Free Capitalist Network - Community Archive
Mises Community Archive
An online community for fans of Austrian economics and libertarianism, featuring forums, user blogs, and more.

Is Ron Paul a racist?

This post has 34 Replies | 16 Followers

Not Ranked
Posts 12
Points 340
wowdavidp1 Posted: Fri, Jul 4 2008 6:13 PM

The newsletters, opposition to Civil Rights Act, no gold medal for Rosa Parks, Don Black donation..Is this enough to prosecute Ron Paul as a racist. Or is this just slander and speculation?

Not Ranked
Male
Posts 45
Points 810
DW89 replied on Fri, Jul 4 2008 6:44 PM

Were you intending to be sarcastic?

  • | Post Points: 20
Top 10 Contributor
Male
Posts 5,255
Points 80,815
ForumsAdministrator
Moderator
SystemAdministrator

At this stage I'll simply ask: who cares?

-Jon

Freedom of markets is positively correlated with the degree of evolution in any society...

  • | Post Points: 5
Top 50 Contributor
Male
Posts 2,651
Points 51,325
Moderator

No, all of that is soundly libertarian. Why should businesses be forced to accept business from minorities if they don't want to? The CRA is probably unconstitutional. Why should the federal government provide a gold medal for Rosa Parks? Is that the proper role of government? The newsletters not written by Ron Paul... who cares? The Don Black donation... so DB thought RP was tough on immigration, when in reality Ron Paul advocated the rule of law but at the same time wanted immigration restrictions relaxed (which Don Black and stormfront probably wouldn't be too happy about). At the same time, many stormfronters support Ron Paul because of his stance against NAFTA. The other side of the coin shows that Ron Paul is against NAFTA because it subsidizes some businesses and isn't truly free trade: he would get rid of "trade agreements" and genuinely engage in free trade by lowering or even eliminating tariffs.

Ron Paul is a true minarchist from the social contract perspective, IMO, but I don't think many people actually realize that. He seems to genuinely believe that everyone has natural rights, some of which must be given up for government. At the same time, he seems to believe in less government at all fronts which shows his minarchist colors.

  • | Post Points: 20
Not Ranked
Posts 12
Points 340

no

  • | Post Points: 20
Not Ranked
Posts 39
Points 1,155

RP was correct on all the above stated issues.  And who cares anyways?  Hopefully those of us in this community are above branding others with Marxist nonsense terms ending with "ist" or inventing "isms."

“We ought to obey God rather than men.”  -Acts 5:29.

"Slaves before God, free before all others."  -Boer Motto.

  • | Post Points: 5
Top 10 Contributor
Male
Posts 11,343
Points 194,945
ForumsAdministrator
Moderator
SystemAdministrator

krazy kaju:
Ron Paul is a true minarchist from the social contract perspective, IMO, but I don't think many people actually realize that. He seems to genuinely believe that everyone has natural rights, some of which must be given up for government. At the same time, he seems to believe in less government at all fronts which shows his minarchist colors.

There is no proof of this.  In fact, if you listen to is rhetoric, particularly his post campaign rhetoric, it's hard to distinguish him from many other libertarians.  He's avoided talking policy, about political change, and seems to be speaking much more philosophically.

To some people, if you're not a flaming anarchist, then you're a statist.  At 72, I think Paul has learned how to be soft spoken and selective about his beliefs.

 

"When you're young you worry about people stealing your ideas, when you're old you worry that they won't." - David Friedman
  • | Post Points: 35
Top 100 Contributor
Posts 852
Points 19,800

The Newsletters

They were not penned by him, though they have his name written on it.  However, he take full responsibility for what was said, and recants much of it.  This happened nearly 20 years ago, and to my knowledge, there hasn't been a recurrance.

 

Oppositions to Civil Rights Act

He was not in office when the original act went through, but voted NO on its commemoration decades later.  Many of the provisions Civil Rights Act were unconstitutional, not to mention harmful towards private property.  Suffice it to say, if we turned to and enforced the constitution with respect to individual rights, the Civil Rights Act would have never been necessary.  It is not necessary.

 

No Gold Medal for Rosa Parks

He suggested that each of the congressmen pitch in, rather than spend the taxpayers money.  It was also not within the jurisdiction of Congress, hence unconstitutional.

 

Don Black

Ron Paul protects the individual rights of individuals, even racists.  Don Black knew what he was giving his money to, it was his choice to support whoever he likes.

 

Not Racist at all.

  • | Post Points: 20
Top 500 Contributor
Posts 313
Points 4,390

liberty student:
To some people, if you're not a flaming anarchist, then you're a statist.  At 72, I think Paul has learned how to be soft spoken and selective about his beliefs.

Was that sarcastic? Anyway, I loved it when he talked against the Cuba embargo and minimum wage in the Florida debate. Boy, he got more hisses then than the all other debates together about such things as the Iraq war. :)

To the original poster: I think others already addressed your points (e.g. he always suggests for congressmen to pay for medals from their own pockets; he of course votes against being charitable with other people's money), but it puzzles me that you suggest someone should be prosecuted for being a racist. It might not be nice, and you might not want to associate yourself with such a person, but as long as they don't practice it, and keep it to themselves, you're just going to create more hatred and solidify their belief system if you go on chasing them.

Equality before the law and material equality are not only different but are in conflict with each other; and we can achieve either one or the other, but not both at the same time. -- F. A. Hayek in The Constitution of Liberty

  • | Post Points: 20
Top 100 Contributor
Posts 881
Points 15,030
banned replied on Fri, Jul 4 2008 11:22 PM

wowdavidp1:
Is this enough to prosecute Ron Paul as a racist.

 

LOL

  • | Post Points: 5
Top 10 Contributor
Male
Posts 5,255
Points 80,815
ForumsAdministrator
Moderator
SystemAdministrator

Was that sarcastic? Anyway, I loved it when he talked against the Cuba embargo and minimum wage in the Florida debate. Boy, he got more hisses then than the all other debates together about such things as the Iraq war. :)

Wow, so they hissed at lifting embargoes on a communist country, yet they have no problem with communism in the USA? Cognitive dissonance, much?

-Jon

Freedom of markets is positively correlated with the degree of evolution in any society...

  • | Post Points: 20
Top 150 Contributor
Male
Posts 633
Points 11,275
Torsten replied on Sat, Jul 5 2008 8:29 AM

I think we had a similar thread a while ago.

wowdavidp1:
The newsletters, opposition to Civil Rights Act, no gold medal for Rosa Parks, Don Black donation..Is this enough to prosecute Ron Paul as a racist. Or is this just slander and speculation?
Could you show me any incident where calling someone else racist wasn't slander at all?

But let's look what they have. What statement/action of him do the consider "being racist"?

Top 500 Contributor
Posts 366
Points 7,345

With all these "Ron Paul is a racist" comments, I've been waiting for someone to come along and say "Ron Paul is an anti-semite", so I can post a picture of his office with drawn-in red circles around the pictures of Ludwig Von Mises and Murray Rothbard on his wall and say, "His biggest heroes are Jews."

 

No takers yet though.  Although, I'm kind of expecting it, since claims of anti-semitism and racism seem to go hand-in-hand.

Latest Projects

"Even when leftists talk about discrimination and sexism, they're damn well talking about the results of the economic system" ~Neodoxy

  • | Post Points: 20
Top 50 Contributor
Male
Posts 2,124
Points 37,405
Angurse replied on Sun, Jul 6 2008 7:19 AM

Fephisto:

With all these "Ron Paul is a racist" comments, I've been waiting for someone to come along and say "Ron Paul is an anti-semite", so I can post a picture of his office with drawn-in red circles around the pictures of Ludwig Von Mises and Murray Rothbard on his wall and say, "His biggest heroes are Jews."

 

No takers yet though.  Although, I'm kind of expecting it, since claims of anti-semitism and racism seem to go hand-in-hand.

Actually, there were claims (I don't know how mainstream) calling Ron Paul an anti-semite mainly due to his lack of support for Israel and his Nazi/nationalist supporters.

"I am an aristocrat. I love liberty, I hate equality."
  • | Post Points: 5
Top 50 Contributor
Male
Posts 2,651
Points 51,325
Moderator

Jon Irenicus:

Was that sarcastic? Anyway, I loved it when he talked against the Cuba embargo and minimum wage in the Florida debate. Boy, he got more hisses then than the all other debates together about such things as the Iraq war. :)

Wow, so they hissed at lifting embargoes on a communist country, yet they have no problem with communism in the USA? Cognitive dissonance, much?

-Jon

 

Haha, so, so true. I think many people don't even realize that the minimum wage was actually an invention of Marx. He argued that unions were good because they prevented wages from falling below what Marx would arbitrarily consider "proper" during times of recession.

  • | Post Points: 5
Top 150 Contributor
Male
Posts 633
Points 11,275
Torsten replied on Tue, Jul 8 2008 3:09 AM

ViennaSausage:
Oppositions to Civil Rights Act

He was not in office when the original act went through, but voted NO on its commemoration decades later.  Many of the provisions Civil Rights Act were unconstitutional, not to mention harmful towards private property.  Suffice it to say, if we turned to and enforced the constitution with respect to individual rights, the Civil Rights Act would have never been necessary.  It is not necessary.

There is a whole list of "Civil Rights Acts" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civil_Rights_Act. I suspect it's the one of 1991 and that it is about the issue of (racial, etc.) "discrimination" in employment relationships.

ViennaSausage:

No Gold Medal for Rosa Parks

He suggested that each of the congressmen pitch in, rather than spend the taxpayers money.  It was also not within the jurisdiction of Congress, hence unconstitutional.

Exactly, for what is the congress giving gold medals anyway. Voting? Taxpaying?

ViennaSausage:

Don Black

Ron Paul protects the individual rights of individuals, even racists.  Don Black knew what he was giving his money to, it was his choice to support whoever he likes.

Exactly. But it's an issue if A supports B and A as bad, then there must be something wrong with B as well. Guilty by assossiation kind of thing.

ViennaSausage:

The Newsletters

They were not penned by him, though they have his name written on it.  However, he take full responsibility for what was said, and recants much of it.  This happened nearly 20 years ago, and to my knowledge, there hasn't been a recurrance.

... I do not see any reasons for recanting anything, just because some people think it's not cute. To quote from the newsletter:

A mob of black demonstrators, led by the "Rev." Al Sharpton, occupied and closed the Statue of Liberty recently, demanding that New York be renamed Martin Luther King City "to reclaim it for our people."

Hmmm. I hate to agree with the Rev. Al, but maybe a name change is in order. Welfaria? Zooville? Rapetown? Dirtburg? Lazyopolis?

But Al, the Statue of Liberty? Next time, hold that demonstration at a food stamp bureau or a crack house. http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/1/8/185438/7845/186/433066

That is more an issue of certain minorities abusing the system. If the writer is racist, then he is a selective racist.

ViennaSausage:
Not Racist at all.
But could someone please explain what the conditions are for not being suspected of "racism"?

Top 50 Contributor
Male
Posts 2,651
Points 51,325
Moderator
krazy kaju replied on Fri, Jul 11 2008 12:01 PM

Torsten:

 But could someone please explain what the conditions are for not being suspected of "racism"?

You're not considered racist if you hate white people and call for the abolition of the white race (i.e. Noel Ignatiev).

This is a sad, sad world, isn't it?

  • | Post Points: 20
Not Ranked
Female
Posts 5
Points 205
Dylangal replied on Fri, Jul 11 2008 3:27 PM

Geez. I think the word racist is thrown around way too much.

  • | Post Points: 20
Not Ranked
Male
Posts 8
Points 100
Vinnie replied on Sun, Jul 13 2008 2:55 AM

Racist: No

Statist: Yes

  • | Post Points: 20
Not Ranked
Male
Posts 75
Points 1,260

Like many people here, I don't care if Ron Paul is a racist.  If you hate the Japanese, but promote individual property rights for them and everyone else, this is hardly my problem.

My problem with Ron Paul is much more one of political activity, and minarchism.  I think his strategic approach is fundamentally retarded.

  • | Post Points: 5
Top 150 Contributor
Male
Posts 633
Points 11,275
Torsten replied on Sun, Jul 13 2008 3:52 AM

Vinnie:

Racist: No

Statist: Yes

So you are rather conservative with assigning the "racist" label, but you are assigning the "statist" label to anyone who isn't a anarchist purist?!

Top 50 Contributor
Male
Posts 2,651
Points 51,325
Moderator
krazy kaju replied on Sun, Jul 13 2008 11:22 AM

Torsten:

So you are rather conservative with assigning the "racist" label, but you are assigning the "statist" label to anyone who isn't a anarchist purist?!

If you're not an anarchist you're a statist. It's just the definition of the word "statist." I have to say, as an anarchist, I don't have a problem with Ron Paul. He brought many people, including me, into the libertarian movement.

  • | Post Points: 20
Top 150 Contributor
Male
Posts 633
Points 11,275
Torsten replied on Sun, Jul 13 2008 12:24 PM

krazy kaju:
If you're not an anarchist you're a statist.

What about tribalists, feudalists etc. ? I do not think one should limit the definitions to their positioning in current Western Thinking. There were political philosophies, before the rise of the modern state. And there is a variety of them. Similar issues would apply to terms like "collectivism" and the like.

Not Ranked
Posts 6
Points 135

Torsten:

krazy kaju:
If you're not an anarchist you're a statist.

What about tribalists, feudalists etc. ? I do not think one should limit the definitions to their positioning in current Western Thinking. There were political philosophies, before the rise of the modern state.

good point

  • | Post Points: 50
Top 500 Contributor
Posts 153
Points 3,510

GilesStratton:

Racism is a natural and rational part of the human condition. Even those that denounce it probably only come into contact with blacks when they're looking to buy some drugs.

I think quibbling over whether something is racist or not is idiotic. Racism is not bad, in and of itself. The better way to analyze someone's ations is whether they're rational or irrational, rather than racist or non-racist.

For example:

Asking the Asian kid for help on your engineering homework. Racist? Yes. Rational? Yes. OK.

Treating a person as if it were livestock simply because their skin is a different color than yours. Racist? Yes. Rational? No. Not OK.

 

  • | Post Points: 20
Top 100 Contributor
Posts 881
Points 15,030
banned replied on Fri, Apr 3 2009 9:26 PM

lol wtf?

  • | Post Points: 5
Top 50 Contributor
Male
Posts 2,943
Points 49,130
SystemAdministrator
Conza88 replied on Fri, Apr 3 2009 10:31 PM

liberty student:

krazy kaju:
Ron Paul is a true minarchist from the social contract perspective, IMO, but I don't think many people actually realize that. He seems to genuinely believe that everyone has natural rights, some of which must be given up for government. At the same time, he seems to believe in less government at all fronts which shows his minarchist colors.

There is no proof of this.  In fact, if you listen to is rhetoric, particularly his post campaign rhetoric, it's hard to distinguish him from many other libertarians.  He's avoided talking policy, about political change, and seems to be speaking much more philosophically.

To some people, if you're not a flaming anarchist, then you're a statist.  At 72, I think Paul has learned how to be soft spoken and selective about his beliefs.

Ron Paul is smart enough to realise that trying to sell anarcho-capitalism is epically retarded = when the public doesn't even know what the Bill of Rights are.

This is the way I see it: If you have a bunch of clueless students, who have no real understanding of the world around them. Eg. in a maths class:

Would you first teach a kid to COUNT to 10, or do you go straight to Quantum Physics?

Well... I propose Ron Paul is teaching the American people to Count to 10. That is his fundamental goal and purpose... he is the beacon, that draws people in. All those who want to know the truth, who want liberty and real freedom. He inevitably funnels them into the Austrian School - where you eventually learn Quantum Physics...

He's smart enough to use the Constitution as his sound bite & default position, it's awesome rhetorically when you have very little time to make a point.

Speech by US Congressman Ron Paul at the "Prague Spring Lecture", Czech Republic, 29 May 2006
                       Ron Paul is hosted by President Klaus in Prague (part 2)

                       Theme: "Ludwig von Mises and Politics". Ron Paul is hosted by Czech President Vaclav Klaus.

                       6min45secs - 9min01secs. Outlines this.

Furthermore, Jeffery Tucker makes the point in "Washington Warp: Why Even Good People in the Beltway Can't Think Straight" - 25min in.

"DC culture has the effect of turning people into secret anarchists or secret totalitarians."

Which one do you think Ron Paul is? Wink

Also, he was friends with Rothbard and has been in the Austrian school for 30 years. LOL, how could he not be a closet Ancap? Indifferent

Coming out and admitting it would be the most stupid thing he could ever possibly do, whilst he is still in office, or if he plans to run in 2012. Talk about alienating your base!

And if there are those that don't think he will run. What's he going to do? Sit on the couch and watch the debates whilst the country burns? He first got into politics because of price controls with Nixon. And now - he's started a revolution and he's just going to sit out, when it's just getting started? Haha

Basically, a whole side point - besides trying to win power. (Unlikely) is that it is about spreading the message. It's not a political campaign, it's an advertising campaign for Liberty. And really... you've got to be a total wank to think Ron Paul should come out and say we should sell the White House.

Ron Paul is for self-government when compared to the Constitution. He's an anarcho-capitalist. Proof.
  • | Post Points: 20
Top 500 Contributor
Male
Posts 248
Points 4,355
Eric replied on Sat, Apr 4 2009 12:17 AM

Great post Conza :D

  • | Post Points: 5
Top 150 Contributor
Posts 768
Points 12,035
Moderator
ladyattis replied on Sat, Apr 4 2009 12:34 AM

GilesStratton:
Racism is a natural and rational part of the human condition. Even those that denounce it probably only come into contact with blacks when they're looking to buy some drugs.

 

Clearly you don't live in the real world.

"The power of liberty going forward is in decentralization.  Not in leaders, but in decentralized activism.  In a market process." -- liberty student

  • | Post Points: 20
Top 200 Contributor
Male
Posts 478
Points 9,180

ladyattis:

GilesStratton:
Racism is a natural and rational part of the human condition. Even those that denounce it probably only come into contact with blacks when they're looking to buy some drugs.

Clearly you don't live in the real world.

Giles only buys drugs from white people.

In all seriousness, people do tend do stick around with people who are similar to themselves, and have an innate distrust of people who are "outsiders" or "foreigners". This is true even if the outsiders are of the same skin colour.

 

Austrians do it a priori

Irish Liberty Forum 

 

  • | Post Points: 5
Top 50 Contributor
Male
Posts 2,651
Points 51,325
Moderator

Torsten:

krazy kaju:
If you're not an anarchist you're a statist.

What about tribalists, feudalists etc. ? I do not think one should limit the definitions to their positioning in current Western Thinking. There were political philosophies, before the rise of the modern state. And there is a variety of them. Similar issues would apply to terms like "collectivism" and the like.

 They all support some version of the state, making them statists.

  • | Post Points: 5
Top 500 Contributor
Posts 267
Points 5,370
Meistro replied on Sat, Apr 4 2009 10:49 AM

If Ron Paul were a racist (he is not) I would listen more seriously to his viewpoint on the subject then that of the white washed politically correct multicutluralist nonsense put forth by the liberal elite.  If Ron Paul and the totality of the modern political and civil arena come into conflict my gut instinct will always be to support Ron Paul and his position.

 

... just as the State has no money of its own, so it has no power of its own - Albert Jay Nock

  • | Post Points: 20
Top 200 Contributor
Male
Posts 397
Points 6,785

This is Ron Paul addressing the original poster's question:

  • | Post Points: 5
Top 150 Contributor
Male
Posts 633
Points 11,275
Torsten replied on Mon, Apr 13 2009 12:24 PM

GilesStratton:
Racism is a natural and rational part of the human condition. Even those that denounce it probably only come into contact with blacks when they're looking to buy some drugs.

 LOL,

 

"Racism" is kind of self-preservationist. I think we should do some serious research into the evolution of that terms.

 

krazy kaju:

Torsten:

krazy kaju:
If you're not an anarchist you're a statist.

What about tribalists, feudalists etc. ? I do not think one should limit the definitions to their positioning in current Western Thinking. There were political philosophies, before the rise of the modern state. And there is a variety of them. Similar issues would apply to terms like "collectivism" and the like.

 They all support some version of the state, making them statists.

 

Congratulations for winning the argument by setting the definitions in a way that suits your needs and supports your ends.

Top 200 Contributor
Posts 445
Points 9,445
CrazyCoot replied on Tue, Oct 20 2009 1:30 PM

Frankly his arguments in the video that libertarianism is inherently anti-racist are  flawed.   You probably would see a certain amount of self-segregation in a society where you don't have a government forcibly making people live together,  making businesses allow people into their businesses etc..   Having a system where rights are based upon the individual does not stop people from making blanket judgments with regards to groups, as unfortunate as that might be.  I just wish that it would not be political suicide for someone to point out the gross violations of property rights and the freedom of association that come from forced integration, or forced segregation for that matter.  Unfortunately stating the obvious would kill his political career.

 

  BTW:  Don't think he's a closet an-cap.  If he truly believed the state is just evil then how would he justify his participation in the system?  To be honest my opinion of him would lower if he turned out to be a closet an-cap.

  • | Post Points: 5
Page 1 of 1 (35 items) | RSS