From: "Jim Syler" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > Which is the point, and the problem. If we could all work together > toward liberty, using the "libertarian train" metaphor, that would be > great. But that's not how it works. The purists (admittedly, not all of > them, but I don't hear the ones that don't chastising the ones who do) > do everything within their power to move all others out of the Party, > by ridicule, by condemnation, by calling them "not libertarians," by > loudly trying to exclude them from leadership positions, from trying to > stymie every move in any direction if they are in leadership positions, > ad nauseam. >
To expand on your train metaphor, the engine, or locomotive, that powers the LP is its ideology. And that ideology is best explained (in its consolidated form) with the pledge. The pledge is expanded with the "Statement of Principles" and that is expanded with the LP Platform. Now, while anyone is welcome to ride aboard this freedom train, it wouldn't be prudent to allow just anyone to be the engineer. In fact, it would be counterproductive. You see, there have been several "trains" since the birth of the LP in '71. There was the "Wallace" train in '68 & '72, the "Anderson" train in '80, and the "Perot" train in '92 & '96. Each of these trains could (with some pretzel logic) be considered "libertarian" by one stretch or another. But in each case, the train locomotive was not principle but personality. And each of these trains is now dead, while the LP train driven by ideology is still chugging along. So it seems pretty clear to me that any attempt to sell out our principles for a personality driven cult would be idiotic. In fact, while the republican party took up some of Perots' ideas in '94, all those cars were abandoned at the siding many years ago. At the same time, not one single train car or plank of the LP Platform has been abolished or repudiated, except when it has become necessary by beaureaucratic shuffling (the LP no longer calls for the abolition or Dept Health, Education and Welfare or of Immigration and Naturalization Service). The LP is several time bigger than when I got on board in the early 80's and is still chugging along just fine (in spite of the uphill grade since 9/11). It is pretty clear to me that the LP would have run out of steam long ago had we put an engineer of personality (as opposed to principle) in the locomotive. And when this train gets to the crest of the hill, I want an engineer in charge that knows what he is talking about when we speed up on the other side! PEACE Steven R. Linnabary, Treasurer Franklin County Libertarian Party (614) 891-8841 P.O.Box#115; Blacklick, OH 43004-0115 "When you make peaceful revolution impossible, you make violent revolution inevitable" John F. Kennedy ForumWebSiteAt http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Libertarian Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Libertarian/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
