Comments on: UPDATED: The Philosophy of Liberty (The Claims Of Kids)

By: Contemplationist

Contemplationist — Thu, 07 Jun 2012 16:08:43 +0000

I believe Rothbard wrote something about truancy laws and parent-child relationships, though I can’t recall what it was.

By: Michael

Michael — Thu, 07 Jun 2012 10:56:19 +0000

99.9999% of Americans do not possess the innate intellect to process the initial paragraph of the Philosophy of Liberty sentiment.

It is apparent that particular percentage is increasing to the extent the sentiment is manifestly irrelevant.

By: OldMan

OldMan — Thu, 07 Jun 2012 01:05:20 +0000

No one owns my life? Boy my wife has been pulling the wool over my eyes for 25 years haha!

By: Myron the Dad

Myron the Dad — Wed, 06 Jun 2012 23:19:59 +0000

My 4 cents on the subject of BRATS (and I don’t mean sausage!):

(1) Baby Mustafa is born. If mommy or daddy want the baby, they now have a “contractual obligation” to care for Mustafa or find an alternative guardian if they wish to terminate the contract. While parents have a right to terminate the contractual obligation, they do not have a right to terminate the baby!

(2) Presumably, someone else – Myron Pauli or Pope Benedict now will assume the contractual obligation to care for Mustafa with the same obligations.

(3) The assumption, of course, is that SOMEONE care enough to take care of the baby/child. As long as that is true, the person(s) in charge have some ethical responsibilities such as not using Mustafa as an ashtray or punching bag, feeding him, not leaving him out in a blizzard, etc. Sort of gets back to LIFE and LIBERTY.

(4) Having said that, it is completely idiotic to force unfit parents to take care of children they hate. That is imposing a contractual obligation on the unwilling and hence is slavery.

The sanctity and freedom of CONTRACTS, of course, are an essential ingredient for liberty and property!

By: Myron the Dad

Myron the Dad — Wed, 06 Jun 2012 20:37:32 +0000

Actually, another person DOES have a higher claim on my life than me! (You met her!) With all the B.S. that I put up with at work and in general, I don’t have that much reason to hang around besides her – even if Anna can sometimes be a big pain in the butt.

Jefferson recognized self-ownership as a basic principle and the only principle on which to justify a “government” – namely “That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it”

Jefferson was mistaken to claim that this is “self-evident” when the mass of Sheeple regularly beg the government to rob themselves and others on their “behalf” and to commit aggression against others. How many Sieg Heiled Adolph, worshiped Stalin, carried little red books, and applaud the “courage” of Obama in ordering the Seals to assassinate a (likely) unarmed Bin Laden?

While I agree with Rand that men can believe in liberty within themselves but I’m OK if they evoke a “deity” to do the same!

[See Post.]

By: james huggins

james huggins — Wed, 06 Jun 2012 13:03:58 +0000

Liberty! Ilana is wearing her philosophical shoes today. Most eloquent and compelling. Murder, slavery, theft. Our country as represented by our various governments, especially federal, is losing freedom at a consistantly increasing rate. Great stuff Mercer. We’re going to put you on regular around here.