Liberals, Libertarians and sea kittens

I was watching an interview with the comedian Bill Maher recently during which he described himself as a libertarian. Being a staunch libertarian myself, I found this notion quite disconcerting. From the many shows of his that I have watched I had pegged him as liberal, and I'm not generally wrong about these things.

Which put me thinking recently how interesting it is that these two groups have the same root word and yet are radically different in the very core of what each believe. The root word that I'm talking about here is of course the Latin word liber, meaning free. While the libertarians have taken this name because it reflects the core tenet of their belief in the personal freedom, and the rights of the individual, it seems that those folks on the far left must have a different interpretation. I suspect that the reason liberals have chosen this moniker or perhaps had it placed upon them is the notion that they are free thinkers. The intention of being a free thinker is of course a noble aspiration. Would that we could all be free of the notions and emotions which cloud all of our decisions and judgments. However, when I hear so much of the nonsense spewed out by the far left it seems the opposite must be true. It seems as though their goal is not so much freedom, but rather the exact opposite. Their goal it seems is not to strengthen the rights of the individual, but rather to use whatever means possible to limit those freedoms, and impose their own beliefs regardless of how absurd on everyone else.

A poignant, albeit harmless example of this is the far left group PETA, and their sea kitten campaign. While I'm sure the good folks at PETA have only the noblest of intentions and the greatest assurance in their own beliefs, this a classic example of folks on the left trying to do anything they can to foist their narrow little views on the rest of us regardless of the costs or the impact to the freedom to anyone who does not share their views. However, speaking in the voice of libertarians across our country I'd like to say if you folks want to call fish sea kittens, then more power to you, and I will wholeheartedly defend your right to do so. However, I'm wondering if between the wringing of and hands, and the printing of signs, and the planning of protest marches could you please take a few seconds out and pass over a pair of chop sticks, because I for my part prefer my sea kitten served raw and with a healthy dose of wasabi.

I'd like to close this week off with a quote from another of my favorite authors, Ayn Rand
"The smallest minority on earth is the individual. Those who deny individual rights can not claim to be defenders of minorities"
he smallest minority on earth is the individual. Those who deny individual rights cannot claim to be defen