I wrote Mr. Hospers back c/o johnhospers@sprintmail.com
I also sent him a pre-emptive letter of apology in case the piece was not written by him, but was instead another GOP dirty trick.
Mr. Hospers...
I have just read your "Open Letter to Libertarians" with slack-jawed horror. Your promotion of Bush at the expense of Kerry is one of the most insulting things ever to come out of a libertarian typewriter. You need to immediately disassociate yourself from the name, the cause, and the party of remaining "Libertarians."
Thankfully, this election, few people will listen to you. But I did, and I feel like giving you a brow-beating. I'm only sounding as strident as I do to match your own illogical, almost hateful tone.
I had wanted this letter to be about 10 pages. Going paragraph by paragraph, sentence by sentence, and point by point to refute your unbelievable assertions. You are probably too busy to read them. If you'd like, I could continue in another letter, if you desire to keep your mind open, as I do mine...every day.
It is with this open mind that I have learned all that I could. I've educated myself on all party's platforms, the real dialogue as well as the polarizing force-feeding done in the name of "Party Politics" (translate: Democrat/Republican). I have gone to the websites, the articles, the people. I've read behind the news stories, the ones fictionalized by Bush as well as real news stories. I've gone to the heart of the SYSTEM of politics, as well as what we commonly call politics. As such, I've identified myself as a left-leaning Libertarian independent. I disagree with parts or all of every party, not just the major ones. And I realize that my individual perspective is just that. That I have to play ball with the balance of the country. And I go to the Bill of Rights and the Constitution, those near-perfect documents for sustenance and perspective. As I know you do.
For every blast you make against Kerry and the Democratic Party, I could give you 3 similar blasts back at the Republicans and Bush. Whatever you accuse the Dems of, the Bush Boys have done, even worse. It's politics, professor, and we're all used to the way they play it. Bush's people just play it much, much dirtier. For every attack you make on the "5th Column Left" (a noxious term) I could give you two back for the "5th Column Right." (though I'd never stoop to such a propagandizing misnomer). Those fundamentalist neo-con anything-but-conservative single-issue button-pushers who have co-opted the true Republican Party, the true conservative cause are at best, equally bad. I feel that they are significantly worse to the average American. I could go on and on with specifics, and maybe you've heard it all, but never from one who ostensibly agrees with you on principle.
You have done a great disservice to the BIG CAUSE. Whatever your apologies as to "the tiny rhetorical battle" having to be put off in favor of "most favorable chance of winning," you have undermined the larger cause and your own principles. That is not the Libertarian way. You might believe that Bush is a better Libertarian than Kerry, others disagree. I think they're both way off, and I think a lot of the country thinks they're both way off, and every time you get an individual to take a poll on issues, they are more in line with Libertarians than anyone. That's a true start.
The system is unfair, undemocratic, and unrepresentative. The way political campaigns and elections are funded and carried out is unfair at every step. Financing, ballot access, primaries, debates, media, returns, it's all a sham, designed to keep all the power with the two parties. And what do we get? We get two watered-down candidates that no one really wants. They just don't want the other guy.
The fight to change the system seems overwhelming. I've proudly "wasted" my vote on 3rd party fringe candidates and independents my whole life. And worked where I can to advance systemic change, locally as well as nationally. And where are we now? In blue states, and red states, and swing states, in which despite the propaganda, our votes don't really count or matter. The biggest lie in this country is the one we tell our kids: "Anyone can become President."
The second biggest is "your vote counts." How does it count when 50% don't feel impelled to vote, and the ones who do vote don't vote for who they want to win?
So what does the former head of the Libertarian party cry: "Waah, waah, I don't like Kerry, so vote Bush." You are now...part of the problem, and my new adversary. Just like the PARTIES want you to be.
Face it. You sold out. Shame on you.
(name)
(RED STATE)
More on Hospers...
Reprinted from Badnarik for Pres. Libertarian site:
http://badnarik.org/supporters/blog/2004/10/25/in-response-to-benedict-arnold/
REPORT on DISCUSSIONs with Dr. Hospers.
"I spoke with John from 9pm to 4:30 a.m. the night Oct. 25th-26th, 2004. He was on the phone speaking to a Libertarian from East Coast as I knocked on his Hollywood Hills Door. Only a young nephew is now living with John Hospers.
He can’t answer all the emails and phone calls. But he said tells all who inquire, that he did indeed author the letter. But he told me: Bush is better than Kerry, because Islamic [murdering] extremists are the greatest threat to Liberty. Hospers was bsolutely “fixated” on “Islamic extremists intent on killing
every non-Islamic person in the world".
This “threat trumps all other concerns".
I attempted to reason with Dr. Hospers from several angles of logic, but logic
seemed not to work. “Only Bush perceives
the great danger” was his reply.
After more than 8 hours of two way discussion, I concluded, that Dr. Hospers, has been isolated too long! He was unaware that David Cobb and Michael Badnarik had been arrested, unaware of several of the Patriot Act provisions, and numberous other factoids that most Libertarians knew for fact. He was not sure that Badnarik had been arrested at St. Louis, but was for the sake of arguement willing to take my word for it, without conceding it as a fact, known to be true.
My Conclusion:
Dr. John Hospers, is not in the same mental level of sharpness, he was even 3 years ago when I did a Tv interview for a documentary on the Libertarian Party with him at the 2001 San Jose Ca. State Convention. Randy Debber is more the author of the “Hospers” “Open Letter", than Dr. John Hospers, even though John
is quick to claim “credit” for it, while acknowledging “it probably won’t change many minds, least of all Libertarians".
Lastly, Dr. Hospers is now of somewhat fragil physical condition. He is certainly in a state of decline, but still wanting to not be forgotten… to have some impact … to save us all from
murdering Islamic extremists. Many elderly become obsessed with “security” as they become less able to care for themselves.
Therefore, even though a very aged Dr. Hospers accepts credit for the “Open Letter", I conclude Randy Debber used his knowledge of Dr. Hospers current condition and proclivities, and worries to put Dr. Hospers name on a document, that Debber coached out of Hospers. Dr. Hospers did indeed write his concerns in the letter, and will acknowledge that Dr. John Hospers considers Cheney the real brains, and Bush a bad debater and “not too bright", but still feels that “Kerry will not stop the Islamic Extremist intend on murder every non-islamic even in America".
He finally stated, that he did NOT think his “open Letter” would do much to bring Bush votes, but felt impelled to do it, when asked by a certain, Randy Debber. Finally, by way of long discussion, Prof Hospers let out that Debber had written the final draft, and Randy Debber had sent the email, because supposedly John is not computer savy [according also to what Mr. Debber emailed].
I indicated that since Kerry will sweep California, his letter will do no go whatsoEver since all CA electorial votes in the Electorial college will go to Kerry, even if Every BADNARIK supporter defected to Bush. Dr. Hospers agreed and acknowedged that, but stated he hoped it would reach Libertarians on “independant” voters in battleground states. Dr. john Hospers in the course of 8 hours stated, that the Libertarian Party was not even a blimp on the political radar screen as far as Presidential things go. then why bother to write a Open letter? John “hoped” it might do some good, while acknowledging, again, he probably did not change any votes.
For a man whose life was centered around rational thought, I felt I was talking only to a shadow of that mental giant. Logic, reason, were absent. The clich’es of logic and reason were there, but not the actual substance.
So I conclude, the Letter IS a FAKE, in that without Randy Debber, it would never have been. John Hospers has his own PC and is still capable of using it, and still answers some email, but DEBBER is the one who SENT the “open Letter".
Randy Debber, whom I have never met, and never heard of until I tracked down the Email author is in my view, the author of the John Hospers “OPEN LETTER”
John will stand there and tell you it is his, but I think what John Hospers wants most, is not to be forgotten, while he is still alive. He talks about Islamic Extremists, yes. But I think if he had met Mr. BADNARIK, and been invited to any discussion, Randy Debber would not have been able to get this aging elder philosopher to put his name on this letter. There is more to say, in detail, but this is my conclusion after more 8 hours of discussion.
What Randy Debbers motive was or is in this, I can only speculate, and that I won’t do.
William “B.J.” Wagener