Libertarian pride vs prejudice

Those who seek anti-discrimination laws may do so in the name of equality and diversity, to constrain the prejudices of others to make a better society. Those who favour discriminatory laws may do so for security and the conservation of cultural values but in doing so they attempt to normalise their prejudices and impose them on others.

 

But all such insistence on legislation can only fail - as you can lead a horse to water but threatening legal action won't make it drink.

Like you I have prejudices of my own. But as a libertarian my prejudices are constrained by my principles.

For instance - a great many Australians, perhaps even the majority, would support legislation to ban the wearing of the burqua (and niquab) in public and why not – about a dozen western countries with larger Islamic populations either ban or restrict the wearing of face coverings in some way.

Part of me is with with them. The part of me that cannot understand why a person would dress like a medieval bee-keeper unless compelled by force to do so. The part of me that wonders who is in there and are they armed? The part that says - you people are obviously aliens, so perhaps you would be more comfortable on your own planet.

However,

The libertarian concept of social justice includes preventing the government from expanding the list of victimless crimes rather than constantly dreaming up new ones.

To ban the burqua would require the kind of legislation that I am generally opposed to - laws that take away the freedom of our citizens and criminalises common human behaviours such as what we wear in public. Banning the burqua fails my free and fair test. As soon as I back such a law I cease to be a noble libertarian and become just a run of the mill suburban fascist.

As I am not prepared to do that – it means I must instead stand up for the burqua wearers regardless. It is that simple. Hopefully they will stand up for me.

These principles also make my life a little easier in that I don't have to judge people on the merits of their religion or fashion sense or any damn thing really. I don't have to listen to the endless squawking from the attention seekers of the Left or the Right. I don't need to decide whether such attire is cultural or religious or what the hell Australian values are before deciding if wearing a black tent is compatible with them.

Thank God.

Try it. Try putting the principles of enduring freedom before your political alignment, your tribal customs and your prejudices, petty or otherwise.

The same principles that make me free make you free also. By defending your freedom I protect my own. So try it, maybe you will like it.

And remember u r free.