Check in if you support civil liberties.

[lightningandsnow]

I consider my self on the libertarian side of the progressive spectrum, at least on social issues. (Before you flame me - no, I'm not an economic libertarian, nor would I ever vote for the libertarian party).

I've had to defend myself a lot lately for saying that even if we don't particularly like something (flag-burning, "hate speech", whatever), no matter how reprehensible it might be, morally, we can't just go legislating against everything we dislike.

I like the ACLU.

I like the idea of "live and let live".

Check in if you agree.

[tnlurker]

1. I agree

[sinkingfeeling]

2. Agree. I want all governments (fed, state, & local) to butt out of my life.

[ixion]

3. you're not alone

:hi:

The government should not, by and large, legislate morality.

[mamre11]

6. Devils advocate

I don't mean to play devil's advocate but there are quite a few issues related to this question. First, is your "morality" hindering the well-being of someone else? Second, is everyone in the country able to express their "morality" openly and freely? And lastly, who will protect those who cannot advocate for themselves if the government doesn't have some level of involvement?

I think that there are a huge number of individuals in the community who, if left to their own devices, would be unable to function. Americans used to value family and care for one another to the extent that most families and churches handled social service issues on their own (ie: care for elderly, poor, orphans etc.). However, that does not seem to happen across the board leaving many without advocates or the ability to change their situation. Similarly, free speech is a guarantee until it causes harm to someone else.... Hate speech is strongly correlated to subsequent hate crimes and violence. So I am all for individual freedoms and ability to participate in the governmental process. However basic services and protections are intrinsic to the well being and freedom of all individuals.

[mondo joe]

8. Devil's advocate back at you:

Government should ensure rights, not morality.

Morality is personal. Rights are for the public sphere.

[Snarkturian Clone]

4. I'm with you.

Smoking bans, trans fats, saggy pants... all highly unnecessary laws made to get us accustomed to losing liberties.

[Birthmark]

5. It's pointless, I think,

...but I completely support civil liberties.

[selador]

7. checkin in,and lets not forget the 2nd

all the amendments matter

i support them all

i am dissapointed in the ACLU for being so weak on the 2nd.

other than that, like em

[Echo In Light]

9. Yes. If free speech rights mean anything, it has to protect that which offends common sensibilities

[chaplainM]

10. As Nat Hentoff says...

"You don't earn your First Amendment membership card by supporting speech you agree with."

[Uncle Joe]

11. I'm a libertarian populist mutt

On social issues, I'm totally libertarian, legalize drugs and start treating addiction as a medical and educational issue instead of a criminal one. You can legalize prostitution as well but I agree with Jack Riddler on his thread, that we shouldn't have a Mc-prostitute on every corner, keep it in special zones. Generally speaking I believe our Big Brother government has done nothing but slowly strangle the American People's privacy and freedom, almost always for a "good reason", but the result is the same and as such disenfranchises the American People, by criminalizing them from participation in their government. I believe ultimately this is the Achilles Heel of our democratic republic because the end result is to narrow down the participants to an exclusive, inbred and increasingly corrupted clique.

On the other hand, I'm against monopolies of any sort as I believe they work against capitalism and I believe in a safety net for those who can't help themselves. I believe government should regulate business to protect the people when it gets out of control. I believe in a public good and there are some things such as the environment; which I view as a national security issue which only government can tackle.

[lightningandsnow]

13. I couldn't have said it better myself.

I totally agree.

[Ordr]

12. The Libertarian in me applauds this post.

n/t

[guitar man]

14. I agree

I'm pretty libertarian in that I want the government the hell out of my personal life, including the authoritarian right keeping their Jesus off my penis. On the economic side, I just want to see a system that provides economic and social justice for the nation.

My civil liberties are not negotiable :grr:

[FiveGoodMen]

15. Oh HELL yes!

This is my number one concern about our present circumstances.

Early on, this admin floated the trial balloon of making it illegal to advocate the legalization of anything. Didn't seem to go anywhere, but still...

If we don't keep our rights, we won't have anything to say about our government's war crimes, environmental backpedaling, energy wasting, economic wrong-headedness, etc.

We won't have any influence over anything...ever.

Protecting our liberties is job one.

[pleah]

16. K&R

:smoke:

[otherlander]

17. Checking in.