Politics

[Kat]

Some of you may have noticed that I am not a political junkie, far from it, and probably the only thing I hate more than politics is hypocrisy. Unfortunately, the topic of politics comes up constantly in Objectivist circles. It is pervasive, unavoidable, and things get rather heated up at times. I consider myself to be a apolitical, mainly a minarchist, I want a small government that will not invade my personal space and I believe, like Ayn Rand, that government is necessary and should have the monopoly on the use of force.

I have mixed feelings about the war. I support it to an extent but think it is lacking clearly defined objectives and an exit strategy. I'm just thinking, "Aren't we done with this crap yet?" Maybe I am more politically moderate than most Objectivists, but on other forums I have been labeled a moron, a communist and most recently anti-semite for pointing at some of the extreme views being put forth as the Objectivist postition on politics.

Bullshit.

I recently commented that I personally feel that ARI has become too ethnocentric at the top of the organization (pro-Israel) and is putting way too much focus on Middle East politics. If the leadership there were black would they pick up an African cause? As an Objectivist, I expect our movement to be a little more objective and also to not try to step all over the non-initiation of force principle and alienate libertarian supporters of the philosophy. (I simply don't understand why an atheistic organization would focus their efforts on the basically religious conflicts in the holylands, alienating the low-hanging fruit right here at home). This group, which is supposedly the official voice of Objectivism has focused their energy on foreign policy rather than philosophy and they seem a little too trigger happy with the nuke option. As an Objectivist, that makes me very uncomfortable. They don't speak for me politically, although I do admire their efforts and accomplishments in getting Rand's books into schools and supporting campus clubs.

Here is the link to the foreign policy articles on the Arab conflict I'd love to hear some civilized discussion here, not the internet gladiator attacks I am usually subjected to. Thanks.

Kat

[Kat]

Here is the latest political activism from ARI as I'm sure most of you have received in your email. We'll see how this goes. I sincerely hope that they are promoting free speech and not hate speech. I am curious as to what they will say, but given their track record, I'm not sending them any money.

I used to think that religion is the root of all evil. I've revised my thinking on that just a little bit. It is the fanaticism and the mixing of religion with government that creates the real problems. Whether it is an Islamic terrorist or an American blowing up abortion clinics, it comes down to individual fanatics fueled by misguided beliefs. This has to be stopped, but I'm not sure how. Bad ideas seems to spread faster than good ones though. I like to think, however, that most people, regardless of religion or lack thereof, are peaceful and productive. I hope that we can all help spread reason in the hopes that people will become more reasonable.

Kat

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Unveiling the Danish Cartoons: A Discussion of Free Speech and World Reaction

Dear Friend of ARI:

In light of the recent violent outrage in the Islamic world over the "Danish Cartoon" controversy, and the anemic response to this outburst in Europe and America, the Ayn Rand Institute is pleased to announce a campaign to bring the Danish cartoons to the widest possible audience--and to arrange a series of panel discussions to discuss the vital need to defend free speech.

So long as men are free to criticize, free to dissent, free to present their own ideas without fear of reprisals--the fight for rational culture has a chance. But the crisis over cartoons of Mohammad threatens to wipe out freedom of speech. Our leaders have shamefully sided with the mobs chanting death threats and torching embassies. Free speech, our leaders say, is not an absolute, its exercise must not offend religious beliefs--it is a right, in other words, that we are not free to exercise.

If the threats, riots and killings fomented by Islamic states are allowed to proceed--if they are allowed to compel Western thinkers into self-censorship--the first to be silenced will be the critics of Islam. And then the critics of religion. And then everyone else.

The Ayn Rand Institute disseminates the pro-American ideals of reason, egoism, and individualism, and our efforts fundamentally depend on the absolute right to free speech. That is why we have launched a campaign to inform the American public about what is at stake in this crisis. In a series of public events on college campuses, ARI speakers will explain: the actual meaning of free speech--and why it must include the freedom to offend; what should have been the reaction of Western governments to the crisis; what reactions to the cartoons in the Islamic world tell us about that culture; and how the Western media ought to defend the right on which its livelihood, and our culture's survival, depends.

Our immediate plans include the following:

* Hold three talks on college campuses--UCLA, Johns Hopkins University, and the University of Southern California.

* Promote these events with an aggressive print advertising and Internet marketing effort.

* Finally, we plan to place the Danish ads on www.aynrand.org and promote them aggressively in print, on the airwaves, and over the Internet.

Our budget for these activities is $33,000.

For us to succeed in executing this campaign, we need your help now.

Any contribution that you can make to ARI to help offset these costs would be greatly appreciated.

To give now to support our campaign to defend free speech, please go to:

http://www.aynrand.org/freespeech

If you prefer to give by phone, please call our donor services coordinator, Dave Gulbraa, at 800.365.6552, extension 204. Of course, you can also mail your contribution to ARI at 2121 Alton Parkway, Suite 250, Irvine CA 92606 (please indicate on the check that this is for the ARI Danish Cartoons Project).

It is critical that free speech be defended--and that the violent mystics who threaten this freedom be opposed philosophically.

Thank you in advance for your consideration.

Sincerely,

Yaron Brook

President and Executive Director

[Charles R. Anderson]

Kat,

Like you, I think limited government is necessary. I would limit the federal government strictly to providing for the national defense, keeping the states from erecting barriers to trade and travel between themselves, and settling disputes between the states, always in the interest of individual rights.

On Iraq, I think there is an exit strategy, but it cannot be announced to the enemy, which unfortunately means that it cannot be announced to us. Wars are usually harder than anyone anticipates they will be when they get into them, but this one is not really very bad in historical terms. It may also prove to have some very good long term consequences, or maybe the Middle East will remain the mess it has long been. We shall have to see.

ARI likes very much to emphasize showmanship. In doing this, they like to take up very radical stands to show the contrast between themselves and others. They have put out a number of articles on how the American Indians should be grateful that the European Civilization wiped their society out. In these articles, there was no explanation that this was an inevitable tragedy for the Indians of the time, but present-day Indians should be thankful that they live in the America of today. No, that would have taken the edge off. Instead, they opted for the hammer blow that Indians should be happy that they were displaced. There was no hint of apology for throwing those many Cherokee and Creek Indians off their farms, when many of them tried to adopt the European Civilization. They sent their children to schools and they ran for and were elected to state and federal offices. Nonetheless, they were rounded up and forced to go to Oklahoma on the infamous Trail of Tears. No, ARI is ignorant of history and unable to see that there were more reasonable options for at least many of the Indians. There was also no recognition of the thievery of Indian Agents and the failure to provide promised services to the Indian reservations for many decades.

Israel suits their purposes in a similar, radicalizing way. Now they are again more militant than anyone else. This makes them the Kick Ass society they want to be. Nevermind, that while Israel may operate as a much better society than the surrounding Middle East muslim countries, it is nonetheless a religious state. Freedom of religion is limited in Israel. And again, there is no willingness to see the human tragedy that has occurred there. Unfortunately, there are also no answers to the problem that will satisfy any but a few people. Like the American Indians, this is probably a tragedy that will never have a rational solution. It will not have one on the Palestinian side and it will not have one from ARI. It probably will not have one from the Israeli side. The only real hope is that one day the Palestinians will have such better opportunities elsewhere that they will pick up and leave. Maybe a healthy Iraq will help to provide such an option.