An 18 Part Discussion of Covid and Libertarian Theory

Letter 1

From: Bubba Shaffer

To: Tom Woods <[email protected]>

Subject: RE: The bastards won’t let us live

Tom,

I am happy to see this email.  I cannot agree with you more.  I have never slowed my business activities nor my personal ones.  I believe the government response is a giant overreach.   I have respected everybody who wants to keep their distance away from me. (freedom of association as we Libertarians call it).

In my HVAC service business its funny how welcoming these folks are that normally would not have me near them all the sudden welcome me into their home or business.

If only I could find a barber.  I haven’t had hair like this since the high school in the late 70s.

Take care, and keep up the good work.

Bubba Shaffer

General Manager

Orlando, FL

Letter 2

From: Walter Block <[email protected]>

Sent: Wednesday, May 06, 2020 3:58 PM

To: Bubba Shaffer – Shaffer Air; Tom Woods

Subject: RE: The bastards won’t let us live

Dear Bubba:

Thanks.

Here is a pub of mine on this:

Block, Walter E. 2020. “Quarantines.” March 10;

https://www.targetliberty.com/2020/03/walter-block-on-quarantines-because-of.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed:+TargetLiberty+(Target+Liberty);

https://www.targetliberty.com/2020/03/walter-block-on-quarantines-because-of.html?fbclid=IwAR2eKAqVI1zJ-2d-aCW6IQwwJQQKRWJf_lcJsDxLHp9RIfNx-1fYuMzUrO8

Best regards,

Walter

Letter 3

From: Bubba Shaffer – Shaffer Air

Subject: RE: The bastards won’t let us live

Geez Walter why on earth do you always want to be fighting with me.  You make it hard to keep loving you!!  Haha…You believe the government should have the power to force people to stay inside their house?

Bubba Shaffer

General Manager

Orlando, FL

Letter 4

From: Walter Block <[email protected]>

Sent: Wednesday, May 06, 2020 5:42 PM

To: Bubba Shaffer

Subject: RE: The bastards won’t let us live

Dear Bubba:

Do you believe that it was justified to quarantine Typhoid Mary?

Best regards,

Walter

Letter 5

From: Bubba Shaffer

To: Walter Block <[email protected]>

Subject: RE: The bastards won’t let us live

Dear Walter,

I read about Typhoid Mary on the internet to get the story.  According to what I read she was a carrier because she did not wash her hands properly after she took a shit.  Her profession was that of a cook, and she had several employers as she cooked for many different affluent households.  If she was under my employ I would ensure that she use sanitation practices that are in line with good health.

I think this is really a case of non-property rights.  If all property were owned privately this would not be an issue.  Also, I think that word would get around that Mary Mallon maybe a good cook but her hygiene lacks considerably and a free society would handle this.  The problem is the State, almost all the time.  So I would not place her in a cage.

I miss you and hope to see you soon!!  I is enjoyable to debate you but I wish we agreed a little too!!

Bubba Shaffer

General Manager

Orlando, FL

Letter 6

From: Walter Block <[email protected]>

Sent: Friday, May 08, 2020 12:01 PM

To: Bubba Shaffer

Subject: RE: The bastards won’t let us live

Dear Bubba:

As libertarians, we agree on 99% of everything. We just discuss the 1% since it is more interesting to disagree.

Suppose Typhoid Mary were as innocent as the driven snow. She was asymptomatic, but spreading typhoid thru the air. Should she have been quarantined against her will? I say yes. How say you? I also say there may be no difference between this hypothetical Mary and someone nowadays who has asymptomatic Covid.

Best regards,

Walter

Letter 7

From: Bubba Shaffer

To: Walter Block <[email protected]>

Subject: RE: The bastards won’t let us live

My Dear Walter,

I not only say no, I say hell no!!  You are on a slippery slope here, you are asserting that she can be quarantined by whom?, the state?  You want to give the power to quarantine to the State?  I have no contract with the state, the constitution that the state holds I did not agree to.  If I was in a free society and I had a contract with my fellow properties owners that if that my breathing caused them harm I would do X, then fine.  Do you see my point.  You know that I am a radical, I ignore the state.

And we both agree that we two are the best looking boys in the Liberty movement!!

Bubba Shaffer

General Manager

Orlando, FL

Letter 8

From: Walter Block <[email protected]>

Sent: Friday, May 08, 2020 12:18 PM

To: Bubba Shaffer

Subject: RE: The bastards won’t let us live

Dear Bubba:

The quarantiner would be the state only for minarchists. We’re anarchists. So, the quarantiner would have to be the private defense agencies, the ones who stop murder, rape, trespass, kidnap, etc.

In my view, the  hypothetical Typhoid Mary would be guilty of assault with a deadly weapon, trespass, etc. It is as if she is shooting off a gun in all directions, only it is loaded with Typhoid germs, not lead bullets. Where have I erred in this claim?

Best regards,

Walter

Letter 9

From: Bubba Shaffer

To: Walter Block <[email protected]>

Subject: RE: The bastards won’t let us live

Walter,

Yes, If there were a community group that I was in contract with and the contract had a clause for this I would want it enforced to the degree probably where she would not be allowed onto other peoples property.

Mary would have to be confined to her own property (whether it be leased or owned).  So the other people in the community would either allow her on there property or not.  Isn’t this much like your stance on air/noise/water pollution?  I do agree with those…

Bubba Shaffer

General Manager

Orlando, FL

Letter 10

From: Walter Block <[email protected]>

To: Bubba Shaffer

Subject: RE: The bastards won’t let us live

Dear Bubba:

Contracts are limited to commercial interactions. Rape, murder, theft, kidnapping, trespass, are done by criminals. My claim is that Typhoid Mary is in effect a criminal, albeit without any mens rea, intent to initiate in effect, violence against innocent people.

Just as rapists, murderers, etc., must be forcibly stopped from their depredations without any binding contracts, so must be the case for Typhoid Mary.

Best regards,

Walter

Letter 11

From: Bubba Shaffer

To: Walter Block <[email protected]>

Subject: RE: The bastards won’t let us live

Hmm..,  how about people that drive their cars recklessly (all women and a few men)?  Are they murders? And be forcibly stopped?  This is where I was coming from as far as contacts as to drive on a private road.

Bubba Shaffer

General Manager

Orlando, FL

Letter 12

From: Walter Block <[email protected]>

To: Bubba Shaffer

Subject: RE: The bastards won’t let us live

Dear Bubba:

In my view as a minarchist, the government is justified in fining, jailing, drunken drivers, texters, sleepers, those who travel at 90 miles per hour on city streets, or 250 mph on highways. They are threats, even if they have not yet impacted anyone. Certainly, as an anarchist, private road owners would be justified in imposing such rules on their contractual customers.

However, murder, rape, spreading disease, is totally divorced from contracts. Contracts simply do not apply to these acts. Thus, you get us off point when you mention them.

Best regards,

Walter

Letter 13

From: Bubba Shaffer

To: Walter Block <[email protected]>

Subject: RE: The bastards won’t let us live

Walter,

Ok, I am gonna think about this and get back to you.  Just so I have more to consider, please give me any other ones besides rape, murder, kidnapping, and spreading disease that you consider non-property right violations and instead classify them as criminal (only)?  I see theft and trespassing as violations of property rights.  Am I wrong to think of property rights different than criminal activities.   Rape and murder are certainly a violation of property rights. I mean the more I think of it all criminal activity is a violation of someone’s property.

Murder- takes away a life (which only belongs to you)

Rape- trespasses your body (which only belongs to you)

Kidnapping- takes away freedom (which limits your movements)

I don’t see the difference all criminal activity is the opposite of the NAP and is a violation of property rights.

Boy, you have me thinking…

Bubba Shaffer

Letter 14

From: Walter Block <[email protected]>

To: Bubba Shaffer

Subject: RE: The bastards won’t let us live

The difference, as I see matters, is that drunken driving can be a contractual violation, on a private road.

But murder, rape, etc., are not contract violations.

Walter E. Block, Ph.D.

Letter 15

From: Bubba Shaffer

To: Walter Block <[email protected]>

Subject: RE: The bastards won’t let us live

Her movements can be controlled with the recognition of Private Property rights.  I don’t think she needs to be locked into a cage.  A man can fire a gun on his own property, I have a gun range on mine.  If I were to shoot someone from my property across to theirs I would be responsible for their injury.  If she transferred her (bullet) she would be responsible for that.

What do you think?

Bubba Shaffer

General Manager

Orlando, FL

Letter 16

From: Walter Block <[email protected]>

Sent: Sunday, May 10, 2020 11:36 AM

To: Bubba Shaffer

Subject: RE: The bastards won’t let us live

Dear Bubba:

Of course she shouldn’t be locked into a cage, or a jail cell. She’s innocent. Lacks mens rea. However, I think she should be “locked into” her house, or a nice hotel room, or something like that. House arrest. She poses a danger to everyone else. It is as if she can’t help punching people in the nose, or shooting not bullets at them, but contagion. It is as if she has a gun range in her property, but is such a bad shot that she keeps shooting passersby. Surely, her pistol ought to be taken away from her, and she not allowed in her gun range as long as she has this disability. Is our harsh treatment of her a violation of the NAP, of private property rights? No, the very opposite is true. House arrest for her (bringing her food, comfort, etc), is the embodiment of the NAP, of private property rights.

Best regards,

Walter

Letter 17

From: Bubba Shaffer

To: Walter Block <[email protected]>

Subject: RE: The bastards won’t let us live

Ok so we do agree!!  With this one asterisk.  I am speaking in terms of a An-Cap or Libertarian society where there is nothing that is un-owned or owned by the public.  Meaning I would not force her to stay on her property and as long as she had permission to enter another’s property that would be fine.  No different than a rapist who may walk around on his property fantasizing about rape but could never leave his property to go another’s property unless invited.  If he or she  was welcomed on another property by the property owner and then rapes that is an act against the NAP and there would be punishment for it.  Side note: Death for rapists would be a start.  Two eyes for one is good.  Rape is like murder to me.  But I digress

Bubba Shaffer

General Manager

Orlando, FL

Letter 18

From: Walter Block <[email protected]>

To: Bubba Shaffer

Subject: RE: The bastards won’t let us live

Dear Bubba:

Not quite. But, we’re almost there.

I would allow Mary off her property only on to a contiguous property, where she could not infect, en route, others beside her new host. But then he too would have to be under house arrest.[Bubba]  Ok I agree!!

Hey, we both have daughters, and are therefore justifiably harsh with rapists. However, which would you rather have occur to them? Be raped, or be killed. I’d rather my daughter were raped many times than murdered (even once). Would I rather be raped or murdered? Same answer. I’m a big fan of the movie Godfather I where the godfather was asked by the baker to kill the man who raped his daughter. The answer was, we’ll beat him to within an inch of his life (paraphrase), but he didn’t kill your daughter, so we won’t kill him. The godfather as libertarian.[Bubba]  Can I do the beating?  And I would volunteer and be honored to be your beating Surrogate if you needed help…

Best regards,

Walter

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3:10 pm on July 12, 2020