Alex Peak
Politics
Let me make this very clear: I hate politics!
“But Alex, you’re so into politics…how can you, of all people, hate it?” You’re probably asking yourself this very question. And, it’s a question worthy of a response. How can I hate politics, when I basically live and breathe it?
And there you find your answer: I live and breathe politics. That’s basically why I hate it so much.
If I could, I would destroy politics. Yes, DESTROY politics. You see, politics isn’t a necessary evil, it’s just an unavoidable evil. Try as I might, I can’t seem to avoid it. Avoiding it subjects me to it. Of course, I’m subjected to it either way, however if I avoided it like so many apathetic fools do, I’d be far more vulnerable to its whims.
I recall Ralph Nader, on the tail end of a Rage Against The Machine video, once say something to the effect of, “If you don’t get interested in politics, politics will get interested in you.” Love him or hate him, you must admit: the man is right, here.
“So, Mr. I-Hate-Politics, what are you: a liberal or a conservative?”
Oh, why must you ask this question, you cruel, cruel bastard!?
Um…both? Neither? It all depends upon who you ask.
Really, it’s probably best to label me a libertarian. Generally speaking, libertarians are fiscally-conservative and socially liberal.
- I’m a free-marketeer who generally opposes war, and definitely opposes the war in Iraq.
- I’m opposed to the USA PATRIOT Act as well as Social Security. Both should be repealed.
- I believe the law should not discriminate against homosexuals seeking marriage, and likewise that affirmative action is racist.
- I advocate cutting taxes, and at the same time I advocate separation of church and state.
- I strongly support freedom of speech, even the right to burn one’s own flag or go out in public naked; but I also support free trade.
- I want all guns and all drugs to be re-legalised. Prohibition, whether of weapons or of mind-altering substances, is a failed policy which only serves to increase violent crime, not prevent it.
Basically, to sum up my position on politics, I want to limit the size, scope, and cost of government as much as humanly possibly.
“Do you lib-er-tari-an-types love or hate America?”
I
love America like a parent love his or her child. It’s a country built on a great premise: that all people are free and equal, regardless of race, religion, ethnicity, or gender; that everyone is free to do whatever he or she wants so long as it doesn’t infringe upon the natural, inalienable rights of others; that people are not to be treated as an expedient for some “greater good,” but are rather seen as an ends within themselves. This is the American tradition; the problem is that America sometime fails to live up to it.
Yes, I love America, and that’s why I’m so saddened to see it continually deteriorate into a police state which fails to respect individual sovereignty. This isn’t the America I hold so dear. Like a parent who notices that his or her child is failing in school, I am disappointed in the direction America is going. If I hated America, I would be turning my back on it—but I’m not.
There’s a difference between a patriot and a nationalist. American patriots, such as myself, love America. But this love is not blind. We patriots are willing to question the actions, motives, and positions of our government, for we see that the only way to keep America free is through eternal vigilance. Nationalists, on the other hand, think they love America (or whatever nation they view as theirs), but in actuality they don’t. They have a blind adoration for their nation, and thus refuse to look at it critically. They would rather wave flags and pretend their nation is perfect, without flaw, and infallible, rather than to fight their government for Liberty. To a nationalist, there is no difference between the government and the country, or between the government and society. If you challenge the government, in their eyes, you’ve denigrated the country or its citizens as well. Patriots can recognise this as obvious balderdash.
“Are all libertarians as radical as you?”
No, not all are.
Most libertarians—in fact, the vast majority—are what we call minarchists, that is to say they support a minimal government, primarily dedicated to the defence of the life, Liberty, and justly-acquired property of each of its subjects, and not much, if anything, else. In other words, one does not have to be an anarchist to be a libertarian, although it doesn’t hurt.
“I like what I’m hearing, but how do I know if I’m a libertarian or not?”
If only there were a test…oh, wait, you’re in luck—there is!
For a short, ten-question quiz, click here.
For a more-in-depth quiz with more questions, click here.
“Too bad we don’t have a political party that promotes these ideals…”
Oh, but there is! It’s called the Libertarian Party. You can learn more about them by clicking here.
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