Kagan can’t do it. A softball question on whether there’s a limit to the liberal willingness to let the commerce clause destroy the intentions of the Founders, and she just won’t tak… more →
Real Clear Thinkerwrote 3 weeks ago: Many things are holding the headlines hostage, the terrorist attacks, the crippling effects of Obama … more →
wrote 3 weeks ago: Source: Wikimedia Commons I came across a blog the other day dedicated to uncovering stories about w … more →
wrote 5 months ago: The BC Court of Appeal delivered an important decision this week, holding that the Charter does not … more →
wrote 6 months ago: My new post is entirely in video format. It’s a short conversation with an Argentinean scholar … more →
wrote 8 months ago: Some thoughts on the “right” to marry whom you wish My reblog for “Reblog Thursday … more →
wrote 10 months ago: The big story today every news outlet and political blog is talking about is the SCOTUS decision on … more →
wrote 11 months ago: First things first: we need a foundation. I believe that in all areas of life, human interaction sho … more →
wrote 1 year ago: Libertarian and conservative critics of progressives seem to endlessly repeat the same refrain that … more →
wrote 1 year ago: It is the height of hubris to claim that one knows how to build a democracy from scratch. The U.S. h … more →
wrote 1 year ago: The right to trial by a jury of one’s peers is a fundamental right in America. We hold it to b … more →
wrote 1 year ago: I have started this blog mostly in order to give voice to my political opinions, so I feel that an a … more →
wrote 1 year ago: INTRO I’m lucky enough to be in a class that’s analyzing the #Occupy movement. I’m … more →
wrote 1 year ago: This nebulous ‘positive right’ will only worsen shortages By Bruce Pardy In July 2010, the United Na … more →
wrote 1 year ago: Libertarianism is not and does not pretend to be a complete moral, or aesthetic theory; it is only a … more →
I find it strange that so many of my fellow libertarians and anarchists oppose and ridicule animal rights with such passion. For one thing, an animal right is perfectly libertarian in that it is a negative right. Unlike incoherent positive rights, such as the…Until I was about 5 years old, I wanted to be a dog. Since then (when I realized that I couldn’t), animal rights were as important to me as children’s. Yes, I used to get harassed about this a lot, but the idea is the same: neither children nor animals can assert their own rights and protect themselves from harm. The difference is that while the government at least pretends to protect children’s rights (as a former mentor of middle school girls, I can tell you that CPS waits until they have several reports on one child to investigate sexual abuse; it’s disgusting), but animal abuse or murder is considered property damage. That means that, for the most part, sociopaths who start off torturing cats and dogs are not charged in court if those animals are strays. And while I’m sure there are many people who refuse to admit that humans are technically animals and that the only provable distinction between us and the rest of the animal kingdom is that we have DNA composed of human genes. That’s pretty much it. All language, cognitive, etc. theories might sound nice, but most of them use circular logic: ‘we know that we can think about the future because we are the ones who are thinking’. While I don’t expect people to all become vegetarian or at least buy free-range, organic animal products, I don’t think it’s much to ask to protect basic animal rights, such as the right not to be tortured. There is no real justification, especially by libertarians, who fight against perpetrators of pain and suffering, for dismissing animal rights. The more emotionally distanced we become from the suffering of animals, the more emotionally stunted we become with regard to human suffering. And if you ignore the [very preventable] suffering of so many other animals, how can you look your dog in the eyes every day and tell him that you care about him?
wrote 1 year ago: Animal Rights from a Libertarian Perspective … more →
wrote 2 years ago: Some people think that the only reason poverty still exists is because Congress hasn’t passed … more →
wrote 2 years ago: Rights are one of those terms that have been so abused that it is generally meaningless without qual … more →
wrote 2 years ago: It Really Should Be Called The Bill of "Nopes" The Bill of Rights tries to guarante … more →
wrote 2 years ago: By Jerry Liu I’d like to start out with three personal points. First of all, I believe deeply in Lib … more →