Carla Gericke
As the events in Ferguson, MO unfolded, I couldn't help but wonder where the libertarians were. Oh, sure, Rand Paul penned a late-to-the-party piece for TIME magazine, but he didn't exactly hustle off to Ferguson to put his toupee on the line to defend black folks.
And what of Cop Block, the anti-cop organization? It turns out they have one guy on the ground there. Is anyone there from New Hampshire - the place where Cop Block was founded?
Nope.
Last year Free Keener Garret Ean made some big noise about going on the Cop Block Police Accountability Tour. One might think that the situation in Ferguson merited another road trip, but one would be wrong.
Why? Why in a situation where there is escalated police violence are our friends from the Free State Project ignoring the opportunity to document what's going on? Free Staters are the biggest media attention whores around - so why are they passing on the chance to get their names and faces up in lights by bravely risking tear gas and bullets in Ferguson?
Perhaps Carla Gericke can provide us with some enlightenment.
From the President of the Free State Project:
Ferguson, MO, is a stark reminder of the importance of the Free State Project’s mission: to concentrate enough liberty lovers together to make a real difference in our own lives.
Come stand with the community that has been fighting against police militarization for years. Come stand with the community that believes in government accountability and that affirmed the right to record police officers in public.
The subtext? Come make your stand in nice, safe, white NH.
If this were happening in a white community, Cop Block and the FSP would be all over it. (That this wouldn't happen in a white community is moot.) They'll use Ferguson as a way to ramp up anticop/antigubmint fear and as a tool for their own fundraising, without ever risking their own asses. And without ever questioning the racism inherent in the libertarian movement.
Of course, if you point out that the FSP is comprised mostly of white men, you'll be accused of racism:
http://susanthebruce.blogspot.com/2013/08/free-staters-and-that-pesky-first.html
Why Blacks Aren't Libertarians:
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/08/11/why-blacks-aren-t-libertarians.html
Cop Block history:
http://susanthebruce.blogspot.com/2014/06/cop-killers-love-copblock-founded-by-fsp.html
http://susanthebruce.blogspot.com/2014/06/copblock-backpedaling-furiously.html
http://susanthebruce.blogspot.com/2014/06/big-turd-lands-in-free-state-project.html
Hit the nail on the head! The fact is not only the Free Staters but the entire gun-nut community has mysteriously decided to keep moot.
ReplyDeleteUnless of course they are too busy trying to find the savings they buried in their backyard so they can send off a donation to the fund for the cop that murdered Micheal Brown.
Susan is the rare political observer who sees through the neo-libertarian facade. The FSP and much of the Paul cult try and pass themselves off as different. They go on and on about being "peaceful", make warm and fuzzy comments about gay rights, and talk endlessly about marijuana legalization. Despite the whitewash, they are basically Birchers With Bongs.
ReplyDeleteMore accurately, they are 1930s-style hard right conservatives. They are a throwback to the Taft/Lindbergh crowd, mixing a do-nothing economic agenda with a racially-tinged isolationism. It was bad news then, it's bad news now.
Excellent example of what money can buy. To be more specific - coke money (Koch). Imagine having the capability of buying peoples loyalty and keeping it no less. But there are always bigoted, prejudiced, hateful, ignorant, uneducated and racist individuals who find a club of their very own. (Nazi's come to mind). Koch's father made his money in the Commie nation of the Soviet Union, then came back to the states to create the Bircher nuthouse. Now there's a classic example of whacko.
ReplyDeleteYour article that you use for "evidence" that racism is inherent in the libertarian movement comes from a writer whom does not find Rand Paul at all a racist, applauds the civil rights (minus the 1965 act) and anti-drug war sentiments championed by libertarians, and even understands the argument why florists and restaurants should not be forced by law to serve others, but rather whom has a draw-in-the-line-in-the-sand issue with libertarians not supporting mandated health care and education.
ReplyDeleteWhile granted, I understand her opinion, claiming this implies racism "inherent in the libertarian movement" is ..... a ..... stretch .... of ... an .. argument. You're better saying it's racist because of all the white men in it, than this.
... I now allow myself to be subjected to that thing you do to people ...
Roboboy, go back and reread. I posted her article under the heading of "why blacks aren't libertarians." I didn't tie it to racism in any way.
ReplyDeleteI don't agree with her at all. I think Rand Paul is a racist just like his dear old dad. Rothbard and Rockwell are racists too.
But while you're here - please tell me why you gun totin FREEDUMB lovers didn't head out to Ferguson, en masse?
I know a couple people that were interested in reporting from the ground on Ferguson. Thought some would actually go. Maybe because Alex Jones beat them to the punch? Or they're just lazy and penniless? No idea.
ReplyDeleteOr maybe they don't care what happens to people of color. After all, in the happy unicorn fairy dust land of libertarians, there is no such thing as racism.
ReplyDelete