Momentary Splash Of Reason For Liberal Writer

Nice article in Slate on the moral panic that is the rape crusade.

Mature and reasonable.

Too bad conservative and libertarian publications already made these points. Robby Soave of Reason in particular. But he doesn't have a Masters at Columbia University as Anna Merlan of Jezebel reminded us.

It's almost as if liberal/progressives are shrill teenagers given too easily to emotions and conservatives and libertarians are calm and collected thinkers. The more responsible among them come around from time to time; that is, they come to the other side.

Via Reason:

"Now, in what may be another sign of turning tides, the accused in another high-profile case is getting his say. The New York Times has previously given ample coverage to Emma Sulkowicz, the Columbia University student famous for carrying around a mattress to protest the school's failure to expel her alleged rapist. Now, it has allowed that man, Paul Nungesser, to tell his story—a story of being ostracized and targeted by mob justice despite being cleared of all charges in a system far less favorable to the accused than criminal courts. No one knows whether Sulkowicz or Nungesser is telling the truth; but the media have at last acknowledged that there is another side to this story. "

Unfortunately this new feminist witch hunt has unfortunately led The Oracle Obama to weigh in. He suggested Kangaroo courts to deal with rape cases.

What can go wrong? Have Scarecrow as acting judge.

This is what it has come to.

*****

It's funny. Growing up I didn't really have an ideology. I just knew what was bull shit and where I stood on most issues. Libertarianism was a pejorative that conjured up negative images of the loner or militia survivalist. I was ignorant of it and just unwittingly accepted the prevailing, mostly liberal view.

Then I discovered The National Review in the late 1990s and a few other conservative publications that opened my eyes to a world of different thoughts and perspectives. They talked classical history, covered interesting topics with fresh ideas, all in a mature tone.The liberal magazines I was reading left me wanting with its immature, smug and stale views; particularly with its growing dependence on government control. In other words, they offered little as I grew.

A little after that in the early 2000s I came across Reason magazine and a short time later Le Quebecois Libre. Suddenly the intellectual journey I was on came full circle and have been part of the Reason community ever since. It's the one place where you can count on its journalists to set records straight with proper and careful handling of facts.

There's little of the tired narratives we see on the liberal side still pimping lies and discredited nonsense in array of issues and topics including their childish, vapid and irresponsible hit pieces (to be fair, it's not just journalists. It includes talking heads on TV like Bill Maher) on libertarian principles. They refuse to offer a counter-point based on the merit of their ideas. Instead, attack the principles and characters behind the movement.

However, it doesn't seem like people are listening. More and more we see individuals identifying with libertarian principles once they take the time to figure out what it's about.

Libertarianism is just a word for classical liberalism basically. And through Reason, I rediscovered all the great philosophers of The Enlightenment including Bastiat and Galiani.

And for this I am grateful.