Lefty professors at American colleges and universities are shocked, (shocked!) to discover that under the new rules promulgated by the Trump administration they are obliged, for the first time in their careers, to watch their Ps and Qs or else face serious and negative consequences.
Dear Bubba: Thanks for complimenting me as your mentor. I appreciate that. I appreciate that we can disagree, sharply, about important issues, and still remain friends, good friends. Before my excommunication from the Mises, Ron Paul and Libertarian Institute's for disagreement about Israel, I would never had said anything like that. I would have thought it silly to state the obvious. Now, unhappily, I feel like saying how important this is. I will no longer take this for granted.
As for mentors and mentees disagreeing, no big deal. Murray was my mentor, I often disagreed with him, and I am now treating you in the same friendly manner with which he treated me.
Let me now respond to your points. Please read, or re-read, this essay of Murray's. That's my response to your suggestion that I stick to narrow anarcho-capitalism:
As to my supposedly too aggressive comments to non libertarians, which fails to convert people to libertarianism, two comments. First, I'm not all that interest in converting people to liberty. That's great, and I do relish that, but my primary goal is to just tell the truth, whatever happens. I'm a truth addict. Second, as for my secondary goal of converting the heathen (there I go again, the commies won't like that) I have learned that there is no best way to do this. Who were the two people more successful than anyone else in so doing? Ayn Rand for my generation, and Ron Paul for yours. Yet, they were polar opposites! Ayn Rand was really nasty (I take after her quite a bit). Ron Paul's middle name should be "sweetness." He never compromises with his vision, but he is gentle and kind in his verbiage
If I followed the pattern of Ayn Rand, or representatives of the Mises or Ron Paul Institutes, I’d kick you off my Substack, and refuse to respond to your criticism. Rather, I follow the pattern of Murray Rothbard, who never excommunicated any fellow libertarian for anything.
I am still an anarcho-capitalist libertarian (an cap). And, you make a good point, no, an excellent one, that this essay of mine is incompatible with ancap. So, how do I justify this? Consider the following.
As a full, pure ancap, how do I address the issue of Donald v Harvard. I say the former is governmental, and the latter is quasi governmental (at least it represents the Democratic Party and lives off of tax funds), so a pox on both.
How do I answer the question of should students be forced to wear uniforms or say the pledge of allegiance? Let the market decide, and get govt out of the picture.
What about the Russia-Ukraine War? Again, both are evil govts. Instead, I wrote this:
Block, Walter E. 2022A. “Russia and Ukraine.” March 5;
You can see where I’m going with this. From a pure ancap perspective, I can say very little about current events, other than all govts are evil. But there is more to libertarianism than ancap. There is also minarchism, classical liberalism. If you want to make comments about the real world, you can only do so from one of these other perspectives.
Yes, Russia and Ukraine are both govts. But which is MORE evil. Yes, Israel and Iran are both govts. But which is MORE evil. You can’t do this from a pure ancap point of view. Yet, I want to do so, and in doing so, I don’t think I’m violating an capism.
I am guided in this decision as I am in somany other things by my mentor and friend, Murray Rothbard. Please read this, where he comments on this very question:
I look up to you with high regards. When I meet you in 2019 was the highlight of my studies into the liberty movement at that time. I knew before I met you that liberty was my goal in my education. Reading your books and attending your Friday night seminar were very exciting for me. Though as time went on I have come to some critiques that are listed below.
In my opinion it would be better if you approach everything from an An-Cap, anti-government position. This way folks that read you know exactly where you stand. These political compromises that you have suggested over the years have lead us to where we are now. You are not asking my advice but, for me I would like to see your work from a strictly An-Cap position or at least mentioned first.
Another thing while it is still pick on Walter day- Calling people commies and leftist and demeaning people is no a way to get folks to sign up for the cause of liberty. Their responses would be to figure you are a old conservative boomer and just stop reading and listening to your work.
I remember when you and I had supper with my daughters and their friends- the first words out of your mouth were Trump this Trump that. Instead of learning about their concerns and teaching them to understand liberty you made/make a political stand. All this does is close peoples eyes and ears. If you don't believe in the state why do your suggest betterments include the state?
Just to answer your question about uniforms and the pledge. I think the correct answer is the state does not belong in the conscribed education business. I will read the articles you have site in your response later today.
Thank you, Bubba
Politics divides people. Liberty brings folks together. Just my thoughts.
So, your solution is to be a “better” (in your mind) statist? How about we end state sponsored education? Let the market decide this… Be the radical I thought you were!!
Dear Bubba: Thanks for complimenting me as your mentor. I appreciate that. I appreciate that we can disagree, sharply, about important issues, and still remain friends, good friends. Before my excommunication from the Mises, Ron Paul and Libertarian Institute's for disagreement about Israel, I would never had said anything like that. I would have thought it silly to state the obvious. Now, unhappily, I feel like saying how important this is. I will no longer take this for granted.
As for mentors and mentees disagreeing, no big deal. Murray was my mentor, I often disagreed with him, and I am now treating you in the same friendly manner with which he treated me.
Let me now respond to your points. Please read, or re-read, this essay of Murray's. That's my response to your suggestion that I stick to narrow anarcho-capitalism:
Rothbard, Murray N. 1967. “War guilt in the Middle East. Left and Right. Spring-Autumn; http://mises.org/journals/lar/pdfs/3_3/3_3_4.pdf; http://original.antiwar.com/rothbard/2010/03/02/war-guilt-in-the-middle-east/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+antiwar-original+%28Antiwar.com+Original+Articles%29&utm_content=Google+Reader
As to my supposedly too aggressive comments to non libertarians, which fails to convert people to libertarianism, two comments. First, I'm not all that interest in converting people to liberty. That's great, and I do relish that, but my primary goal is to just tell the truth, whatever happens. I'm a truth addict. Second, as for my secondary goal of converting the heathen (there I go again, the commies won't like that) I have learned that there is no best way to do this. Who were the two people more successful than anyone else in so doing? Ayn Rand for my generation, and Ron Paul for yours. Yet, they were polar opposites! Ayn Rand was really nasty (I take after her quite a bit). Ron Paul's middle name should be "sweetness." He never compromises with his vision, but he is gentle and kind in his verbiage
Dear Bubba:
If I followed the pattern of Ayn Rand, or representatives of the Mises or Ron Paul Institutes, I’d kick you off my Substack, and refuse to respond to your criticism. Rather, I follow the pattern of Murray Rothbard, who never excommunicated any fellow libertarian for anything.
I am still an anarcho-capitalist libertarian (an cap). And, you make a good point, no, an excellent one, that this essay of mine is incompatible with ancap. So, how do I justify this? Consider the following.
As a full, pure ancap, how do I address the issue of Donald v Harvard. I say the former is governmental, and the latter is quasi governmental (at least it represents the Democratic Party and lives off of tax funds), so a pox on both.
How do I answer the question of should students be forced to wear uniforms or say the pledge of allegiance? Let the market decide, and get govt out of the picture.
What about the Russia-Ukraine War? Again, both are evil govts. Instead, I wrote this:
Block, Walter E. 2022A. “Russia and Ukraine.” March 5;
http://ronpaulinstitute.org/archives/featured-articles/2022/march/05/russia-and-ukraine/;
http://www.ronpaulinstitute.org/archives/featured-articles/2022/march/05/russia-and-ukraine/
Block, Walter E. 2022B. “Nuclear War.” April 27;
http://ronpaulinstitute.org/archives/featured-articles/2022/april/27/nuclear-war/
Nuclear War? http://www.ronpaulinstitute.org/archives/featured-articles/2022/april/27/nuclear-war/
Block, Walter E. 2022C. “How will human life on earth end, and what to do about this?” May 19; http://ronpaulinstitute.org/archives/featured-articles/2022/may/19/how-will-human-life-on-earth-end-and-what-to-do-about-this/
What about the war between Israel and its enemies such as Iran, Hamas, etc. Again, both are qausi or actual governments. So both are evil.
Instead, I wrote this:
Block, Walter E. and Alan Futerman. 2021. The Classical Liberal Case for Israel. With commentary by Benjamin Netanyahu. Springer Publishing Company; https://rd.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-981-16-3953-1; https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-981-16-3953-1;
file:///C:/Users/wblock/AppData/Local/Microsoft/Windows/INetCache/Content.Outlook/I1L1K1JR/Block-Futerman2021_Book_TheClassicalLiberalCaseForIsra.pdf
summary of this book: https://cosmosandtaxis.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Block_Futerman_summary_CT_Vol12_Iss_9_10.pdf
You can see where I’m going with this. From a pure ancap perspective, I can say very little about current events, other than all govts are evil. But there is more to libertarianism than ancap. There is also minarchism, classical liberalism. If you want to make comments about the real world, you can only do so from one of these other perspectives.
Yes, Russia and Ukraine are both govts. But which is MORE evil. Yes, Israel and Iran are both govts. But which is MORE evil. You can’t do this from a pure ancap point of view. Yet, I want to do so, and in doing so, I don’t think I’m violating an capism.
I am guided in this decision as I am in somany other things by my mentor and friend, Murray Rothbard. Please read this, where he comments on this very question:
Rothbard, Murray N. 1967. “War guilt in the Middle East. Left and Right. Spring-Autumn; http://mises.org/journals/lar/pdfs/3_3/3_3_4.pdf; http://original.antiwar.com/rothbard/2010/03/02/war-guilt-in-the-middle-east/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+antiwar-original+%28Antiwar.com+Original+Articles%29&utm_content=Google+Reader
Please feel free to respond.
Dear Walter,
I look up to you with high regards. When I meet you in 2019 was the highlight of my studies into the liberty movement at that time. I knew before I met you that liberty was my goal in my education. Reading your books and attending your Friday night seminar were very exciting for me. Though as time went on I have come to some critiques that are listed below.
In my opinion it would be better if you approach everything from an An-Cap, anti-government position. This way folks that read you know exactly where you stand. These political compromises that you have suggested over the years have lead us to where we are now. You are not asking my advice but, for me I would like to see your work from a strictly An-Cap position or at least mentioned first.
Another thing while it is still pick on Walter day- Calling people commies and leftist and demeaning people is no a way to get folks to sign up for the cause of liberty. Their responses would be to figure you are a old conservative boomer and just stop reading and listening to your work.
I remember when you and I had supper with my daughters and their friends- the first words out of your mouth were Trump this Trump that. Instead of learning about their concerns and teaching them to understand liberty you made/make a political stand. All this does is close peoples eyes and ears. If you don't believe in the state why do your suggest betterments include the state?
Just to answer your question about uniforms and the pledge. I think the correct answer is the state does not belong in the conscribed education business. I will read the articles you have site in your response later today.
Thank you, Bubba
Politics divides people. Liberty brings folks together. Just my thoughts.
My very best, Bubba
thanks, Daniel
Dear Walter,
So, your solution is to be a “better” (in your mind) statist? How about we end state sponsored education? Let the market decide this… Be the radical I thought you were!!
My best, Bubba Shaffer
I would happily trade my money for Walter’s work on Substack.