I decided to move some discussion from this post up to the top level here. Specifically, Watoosh wrote: "Well, if violence is defined as initiation of force (which, of course, presupposes certain property rights), then I think Rockwell is correct..." Well, if we define cats as elephants, then many people keep elephants in their house. More seriously, firstly, violence is not usually defined that way. It's defined as, you know, violence, so that, say, someone may respond violently or non-violently to someone who aggresses against them. Otherwise, it would make no sense to say, for instance, "He punched me, but I did not stoop to violence in response." And, secondly, the libertarian usage of "initiation of force" is very offbeat. If I wander onto someone's meadow, most people would not say I had "initiated force" -- I mean, sure, I used "force" against the earth to push off walking, but that's not force directed against...
I attended an Obama rally with my son a couple of weeks ago in Dunedin Florida. Obama staffers were all over the crowd, and there were plenty of protesters screaming at those queued to enter the stadium.
ReplyDeleteThe Obama staff gave clear instructions that we shouldn't say anything negative, that we should chant, "yes, we can" to drown them out. I didn't hear any profanity that day.
Woody has a cru-u-sh, Woody has a cru-u-sh.
ReplyDeleteThere IS a place where the sidewalk ends, as Shel S. wrote.
ReplyDelete"For the children, they mark, and the children, they know
The place where the sidewalk ends."
The GOP is rapidly becoming the American Fascist Party.
ReplyDelete