What was you first 'libertarian' thought?
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Submitted by: neilbaxter4  Subscribe to this Author Paste this code into your site to promote this story! |
Type of Content: Article Mine was 52 years ago, and I was 8 years old. I woke up to the sound of what we called a 'steam shovel' ripping up the middle of the road and creating a deep trench. The neighbourhood kids gathered around fascinated. Later, trucks delivered sewer pipe and began the task of burying it. I asked my father what they were doing and why, and he explained it to me. With a child's innocence I asked who pays for it, and he told me, "Everyone whose property it passes." I asked, "What if they don't want it?" He said, "They must pay anyway." And I was filled with a kind of vague horror, not at the concept that people shouldn't pay for what they get, but that even an adult could be forced to do that which did not wish to do. And that memory stayed in the back of my mind until I was 20, when I was so easily converted from a social liberal to a classical liberal, which is to say, a libertarian in a discussion with a friend who was in the process of becoming an economist. He recommended a book by Ayn Rand. So a few hundred books later, add in Ron Paul, and here I am. What is your story?
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When I first heard about income taxes and wealth redistribution around age 7, I was shocked. I knew it was good to give and to help less fortunate people, but this didn't seem like giving at all. I remember wondering why we can't decide who we want to give the money to. My father explained about deducting charitable donations, and for a long time I thought he meant that the money you gave away would be deducted from your income tax, so you could just pay all the money you owed the government to private charities instead. It was just really hard for me to get my head around the reality of it. Sad to say, the only time it ever made sense to me was when my mother told me that the government redistributes wealth to prevent the poor from wanting to attack the rich and steal all their stuff. It's sad because no kid should have to think that way about society.
That early spark of libertarianism was nearly extinguished by years of schooling by social liberal teachers and a general atmosphere of socialism in Canada where I grew up. In fact, I pretty much resigned myself to just not understanding politics. Problem is, not understanding something makes me feel inadequate, and since I felt stupid every time I read about politics, I developed an aversion to it. It took many years, and moving to the US to bring me back around. But I'm here to stay.
I was about 6 years old.
I saw a TV ad, it said "trust me, doing drugs is stupid" and he stepped into the police car. I asked my mother why he should be arrested for effing himself up, who did he hurt?
Nobody ever answered me.
After serving in the U.S. Navy for six years, I worked in several different industries. No matter where I lived or worked, I was amazed to find out how few that took their duties as citizens seriously. Very few of my colleagues voted, most of whom claimed that it was a waste of time. "One vote doesn't matter" I would hear. I knew deep down that this was not so...that each election could be drastically different if everyone took the process seriously and voted. Nothing will change when there is an apathetic public; their failure to vote propagates the myth that a vote doesn't matter.
Later, while in the process of completing a college degree, I chose to fulfill a history elective with a class on the U.S. Constitution. We looked at the early history of the United States, and at how the Articles failed and the Constitution was formed. We also considered the various amendments to the Constitution...especially the Bill of Rights. This study led me to revisit my core beliefs, and to ask questions about patriotism, personal freedoms, and the political process. I began to reflect on the balance between the federal and local governments, and the role that government should have regarding individuals and businesses. And I learned what a Libertarian was.
I found that my personal beliefs were nearly identical to those of a Libertarian. I feel a need for change in nearly every issue that we discuss, whether it be regarding property rights, individual tax relief, or some other issue. While I would not call myself a revolutionary, I know that I can not be one of those who sit idle. Now I enjoy the unity of purpose, and the common desire to change things for the better...not only for each of us as individuals, but for us locally and as a nation.
Semper Libertas!
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LEGALIZE MARIJUANA!!
But it was definitely second, third, fourth and fifth.
:)
The only group of people I know begging to be taxed and regulated and the gov.t says no. www.norml.org
I was 5 and socially oblivious. I was following some of my classmates around on the playground, like ten feet behind them, and trying to talk to them once in a while. They went to the lunch aide and told her that they wanted me to stop following them. She told them it is a free country and that i could follow them if i wanted to.
Something seemed wise about that policy. The being able to freely move around outside the personal space of others without having to keep track of how long you have been following them, seems more valuable than being able to prevent others from following you in a public space.
The students I was following had been talking about the television show, Starsky and Hutch. They were pretending that they themselves were police. One said, "Even though i am only 5 they made an exception and let me become a police officer. But I was not allowed to have a gun, only a knife."
unloading railroad cars of lumber by hand. I was fifteen and it was my first summer job.
In American Lit class a few months earlier we had to read excerpts from Thoreau's Walden . I went to the library and was more interested in Civil Disobedience. It appealed to my inner rebel. It was percolating in my subconscious.
Anyway, I remember starting on a Wednesday and working three days of the first week. We got paid on Friday.
At a $1.80 an hour I was eagerly awaiting my first paycheck for $43.20. I had calculated how many comic books I could afford and it was staggering.
When I got the check I looked at it and got this sinking feeling. It was only for $38.00 and change.
The world could never be same the again. It was my first glimpse of the class of people whom I would come to regard as my lifelong enemy - tax collectors.
"Such command no more respect than men of straw or a lump of dirt."
I just realized this sounds like one of my grandfather's stories.
Unlike in his day, going to work was only uphill in one direction.
"Repent, Harlequin! Said the Ticktockman" - Harlan Ellison
I do not know how old I was at the time. I remember my Grandfather complaining about paying his property taxes. I had never heard of them before. I could not believe that people had to pay the government if they wanted to own property. I do remember asking him why anyone would want to own property if you always had to pay someone, for something that was already yours. He answered with something about how we had to pay for all of those people who work for in the civil service.