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Document:LP News 1973 November-December 17: Difference between revisions
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Document:LP News 1973 November-December 17 (view source)
Revision as of 16:38, 17 December 2021
, 17 December 2021→HOW NOW, AYN RAND?
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=HOW NOW, AYN RAND?= | =HOW NOW, AYN RAND?= | ||
"What is your position relative to the Libertarian Party... and why?" | |||
This question was asked by an individual in the audience of the Ford Hall Forum, following [[Ayn Rand]]'s brilliant attack on the Supreme Court's recent obscenity decisions in her speech at the Forum on October 21, 1973. | |||
Her answer: "I don't want to waste too much time on this. I think it is a cheap attempt to get publicity which they will not get. And in the light of today's events, particularly Watergate, should teach any kind of people with amateur political notions that they cannot rush into politics in order to get publicity; that the issue is so serious today that to form a new party on same half-baked or borrowed--and I won't say from whom--ideas is truly irresponsible and in the full modern context close to immoral." | |||
Miss Rand's answer is not satisfactory. It is irrational, unintellectual, and inaccurate. As one who has spent a good portion of the past two years working to the Libertarian Party the remarkable success that it is, I offer the following comments on Rand's brief answer. | |||
"I don't want to waste too much time on this." | |||
The initial sentence of her response indicates to all of her faithful followers who were not previously so informed that she does not approve of the Libertarian Party. It also indicates that a sensitive nerve has been struck, as she would not otherwise preface her remarks with such an unsubtle effort to indicate disapproval; of the dozen or so questions asked on the night of October 21, only this one received a priori excommunication. | |||
"I think it is a cheap attempt to get publicity which they will not get." | |||
I think not. It is probably safe to say that never in the history of the United States has an ew party made up of "amateurs" done so much to promulgate ideas through the political process in so short a time. Most major papers in the country have carried lengthy feature articles on the Libertarian Party and its philosophy. All three national television networks and nearly 100 local radio and TV stations have reported LP news, events, and editorial responses. Hundreds of speeches by LP members have been given in front of civic and social groups. | |||
Most of us in the LP are probably less "political" than Rand herself; we joined because we thought that the LP offered a unique opportunity to reach the American public with our ideas--to get "publicity." And we were right. "Publicity" simply means "reaching the public." And Rand herself has stated (in the [[Ayn Rand]] Letter of January 3, 1972) that her followers should do everything possible to publicize their views: "... do not keep silent when your own ideas and values are being attacked." And "Speak on any scale open to you, large or small--to your friends, your associates, your professional organizations, or any legitimate public forum." | |||
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