“A coward is incapable of exhibiting love; it is the prerogative of the brave.”
Mahatma Gandhi
Libertarianism has a beautiful inequity in its values. Respect of privacy, property and wealth, Love for his fellow man, Discipline, and Morality are values that can only be found entirely within the ideology of Libertarianism. Where conservatives rejoice in their respect of property, wealth and discipline, they are also guilty of thrusting themselves into the private affairs of others, while the finger pointing and upturned noses abound. Unfortunately, American liberals, or progressives, are guilty of the extreme opposite. Where they claim to respect a person’s social endeavors, they make a nuisance of themselves by demanding that a person’s wealth, property and privacy be the business of the collective.
Within the ideology of American Conservatism a social standard of religious “morality” exists demanding that one conform to this image or fear being labeled immoral or deviant. In the United States the Conservative right has come to be associated with religion, specifically Christianity and Mormonism. A strict adherence to this code of “piety” is demanded of the community. Unfortunately, many of the lessons of tolerance, love and respect taught within Christian doctrine have been lost to the modern conservative. Despite the conservative support of Capitalism and a (semi)free market, as well as their belief that government should not interfere with social matters, such as religion, civil armament, and free speech; the “tea party” sees no wrong in legislating morality to fit their views against gay marriage, abortion and the legality of substances. In this aspect, conservatives are guilty of the “crime” of “equal plunder” spoken of by Frederic Bastiat in his Pamphlet “The Law” where he writes; ” Men naturally rebel against the injustice of which they are victims. Thus, when plunder is organized by law for the profit of those who make the law, all the plundered classes try somehow to enter — by peaceful or revolutionary means — into the making of laws.
According to their degree of enlightenment, these plundered classes may propose one of two entirely different purposes when they attempt to attain political power: Either they may wish to stop lawful plunder, or they may wish to share in it… You say: “Here are persons who are lacking in morality or religion,” and you turn to the law. But law is force. And need I point out what a violent and futile effort it is to use force in the matters of morality and religion?”
Whilst Conservatives would seek to legislate the moral interactions of the masses, the Progressive left would seek to legislate the capital and social interactions of man. This would seem to be the more grievous of the two offenses. Bastiat goes on to say this; ” It would seem that socialists, however self-complacent, could not avoid seeing this monstrous legal plunder that results from such systems and such efforts. But what do the socialists do? They cleverly disguise this legal plunder from others — and even from themselves — under the seductive names of fraternity, unity, organization, and association. Because we ask so little from the law — only justice — the socialists thereby assume that we reject fraternity, unity, organization, and association. The socialists brand us with the name individualist.
But we assure the socialists that we repudiate only forced organization, not natural organization. We repudiate the forms of association that are forced upon us, not free association. We repudiate forced fraternity, not true fraternity. We repudiate the artificial unity that does nothing more than deprive persons of individual responsibility. We do not repudiate the natural unity of mankind under Providence. ”
In their pursuit of a fair, moral and arguably, utopian society; both sides do not consider the key factor to harmonious interaction between mankind; love. I don’t mean the Hollywood, roses and chocolates love. I am talking about the love for you fellow man. Offering a ride to someone walking in the rain. Kindness, Compassion, Respect; these values are not only supported by Libertarians the world over, but they are embodied by our actions as human beings. As the words to the finale of “Les Miserables” goes; “To love another person is to see the face of God” Through non-aggression, through relentless pursuit of truth, through our fight to see that all mankind is made free; love is our greatest tool.
“The World is my country, all mankind are my brethren, and to do good is my religion.”
Thomas Paine
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