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Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!cbosgd!cbdkc1!desoto!packard!topaz!josh
From: josh@topaz.ARPA (J Storrs Hall)
Newsgroups: net.politics
Subject: Re: What is socialism?
Message-ID: <589@topaz.ARPA>
Date: Mon, 11-Feb-85 15:55:26 EST
Article-I.D.: topaz.589
Posted: Mon Feb 11 15:55:26 1985
Date-Received: Tue, 12-Feb-85 06:42:41 EST
References: <309@gargoyle.UChicago.UUCP> <329@topaz.ARPA> <501@fisher.UUCP>  <1340@dciem.UUCP>  <1363@dciem.UUCP>
Organization: Rutgers Univ., New Brunswick, N.J.
Lines: 24

> ...  Now I feel "libertarian" to be a disgusting
> epithet for a person whose selfishness knows no bounds and who has
> a trumped-up excuse for a philosophy to cover his (or her) essentially
> childish magical view of the world.
> 
> Martin Taylor

If this isn't an ad hominem argument, I don't know what is.  It seems to
be ok for those calling themselves "socialist" to attack the motives
of those who call themselves "libertarian", but when it happens the
other way they scream to high Heaven.  

I'll be quite frank: if you will not respect the motives of libertarians,
and base your objections to the ideology on questions of fact and 
economic and political theory, I can hardly trust your own claim
to humanitarian motives, and will confront you with the real-world
results of your misbegotten philosophy at every turn.

Unfortunately, I fear the libertarians on the net will continue patiently
explaining their position and their motives, in muted, reasonable tones,
to your (and Sevener's) deaf ears.  They seem to have the patience of Job,
the gift to "suffer fools gladly."  I don't.

--JoSH