Just as a heads up, I recently update the FAQ regarding Ron Paul's racist newsletter, in response to the latest additions by James Kirchick. Tell your friends.
The folks at reason.com have started surveying the feedback within the libertarian community. Some, such as David Harsanyi, say they're done with Ron Paul. Others, like David Bernstein and Andrew Sullivan, are calling Ron Paul out for his poor judgment and management.
Meanwhile, a small group of Paultards at the ronpaulforums are disgusted by how Ron Paul is handling the matter, and demanding that his campaign do a better job at running damage control. Others continue to bury their head in the sand and insist that the problem has already been dealt with, and should never be brought up ever again. Guys, that's the sort of indifferent attitude that keeps you out of touch with the American people. The best quote comes from a person named Shavenyak:
Being a libertarian is inherently anti-racist. That alone should remove all doubt.Ah yes, I forgot about the holier-than-thou "libertarians are infallible, and you're a full to ever think otherwise" defense. That argument must go over great in the real world. Especially among non-libertarians. I think the next libertarian candidate should have the slogan, "Vote for us, we're inherently better than you are."
9 comments:
Ron Paul said he didn't write them. TNR is known for, shall we say, its highly inventive reporters, and their unique methods of reporting.
Libertarianism isn't inherently anti-racist, but it is inherently anti-governmentally sanctioned racism. I've never met a racist libertarian. They appear to be extremely rare. It's likely the poster assumed that as he'd never met a racist libertarian, they don't exist, and ergo, libertarian is inherently anti-racist. One can be a libertarian racist, just as there was that black white power guy a few years ago, but it's an extremely odd thing to contemplate.
Wish you would pick up some quotes from some of the more level headed Ron Paul supporters, cherry picking the weirdest comments, and presenting them as representative of the movement as a whole, isn't a show of journalistic integrity. I don't like the nutters we've picked up, but looking around, the other campaigns have their same share of nutters.
If Ron Paul really wrote that racist garbage then I'm terribly disappointed in him. But people can change. Look at rabid ex-KKK Sen. Byrd for the Democrats.
If Ron Paul didn't write it but was negligent in letting racist fools come up with the garbage, then he has already accepted responsibility for it and we can move on.
I can't decide whether you really care about racism or you just don't like Ron Paul's views of ending our occupation of other countries and returning our country to fiscal responsibility.
If you have valid objections to his views, calling his supporters "Paultards" doesn't help your position.
You are going to love this video. Crazy much?
Ron Paul exposes United Nations plan to destroy US (1990's?)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ArUoyuDd74
TFM, if Ron Paul didn't write them, then he needs to do a better job of explaining himself than a simple denial. And what libertarians and racists both have in common is the issue of states rights/small government, which is why you have so many neo-confederates supporter.
Abe, I agree, people can change their ways. Senator Byrd has admitted to his past, and now has a perfect rating from the NAACP. Ron Paul is still trying to convince people that he is is morally responsible but you can't hold him responsible, whatever that means.
One of the main problems is that Ron Paul holds the issue of racism as one of his main campaign planks on his website, and yet he can't even handle the blatant racism in his newsletter that he took full responsibility for. In fact, he defended the writings when first asked about them in 1996, while still denying that they were racist. If Ron Paul can't even handle an issue he campaigns on, then that reeks of false promises and incompetence. Even if he isn't racist, it's hard to move on from there.
I wonder if this will be mentioned at the upcoming Fox debate?
Ron Paul's response that he published a newsletter that he didn't even read is, at best, proof of incompetence.
I think that he did read it, and although he may not have agreed with all the views expressed, he knew that it would get him votes among the racists and survivalists in Texas.
Until he admits who wrote what, he's simply showing how incompetent he is.
Libertarians ARE inherently anti-racist. But what Ron Paul wrote ( or his staffers wrote) is NOT libertarian in any way.
The problem with the logic of the ronpaulforums libertarians is that they assume Ron Paul is a libertarian and not more of a conservative "federalist" or Constitutionalist.
Not, IMHO, the same thing. Cultural libertarians have beliefs that are not dependent on the level of government involved. We don't do the whole " States Rights, wink, wink" thing.
many libertarians have always been uncomfortable with Ron Paul and his more "conservative" beliefs and not even consider him a libertarian, but more of a guy who tries to pander to both worlds.
Hell, maybe it will be ok if people think libertarians are racist. then maybe regular libertarians can find a new name without so much baggage. Personally I prefer "liberal"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No_true_Scotsman
Ayn Rand: “Racism is the lowest, most crudely primitive form of collectivism.”
Yes, Ayn Rand wasn't a fan of libertarianism, but for practical purposes, she is a founder of the modern day movement. And yes, we know she said some bad things about gays, which was never brought into libertarianism.
TinFoilHat Man (Mega Man 9) said: I've never met a racist libertarian. They appear to be extremely rare. It's likely the poster assumed that as he'd never met a racist libertarian, they don't exist, and ergo, libertarian is inherently anti-racist. One can be a libertarian racist, just as there was that black white power guy a few years ago, but it's an extremely odd thing to contemplate.
If libertarian racists are that rare, then how coincidental is it that (1) one or more of them wrote the Ron Paul Newsletters, and (2) none of the subscribers to the newsletters was upset enough by the racist content to call it to Ron Paul's attention for how many years after he says he was clueless about what was written in his name?
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