On Blaming the Victim: Callahan on The Battle of the Toms

by Stephan Kinsella on November 16, 2009

Well this has been interesting, but taking a cue from Pete’s hortations, I’m going to take a pause from arguing about what libertarianism is or isn’t and get back to being busy DOING libertarianism. (Say: I might title my next book that. 🙂

Chow for now!

🙂

Posted by: Stephan Kinsella | November 03, 2009 at 05:44 PM

“I’m going to take a pause from arguing about what libertarianism is or isn’t and get back to being busy DOING libertarianism.”

Stephan, oughtn’t you add, “Pointlessly doing libertarianism,” since you have oft stated that you see little chance of your ideas being put into practice?

Posted by: Gene Callahan | November 05, 2009 at 08:35 AM

Gene Callahan writes: “Stephan, oughtn’t you add, “Pointlessly doing libertarianism,” since you have oft stated that you see little chance of your ideas being put into practice?”

I was not aware I was alone in my pessimism about the prospects of liberty. Libertarians of the past no doubt had dorm room bull sessions and thought the achievement of libertopia was around the corner–yet when they died the income tax and government spending was higher than before. It seems very likely that will be our fate too.

If Gene Callahan knows something I don’t about reasons for optimism, I’ve love to hear about it.

But I suspect Callahan is as realistic about the prospects of liberty as I and other libertarians are. So why he’s singling me out to pick on for … being a libertarian … even though we are losing (which is not my fault) is a mystery. I don’t pretend to be any expert on why we should, or even do, fight, even though it’s in some ways futile. He might as well ask any other libertarian–or himself, if he is one. I suppose I fight for liberty because I enjoy it, and prefer to side with the civilized against its destroyers. Even if we can’t “win.” Again, why I should be criticized for fighting for liberty is a mystery.

Posted by: Stephan Kinsella | November 16, 2009 at 11:19 AM