Incredibly naive progressives who like Ron Paul’s “libertarian” views on such matters as drugs and personal freedoms, overlook the obvious fact that his perspective is not the by-product of some refreshingly, enlightened intellectual perspective. Rather, time and again, Ron Paul reminds us that his take on the world is really just the standard, common reasoning of rural Americans who:

  • Are estranged or unfamiliar with concepts and values related to community and collective responsibility
  • Are at best indifferent, at worst, hostile to social, racial and ethnic minority groups they are unfamiliar with
  • When all is said and done, ultimately just want to be left-alone to prosper and do whatever, unencumbered by social and governmental regulation.

In other words, we are suggesting that without his suit and pretty words, Ron Paul is just another dumb-ass redneck demanding the right to be left alone and not have to think about living in a world, let alone a community, that includes people who aren’t his next of kin.

Case and point:  In an interview this past Sunday with Chris Wallace, Ron Paul reiterated his view that AIDS patients are irresponsible citizens that are forcing other people to cover their medical bill.

“I don’t know how you can change science. I mean sexually transmitted diseases are caused by sexual activity. And when it’s promiscuous, it spreads diseases. … In a free society people do dumb things, but it isn’t to be placed as a burden on other people, innocent people. Why should they (others) have to pay for the consequences?” Paul said.

Here are just a couple of counter arguments to Paul’s simple reasoning:

Unlike smoking, sexual activity is a “normal” human behavior that most adults enjoy.  No one jumps into bed with another person expecting to get HIV.  Just like no one who breathes unregulated polluted air doesn’t expect to get lung cancer. But they do.  If Ron Paul’s grandchild lived in a town where one factory had polluted the air and water table,  would he really hold no one but themselves responsible for whatever horrendous ailments they develop?   After all, they could have lived somewhere else, right?  Or, the dummies could’ve worn oxygen masks and drank only bottled water.

“Job creators” like the Koch brothers have probably sickened and killed more people indirectly through environmental pollution than HIV has.  But that’s OK, because in the world of Ron Paul, free-enterprise should never be regulated to protect people.  But to hell with the faggots and whores getting HIV, right?  Tell that to one thousand children a day who are infected with HIV each everyday!

The right-wing in general and political extremists like Ron Paul in particular, like to refer to some groups in society that they personally don’t like as being dumb and irresponsible.  What makes them so qualified to sit in judgement of others?  If they really would prefer not sharing any communal or social responsibilities with members of minority groups they deem dumb and irresponsible, how about we relocate all the die-hard libertarians to isolated, unregulated, ungoverned towns in the wilderness that don’t have government provided: paved roads, street lights, schools, police and fire protection, laws regulating property ownership, highways that make it possible for countless goods and services to be delivered, laws regulating trading relationship with other towns, states and countries.

When you take a closer look at Ron Paul’s thinking, it’s not hard to identify the ulterior agenda behind his libertarian snake oil:  “I’ll be damned if I’m gonna be part of a diverse community of people who take responsibility for one another. Leave me alone! I don’t really give a crap about anyone else but me.”