Walter Block on Discrimination and Bigotry

Professor Walter Block recently had an email exchange about discrimination and bigotry. Unfortunately,  the other individual involved has not given me permission to publish his part of the exchange.  That said, Dr Block's end of the exchange is illuminating and you can get a pretty good sense of the objections raised by the other person, from Dr. Block's comments.

Dear ---------:

Libertarianism doesn’t oppose “discrimination and bigotry.” It only opposes violations of the non aggression principle, whether based on those two motives or not. In my book series Defending the Undefendable, I defend “discrimination and bigotry.” Where did you get the idea from that “discrimination and bigotry” are incompatible with libertarianism? Don’t people have a right to engage in these acts?

Best regards,

Walter

Walter E. Block, Ph.D.

Harold E. Wirth Eminent Scholar Endowed Chair and Professor of Economics

Joseph A. Butt, S.J. College of Business                   

Loyola University New Orleans

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Dear  -------------:

Certainly, I do not support “acts such as murder and the imposition of discriminatory policies at the political level.” This is a violation of the non aggression principle (NAP).

But what of “private conduct that harms others.” Should this be legal? Yes, because it need not violate rights. For example, a store refuses to serve people with the X characteristic. It is the store’s private property. They have a right to exclude whoever they want from their premises, for whatever reason. This might “harm” people with the X characteristic (race, sexual preference, gender, age, whatever) who might feel insulted.

Nor do I “tak(e) issue with the claim that economic freedom undermines bigotry and intolerance.” It probably does.

You ask: “Do (I) really think racism, sexism, homophobia, or xenophobia are ethically admirable views (not from a political standpoint, but an ethical one)? ” As a libertarian, I have no views on that whatsoever, since libertarianism does not deal with ethics; rather, it is a theory as to what just law is, and its sole answer is that just law upholds private property rights and the NAP, and nothing more.

So far, no real disagreement between us. Where we do have disagreement is that you are the leader of a libertarian organization, and your views of libertarianism are incorect in my view. If I understand your view, it is that “discrimination and bigotry” are incompatible with libertarianism. I maintain that they are not. That is, that a bigot who engages in discrimination can still be a libertarian in good standing, provided, only, that he adhere to the NAP. You disagree with this, do you not? You maintain, do you not, that “discrimination and bigotry” are incompatible with libertarianism.

You say you are “I am baffled by (my) email.” I thought I was crystal clear. Evidently not. So let me try to be even more clear.

Only bi sexuals are free of discrimination on the basis of gender. Heterosexual and homosexual males and females, are all guilty of “discrimination and bigotry” since they all preclude half the human race as bed partners. A consistant opposition to “discrimination and bigotry” implies compulsory bisexuality. Do you really oppose “discrimination and bigotry”?

Let me try again. I once met some Nazis, yes, out and out Nazis, at a speech I gave. I tried to convert them to libertarianism. I told them that in a libertarian society they would be free to deny the Holocaust, free to wear the swastika, free to goose step, free to have ovens, even free to put Jews, blacks, gays in them (provided, of course with the permission of the latter), free, indeed, to do anything they pleased, provided, only, that they did not violate the NAP. I told them I realized they wanted more than that, but at least us libertarians would give them a better deal than those who oppose “discrimination and bigotry.” I take it that you support laws against all these activities?

Let me try yet again. In the “Stonewall” episode in NYC, the gays were defending their right to be gay (it was against the law, in those bad old days to be a homosexual). I enthusiastically supported this effort of their to promote gay rights. But, suppose a store owner refuses to serve a gay person (see my article on the photographer, below). What is your view on this? Mine is the law of free association. No one may properly be forced to associate with anyone else against his will. Where do you stand on this photographer case. See also my other recent article on racial discrimination. I regard these as litmus tests for libertarianism. Based on what I read of your letter below (“Disturbingly, neo-fascism is on the rise in Eastern Europe…”) you are failing this test, since you oppose, on supposedly libertarian grounds, “discrimination and bigotry,” which are basic rights in a free society. If I am in error on this, please correct me. I would be delighted to welcome you into the libertarian community.

Block, Walter E. 2013. “Are Criminal and other Background Checks Racially Discriminatory?”August 22; http://www.lewrockwell.com/2013/08/walter-block/are-background-checks-discriminatory%e2%80%a8/

Block, Walter E. 2013. “New Mexico Photographer Discriminates Against Lesbians: Liberals Zero, Conservatives One, Libertarians Full Marks.” September 13; http://www.lewrockwell.com/?post_type=article&p=453653&preview=true

I have tried to be crystal clear on this matter. If I still haven’t succeeded, please tell me how I can be more clear. Students for Liberty is a very important organization, and it would be nice if its leaders were libertarians.

Best regards,

Walter

Walter E. Block, Ph.D.

Harold E. Wirth Eminent Scholar Endowed Chair and Professor of Economics

Joseph A. Butt, S.J. College of Business                   

Loyola University New Orleans

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I have no objection to this being blogged

Walter E. Block, Ph.D.

Harold E. Wirth Eminent Scholar Endowed Chair and Professor of Economics

Joseph A. Butt, S.J. College of Business                   

Loyola University New Orleans