Are any of you familiar with “Freedom Watch”? It’s a libertarian tv-show streamed online from the FOX Strategy Room once a week. It’s hosted by Judge Napolitano, and regular panelists include Ron Paul, Lew Rockwell and Thomas Woods from the Ludwig von Mises Institute. You may be as surprised as I am to see that Dr. Yaron Brook will be appearing on it today.
It will be interesting to see how it turns out, since every single person on the panel, including the host, are strongly opposed to both the U.S. “warfare state” and Israel—and as you may know most of the people from the Mises Institute are anarcho-capitalists.
Frankly I’m a bit puzzled by this—it appears to be at odds with the ARI’s earlier policies regarding libertarian media.
ARI doesn’t agree with everything Glenn Beck says, for example, but ARI sends people to appear on his show just about weekly. If ARI waited to be in agreement with every show or with every news organization they appear on/in, they’d never get any press! They have to work with what’s out there. As long as they aren’t compromising their principles on the show/in the article, who cares about the venue?
ARI doesn’t agree with everything Glenn Beck says, for example, but ARI sends people to appear on his show just about weekly. If ARI waited to be in agreement with every show or with every news organization they appear on/in, they’d never get any press! They have to work with what’s out there. As long as they aren’t compromising their principles on the show/in the article, who cares about the venue?
I’m well aware of that, but reacted since they’ve always been highly critical about appearing together with Libertarians.
I wouldn’t consider Judge Napolitano to be a Libertarian, for one thing; but great issues were raised in this particular show, and great answers were given. And there isn’t anything wrong with debating people who disagree with you, so long as one is not granting them a moral sanction by doing so. And besides that, David Kelley did not defend the Objectivist position very well, which is why he originally was disbarred from speaking on behalf of The Ayn Rand Institute.
One thing that has to be taken into account is what is being presented at a function that is setting the terms? and what are you sanctioning by speaking there? As an example, I wouldn’t say it is OK for an Objectivist to speak during a church mass or at a Muslim religious function – because of the venue and what it represents. I once spoke at a funeral when my best friend died, but I don’t think the function was held directly in the church, and they were very interested in hearing what I had to say as his best friend – but I wouldn’t stand beside a Catholic priest during mass to say amen to Objectivism.
There may be particular people involved in a group discussion that you don’t want to be involved with, and then you can decide to attend or not; for example, I think it would be granting a moral sanction to speak at a function that specifically hosted David Kelley or Nathaniel Branden – especially insofar as they present themselves as experts on Objectivism. But for a TV or Internet show, it depends on what the terms are, and what one is supporting by being on the show. In the particular case of this Internet show, who else is even bringing up these types of issues that can be brought out into the open? The mainstream media is certainly not, though Fox News does some of that, and this was a Fox News event.
If I were invited to speak in a church, I would. What difference does it make as long as you remain true to yourself and your principles? Of course, I wouldn’t participate in their prayers, say “amen” and such, but if they have asked me to speak about my beliefs, I would. Lots of people just go to church for the social, community atmosphere, and you never know who you will reach or where.
EDIT: Yaron Brook was practically in a church when he met with Virginia Republicans. :lol:
Thanks for the link. Dr. Brook did an excellent job of representing Ayn Rand’s philosophy and he did not kowtow to the libertarians, even specifically spoke against anarchism in one comment. They didn’t put him and Rockwell on at the same time, though, it was Dr. Brook + Peter Schiff with the judge.
I really liked this interview. Yaron did a great job explaining selfishness (so this is a good video to share with newbies or family members and such who mischaracterize our selfishness.) I also appreciated Schiff’s comments on the financial industry since that’s what I do.