Bill Barnwell wonders whether LRC is effective in combatting neocons and whether the broader “politically conscious community” really cares about this. I was just having a discussion with an old left-wing friend and he seemed thrilled as I told him about our anti-war position and our battles with the neocons. He asked me if there was a book he could read to learn more about my political philosophy, (since we share the anti-war position I suggested he start with The Costs of War). He was very sympathetic as I explained our opposition to the military-industrial complex and our true free market position as against corporatism which raises up “businessmen” who know how to play politics rather than how to meet the needs of consumers. He was relieved to hear that we have not been taken in by the flimsy excuses for the recent invasion.
Making the battle with the neocons interesting and more broadly relevant is where art and taste come in, (though the fact that much of the world has suddenly found good reason to understand these folks helps). But the reality is that there is no avoiding this. One might summarize the Rothbardian position in this way, “Think universally, act locally”. That is, we recognize that natural law applies to all men everywhere but our primary duty is to defend our own rights. It was not for the Buddhists to deal with the Arian heresy. Similarly we can’t look to anyone else to address the errors of the neocons. These are Americans who are using the U.S. government, the conservative movement and libertarian rhetoric (“liberation”) to destroy our liberty and do evil in our name. It is primarily the responsibility of true American conservatives and libertarians to expose these folks for the frauds that they are: conservers of nothing, statists, imperialists and betrayers of the Old Republic.
4:36 pm on June 13, 2003
