Run Your Own Life

This post is a response to a local blogger, NA Confidential (NAC), who commented on a where I was quoted in the Jeffersonville Evening News last Tuesday. This is following the city council's final passage of the smoking ordinance the day before. Here is my quote from the paper and NAC's response:

“I would appreciate anything you can do to turn the power back to the people to run their own lives.”

NAC says: Mr. Singh is invited to present any available evidence to indicate that people in general are capable of running their own lives, at which point we’ll be happy to consider the various Libertarian proposals to dismantle the state and institute anarchy. Until such a time, is it humanly possible for there to be a spectacle more deliciously ironic than chain smokers merrily protesting limits on the spread of their disease-wracked addiction?

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Dear NA Confidential,

I am responding to your crass comments, not because I see any point in reasoning with you, but because your hypocrisy, cynicism and fear mongering should not go unchallenged. Yours is the standard behavior for bullies, and as such, I will not engage you in ongoing debate. However, I now have my own blog and will continue to make the case for a rational, voluntary society.

First and foremost, I have no intention of offering "evidence to indicate that people in general are capable of running their own lives," as no evidence is needed. Among, the most basic of our rights and freedoms is the right to run our own lives. Rights are not earned by proving our proficiency with them, and the rights of all are not forfeited just because some behave recklessly.

It seems you believe that people in general are incapable of running their own lives – except, of course, you. I take it you are the pillar of our community, and that you are so capable and responsible that your business was among the first to institute a non-smoking policy, thus leading the way and setting an example for others – Not!

Unfortunately, rights and freedoms, like muscle, atrophy when not used. The more that elitists like you "save us" from our inadequacy, the more you create dependency on your institutionalized solutions. I realize that dependency is fine by people like you, whose contempt for the average guy is apparent. For you most people are just idiots, who should shut-up and do what they are told (as long as that includes buying your beer). Sadly, there seems to be an endless supply of those who prefer being told what to do and comply, rather than being accountable for their own choices, good and bad.

Finally, you prey on the fears of those who depend on "the system" by suggesting libertarians wish to kill their sacred cow – as if a culture of intolerance for individual choice and dependency on a welfare state made our country great. I have no wish to replace order with chaos – no libertarians do. We prefer voluntary solutions to compulsory ones. Government solutions are by their nature compulsory and rely upon the threat of force; this makes them anything but noble or charitable. Far too often, our society uses force when force is not needed. This trend is creating an ever more authoritarian society.

We are working to reverse this trend before government becomes so powerful and intrusive that reclaiming our personal autonomy is no longer possible. You see, we have a radical idea: we believe in the inherent goodness of people and trust them to run their own lives.

BTW -- Many of the protesters were non-smokers. Among the 10 or more adult libertarian supporters known to me at the rally, at least 8 were non-smokers like my wife and myself. And while I am sure there were some smokers in the crowd protesting on the basis of a "right to smoke," all of the business owners and libertarian oriented folks were protesting on the basis of property rights.