[479] in libertarians
Re: ACLU
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Travis Corcoran)
Thu Dec 8 15:46:29 1994
Date: Thu, 8 Dec 94 15:40:01 EST
From: tjic@ICD.teradyne.com (Travis Corcoran)
To: libertarians@MIT.EDU
> Date: Thu, 08 Dec 1994 14:45:41 EST
> From: <sybok@MIT.EDU>
Thanks for the great information! Some comments on one of the
articles that you forwarded to us:
> A PRIMER ON THE ACLU By L. GORDON CROVITZ
> (from _Wall_Street_Journal_ Monday, October 3, 1988)
>
> *Drugs should not be prohibited by law*.
I agree. I think I take the standard libertarian position on this
one.
> *School discipline must be strictly limited*.
I'd argue that the matter of allowing students to wear beepers should
be considered on a school-by-school basis. In a system where all
schools are privately owned, and parents can shop the free market to
find the school that they think is best for the family, no one is
compelled to be in a school that does not allow beepers any more than
anyone is compelled to be in a restraunt that doesn't allow T-shirts.
( of course, this is slightly complicated, as the parents are making
the decisions for their kids, but if the kids and parents are seen to
be involved in a contract of "the kid obeys the orders of the parents
as long as he wishes to receive free room and board" then the
complication isn't major).
> *Few crimes should be punished by jail*.
disagree. I think I take the standard libertarian position on this
one.
> *Workfare is unconstitutional*.
It shouldn't be an issue, as the feds should never hand $$ over to an
individual unless they are buying a good or a service from the
individual.
> *The Constitution mandates increased welfare spending*.
Haaaaaaa Haaaaaaa Haaaaaaa Haaaaaaa Haaaaaaa Haaaaaaa Haaaaaaa
Haaaaaaa Haaaaaaa !!!!!!!
> *Equal pay for equal work is not enough*.
Not an issue: wages, etc. should be negotiated between the laborer and
the employer, and if an employer has a policy of paying women 20%
less, or black 30% more, so be it. The market will adjust to him, and
he may or may not find himself in business a year later...
> *No more rescue attempts of American hostages or secret
> operations against terrorists*.
Disagree.
> *There can be no military draft, even in wartime*.
I agree. I think I take the standard libertarian position on this
one.
I think Heinlein said something along the lines of "the country that
needs a draft to defend itself isn't going to last long anyway".
> *U.S. officials owe U.S. constitutional protections to foreigners
> overseas*.
I tend to agree with the ACLU on this one. The example they give is
that the US government should have to pay for its taking when it
destroys the crops of drug-farmers. If the UK were to spray herbicide
on my apple orchard just because apples are illegal in London, I'd not
only want some $$, I'd want some British hide tacked to my wall...
> *Churches and synagogues should lose their tax-exempt status*.
Even though I am a semi-practicing Catholic, I see both sides.
> *The First Amendment protects all pornography, including child
> porn*.
All porn protraying made by consenting adults should be legal.
> *Rating movies is itself an unconstitutional prior restraint*.
Only if mandated or done by the government.
> *Prostitution should be legal*.
Yup. I think I take the standard libertarian position on this
one.
> *Homosexuals can be foster parents*.
I'd lean against this, but I do not maintain that my position is the
normal Libertarian Party one.
> *The deinstitutionalization of the mentally ill was required by
> law*.
Don't know.
--
TJIC (Travis J.I. Corcoran) TJIC@icd.teradyne.com
opinions(TJIC) != opinions(employer(TJIC))
"Buy a rifle, encrypt your data, and wait for the Revolution!"
