Conservative view on Rand Paul

[Bergie Bergeron]

As we know from history, the free market did not lead to a breakdown of segregation. Indeed, it got much worse, not just because it was enforced by law but because it was mandated by self-reinforcing societal pressure. Any store owner in the South who chose to serve blacks would certainly have lost far more business among whites than he gained. There is no reason to believe that this system wouldn’t have perpetuated itself absent outside pressure for change.

In short, the libertarian philosophy of Rand Paul and the Supreme Court of the 1880s and 1890s gave us almost 100 years of segregation, white supremacy, lynchings, chain gangs, the KKK, and discrimination of African Americans for no other reason except their skin color. The gains made by the former slaves in the years after the Civil War were completely reversed once the Supreme Court effectively prevented the federal government from protecting them. Thus we have a perfect test of the libertarian philosophy and an indisputable conclusion: it didn’t work. Freedom did not lead to a decline in racism; it only got worse.

http://capitalgainsandgames.com/blog/bruce-bartlett/1734/rand-paul-no-barry-goldwater-civil-rights

[MRoCkEd]

In short, the libertarian philosophy of Rand Paul and the Supreme Court of the 1880s and 1890s gave us almost 100 years of segregation, white supremacy, lynchings, chain gangs, the KKK, and discrimination of African Americans for no other reason except their skin color. The gains made by the former slaves in the years after the Civil War were completely reversed once the Supreme Court effectively prevented the federal government from protecting them. Thus we have a perfect test of the libertarian philosophy and an indisputable conclusion: it didn’t work. Freedom did not lead to a decline in racism; it only got worse.

Bullshit! The overwhelming driving force behind these actions was the government.
Get this guy a copy of "Dred Scott's Revenge" by Judge Napolitano.

[Ethek]

http://capitalgainsandgames.com/blog/bruce-bartlett/1734/rand-paul-no-barry-goldwater-civil-rights

I cant say the man is entirely wrong, but mostly. People are creatures of anxiety. Its present with or without government.
Though it is especially dangerous when anxious people can leverage the power of government force.

[MRoCkEd]

Do you think when the government told a racist refusing to serve blacks he legally had to, that he said, "Oh, okay! Come right! Sorry about that!"

No. It just increased racial tensions.

[specsaregood]

I'd say the media has done more to end racism against minorities than any govt mandates.

[Theocrat]

I don't believe Rand is a racist; I think he is a fool who is suffering from the foolish consistency syndrome that affects all libertarians. They believe that freedom consists of one thing and one thing only--freedom from governmental constraint. Therefore, it is illogical to them that any increase in government power could ever expand freedom. Yet it is clear that African Americans were far from free in 1964 and that the Civil Rights Act greatly expanded their freedom while diminishing that of racists. To defend the rights of racists to discriminate is reprehensible and especially so when it is done by a major party nominee for the U.S. Senate. I believe that Rand should admit that he was wrong as quickly as possible.[Emphasis mine]

That emboldened part pretty much sums up his sentiments against libertarianism. In a way, I do agree with him. Freedom is not true freedom if it's only defined as narrowly as he has. With freedom comes moral integrity and civil responsibility, too. He seems to think if the government doesn't enforce civil rights, then liberty-driven citizens will allow racist acts all over the place. What a simple-minded view, coming from someone who evidently nurses at the teets of the State. I don't know of any libertarians who believe racism is a good, moral practice for all people. And even if they did, it would contradict what they stood for anyway.