Do we deserve it? [Attacks on liberty]

Jewish World Review ^ | Dec. 28, 2005 | Walter Williams

[Small-L]

Do we deserve it?

http://www.NewsAndOpinion.com | Philosopher David Hume warned that, "It is seldom that liberty of any kind is lost all at once." That's why we should guard against any encroachment on liberty, no matter how small. Let's look at a couple of instances where, at our peril, we've failed to do so.

...

Suppose, in 1963, America's atheists had revealed and demanded their complete agenda: elimination of religious Christmas symbols in public places, elimination of the words "under G-d" in our Pledge of Allegiance, elimination of "In G-d We Trust" from our currency and elimination of caroling in public schools. There would have been so much resistance that they wouldn't have achieved any of their agenda, including the ban on prayers in school.

...

The institution of private property offers the liberty-oriented solutions to both the school prayer and the smoking issues. ... Conflict emerges because of government-produced education. ... if each parent were given an education voucher to pay for education, those parents wishing prayers, or those against prayers in school, could enroll their children in the school that meets their preference. Thus, conflict would be eliminated. Of course, a superior solution would be getting government entirely out of education.

Private property would solve the smoking issue. ... It's just as much tyranny to use the political system to enact laws to force a restaurant owner who wished to permit smoking to ban smoking. The liberty-oriented solution might be to post a sign saying you don't permit smoking, and customers wishing otherwise wouldn't enter. The same principle would apply to restaurant owners who wished to permit smoking.

I fear that too many Americans have contempt for the principles of liberty and opt for solutions that employ the political arena to forcibly impose their wills on others. ...

[Small-L]

Are there any FReepers who have taken his classes at GMU? Can you imagine having him as a thesis advisor?

[WhiteGuy]

I fear that too many Americans have contempt for the principles of liberty and opt for solutions that employ the political arena to forcibly impose their wills on others. ...

Dr Williams, as usual, is correct.

[ClearCase_guy]

During the Civil Rights Movement, people were encouraged to celebrate the Lunch Counter sit-ins. They were seen as a blow for freedom.

I've always considered them a blow against freedom and a blow against private property. Tax-funded public water fountains should not have been segregated. Tax funded public transportation should not have been segregated. But if a businessman wants to turn away potential customers because he "doesn't like their kind", that's his business.

[Small-L]

Why do Americans (and especially politicians) fear a free market system. If a restaurant wants to allow smoking and they can stay in business, so be it. If enough people choose not to patronize that restaurant and select a restaurant that prohibits smoking, then the second is going to grow and flourish and the former is going to fail. That's the business of business.

I also agree with you on the public sector issue. However, if my non-smoking taxes are being combined with someone's smoking taxes to provide a public facility (e.g. a courtroom), how do we allow both without infringing on the rights of the other?

BTW, Thomas Sowell did an excellent job of explaining that segregated seating on buses was the creation of government, not the bus companies. ( http://www.jewishworldreview.com/cols/sowell102705.asp )

[redgolum]

Most hear would call him a closet democrat for saying that freedom should be valued more than an illusion of security.

[Small-L]

And hence why I am neither a Republican nor a Democrat. Without liberty, security, property, and life are meaningless. Our founders knew that, but unfortunately the major parties, and most Americans have forgotten it.