I've never read a Libertarian manifesto
or party platform, but I have 'hung around' them some. My take is
that it's a lot harder to 'use' a Libertarian, in the manipulated
sense. Society is so far removed from personal responsibility that
it's difficult to implement Libertarian policies. For example, if you
want to ride motorcycle without helmet; fine, but nobody has to pay
for your immediate or long term medical consequences. If you want to
use drugs, OK, same thing. Nobody owes you free needles, methadone
programs, or multi-billion dollar research into the blood ailment you
picked up along the way.
People have a hard time letting others
pay the price of their decisions; that's why it will be difficult to
implement. Full application is the only way it would work, otherwise
it's just license with a safety net. As a Christian I harbor some
serious doubts. Look what God did to Sodom and Gohmorrah. I see this
country headed the same way. On the one hand, I want to keep perverse
things illegal. On the other, I realize that people simply don't want
those laws. The closest I can get to acquiescence is what I think
Libertarianism would say: Fine, have your 'gay' marriage, but at the
same time, you cannot use the government to educate children as to
the validity of your lifestyle; you cannot use the government to
force me into photographing your 'gay' wedding, or renting you an
apartment. You cannot use the government to pay for research to cure
your diseases.
Also, if I'm not being too simplistic,
I wonder if it can be said that the Austrian economic theory is the
most honest? (I think it is.)
Back to being used, I'm trying to write a blog post
about the very subject. I think a huge paradox is that the truth with
the greatest potential for benefitting people is the truth that has
the most potential for harm. Christianity is the single greatest
truth given to man; yet it has been used for conquest and all
manner of chicanery. The constitution is a great document; yet
patriotism has been used to make wealthy the warmongers. It has yet
to be seen whether the father of lies will use partial Libertarianism
toward his ends.
Actually, the supporters of homosexual
marriage probably don't want it from a less government position. They
want a judge to find a “right” in the constitution, thereby
getting government endorsement and paid protection.
