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Personal Liberties and Non issue issues

Posted by Anok • 6/19/09 • Subscribe to this Discussion [RSS] • Report This Topic
Topics: freedom, liberty, single issues

It occurred to me, just through general conversation last night, that those who support the right to personal liberties and freedoms by way of limited government, State, or coercive policies for freedoms of individual people - should not engage in hot button issue or single issue debates.

Why? Because most of those debates are covered under personal liberty.

Abortion, gay marriage, freedom of religion etc and so forth are all covered under the individual's right to freedom within reasonable parameters. Meaning, no one person can force their ideologies onto another person by way of force, coercion, or the use of large government or other authoritative group on their behalf.

So what's the problem? Why do groups who supposedly fight for limited government constantly harp about single, hot button issues that should be covered under personal liberty and freedom?

Isn't that a bit...hypocritical?

I should add:

Removing limiting, restrictive or banishment style legislation is NOT government intervention. It is an increase of freedoms. To remove bans is to increase the freedom to do as you choose in your own life. Implementing bans on individual rights and freedoms is government intervention because it restricts the right to make private decisions privately.

User Comments

6/19/09

clioandme

Correct. The state should not make these decisions. Instead, conservatives will be the judges of what is best for you, thank you very much. /sarcasm

Of course, since some of the issues you mentioned involve "murder" or the "desecration of nature," your point about personal liberties is irrelevant in their eyes. I don't have to explain the "murder' thing. It is normal to protect the weak, and here only the fetus applies, not the mother. As for the other thing, well, that's tougher. I don't know why they don't trust their God to take care of it. Maybe there is a secret eleventh commandment that I missed: Thou shalt be intolerant and fearful always. I doubt it, though. I know too many intelligent, tolerant people of faith who have empathy to boot.

[reply]
1. 6/19/09
  
  Anok
  
  These issues are still covered under personal liberty, t hough.
  
  If one believes in personal freedom and liberty - then it applies to everyone, not just them And so - even the "murder" (abortion) debate is moot, because it's still not their business, unless they are personally involved.
  
  What I don't get is people who scream for freedom, but then get upset when freedom is given. I don't get it
2. 6/19/09
  
  Agit8r
  
  I've never understood how freedom of contract doesn't cover gay marriage. It seems to me that it is a legal contract between two people for rights and privileges between the two, and that they can call it whatever they like.
3. 6/19/09
  
  Anok
  
  It's all about the chiiillldddrrruuuunnnnn.
4. 6/19/09
  
  Agit8r
  
  well, we'd much rather those kids were bogging down the foster-care system