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Libertarian Membership Pledge: Difference between revisions
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Whether or not the Pledge is primarily about keeping the party non-violent and opposed to terrorist actions against the government, or is itself intended as a statement of the [[Non-aggression principle]], has been disputed. Libertarians have variously argued that it is both, or only one or the other. <ref>http://marketliberal.org/FixLP.html</ref><ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20080424131135/http://reformthelp.org/party/pledge/fixingThePledge.php</ref> The above quote from [[David Nolan|Nolan]] appears to favor the view that the exigent purpose for requiring it as a condition of membership was to protect the Party from accusations by the government, but it is also a description of the [[Non-agression Principle|non-agression principle or non-initiation of force principle]]. Some libertarians believe the pledge does not necessarily preclude violent action to resist tyranny, because tyrannical governments initiate force, and therefore, revolutionary acts qualify as self-defense. | Whether or not the Pledge is primarily about keeping the party non-violent and opposed to terrorist actions against the government, or is itself intended as a statement of the [[Non-aggression principle]], has been disputed. Libertarians have variously argued that it is both, or only one or the other. <ref>http://marketliberal.org/FixLP.html</ref><ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20080424131135/http://reformthelp.org/party/pledge/fixingThePledge.php</ref> The above quote from [[David Nolan|Nolan]] appears to favor the view that the exigent purpose for requiring it as a condition of membership was to protect the Party from accusations by the government, but it is also a description of the [[Non-agression Principle|non-agression principle or non-initiation of force principle]]. Some libertarians believe the pledge does not necessarily preclude violent action to resist tyranny, because tyrannical governments initiate force, and therefore, revolutionary acts qualify as self-defense. | ||
A reference to the Pledge was made on April 17, 2001 when, in response to Timothy McVeigh's description of himself as a libertarian, LP national director [[Steve Dasbach]] said:<ref>"Libertarians rebuke Timothy McVeigh", Libertarian Party, LP.org, April 17, 2001.</ref> | A reference to the Pledge was made on April 17, 2001 when, in response to a false rumor of Timothy McVeigh's description of himself as a libertarian, LP national director [[Steve Dasbach]] said:<ref>"Libertarians rebuke Timothy McVeigh", Libertarian Party, LP.org, April 17, 2001.</ref> | ||
:''Timothy McVeigh is not just a mass murderer; he's a very confused mass murderer. Besides having no appreciation for the value of human life, McVeigh apparently has no understanding of the meaning of the word libertarian. Just to set the record straight, real libertarians wholeheartedly reject the use of force to achieve political or social goals. Real libertarians see violence and try to prevent it, see problems and organize cooperative solutions, and see government abusing its power and work peacefully through the political system to protect our rights.'' | :''Timothy McVeigh is not just a mass murderer; he's a very confused mass murderer. Besides having no appreciation for the value of human life, McVeigh apparently has no understanding of the meaning of the word libertarian. Just to set the record straight, real libertarians wholeheartedly reject the use of force to achieve political or social goals. Real libertarians see violence and try to prevent it, see problems and organize cooperative solutions, and see government abusing its power and work peacefully through the political system to protect our rights.'' | ||