses in, such phones to “maliciously modify or steal information” and “conduct undetected espionage.”
Homosexuality, Libertarianism, & Runaway Slaves (24m) – Editor’s Break 059
Editor’s Break 059 has Skyler giving his commentary on the following topics: whether or not it’s wrong to disapprove of homosexuality, what libertarianism is and why everybody could be a libertarian, in the way runaway slaves and “illegal” immigrants are the same, and more.