Libertarian Distinctions

Far too often, in an effort to tarnish and otherwise make others look bad, there are those folks who say incorrect things when talking about others.

They want to misdirect, bring about fear, uncertainty and doubt when a particular person, group of persons or ideal held by them is introduced.

Libertarianism is one of those often maligned this way.

For example, one of the most common mistellings is that libertarians are for personal profit at the expense of others around them.

They like to depict libertarians as greedy and selfish.

This is perhaps the farthest from the truth.

Libertarians want everybody to be able to profit from their own efforts, labor, investments, etc... as they are able to WITHOUT using force, coersion or violence against anyone in the course of doing so.

We want the ability to make our own way, make our own living, live our own life without government,  social or religious groups, or other private individuals harming us nor us harming those other people.

The reason these others disparage libertarians this way is because it is libertarians who strive for individual liberty but those others strive for control over individuals.

They want people to be dependent on them for protection and leadership, and everything else.

Libertarians believe we are each our own leader, we are able to protect ourselves, we are able to take care of ourselves.

Libertarians believe in you and in ourselves.  I can do it, you can do it,  if we choose to, we can do it together.

That's something those who disparage libertarianism don't want you to know.  That you don't need them.  They need you.

Let's Explore Libertarianism

I've read a lot of definitions of what libertarianism is on various websites,in different books and as expressed by different people.

What has become clear is that libertarianism has certain values that are immutable.

1. Individual liberty must be protected.

2. Individual association must be voluntary.

3. No individual may use force or coercion against another individual.

4. No state, religion or social group may use force or coersion against an individual except in justice vs individuals who have or attempt to do so vs other individuals.

5. An individual is responsible for themselves, their actions, and those they are responsible for.

Now, given the above listing of libertarian "traits" there are those who would further politicize libertarianism which, I suppose, is inevitable.

Mostly, these would be the hyphenated libertarians.  I've even seen some try to identify as a "libertarian-communist"  which I'm pretty sure we all realize can't co-exist due to those two contrary concepts cancelling each other out.

If there's any one of these hyphenated concepts that seems to make the most sense, it would have to be the "Constitutional-libertarian".

This type of identification essentially builds on supporting the American founding documents such as the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights as they relate to the six values listed above.