intelligent and earnest people really think Ron Paul is sweeping the
world with truth and vision. I think it's much more likely that he's
fulfilling a nice empire-has-no-clothes function - which is great,
don't get me wrong. It's just that he's speaking to *individuals*, not
to the *country*. And that's a Good Thing.
Earnestness is good, but it's also an irresistible target for poking fun.
From Wonkette's comments, one fella says to t'other feller:
"Ron Paul geeks are all libertarians, which means they are all crazy
fanatical bastards who want to privatize stop lights and sewers."
and t'other fella says:
"They're not all libertarians. I've repeatedly come across the sort of
vague college-educated hippie type at parties this year -- friends of
friends, nobody really knows why they're around, etc. -- earnestly
jabbering about Ron Paul. Especially when they hear I work for
Wonkette. (That's when I always say, "No, sorry, I write for Defamer,"
and run away.)
"You know, the kind of people who say "Chimperor" in conversation,
without irony?
"A lot of these people are sincere in thinking they support Ron Paul,
because he is against the war and says so. This is really why I
honestly want him to win, because it would be hilarious when he sold
all the national parks and ended social security and stopped Medicare
and Student Loans and all that. People have No Idea what he's about. I
love this about America."
OK, and one more I can't resist:
"My friend described Ron Paul as the guy who talks to you on the bus,
who seems really smart, and makes a lot of sense. Then he tries to
sell you a time machine."
Hmmm. On a more serious note, this comment suggests to me what our
biggest problem as libertarians is:
"Libertarians are even worse than the Repubs simply for the fact that
they come off as trying to boost individual freedom, which is all well
& good until you realize the individual corporations are the ones they
are really looking at freeing."
So not true, and so widespread (and depressing) a misconception. The
Drug War battle we've pretty much cleaned up on. This fascism charge
has got to be the next thing we tackle. Well, OK, that and
imperialism.
sigh
¶ 12:02 PM
