The Gay Issue

No doubt you've heard Obama's recent comments on gay marriage? How could you not, as the liberals have been simply unbearable in their trumpeting. Obnoxiousness aside, though, I do share their joy in seeing the President of these here United States endorsing, even tepidly, gay marriage. It is an important step, even if perhaps just a symbolic one, and it is worth celebrating. To an extent.

I’m with ‘em most of the way. It’s high time we stopped this nonsense, endorsing bigotry and exclusion, and just let people live. Whether because you favor freedom, as I do, or just want gay folks to share the same misery as hetero couples do, as many like to quip. This will, hopefully, be the civil rights movement of our era, and kids will some day grow up learning about these times in the same way I grew up learning about racism in the early 20th century.

But let's be realistic. The president’s statement is not going to change anything on its own. It's not real leadership, yet. It's just politics as usual. We wouldn't have even heard anything had Biden not basically forced Obama's hand (which he has since apologized for). Here are some selected quotes by others more eloquent than me that I find myself agreeing with on this matter. Emphasis mine in all excerpts.

My Core Philosophy

I talk often about and freely align myself with libertarianism and naturally gravitate to organizations, news, and people that also share it. I find it to be a perfectly fine and accurate summary of my philosophy, it has the benefit of being the most well-known term (though still not necessarily a house-hold name) which aids in communicating, and it carries no (to my knowledge) adverse social stigma, such as atheist does in the theological realm.

Still, to anyone that actually professes libertarian philosophy or, such as myself, envelopes themselves in its history and thinking a lot as an interest, the term is still surprisingly vague. Many flavors and approaches exist, some from moral foundations and others from practical theories. It is surprisingly open-ended on how and why you end up promoting liberty.

Voter Identification, National ID, E-Verify, etc.

Recently a co-worker and I were discussing voter identification in the context of some state, which I have since forgotten specifically, passing or possibly attempting to pass some law requiring it. He was in favor of it and I, unsurprisingly, was against it. The details aren't important, really, because I want to elaborate on some broader points.

As I see it, my co-worker was making two big fundamental mistakes.

Man arrested for asking creepy questions

On the ever growing list of reasons I'll need blood pressure medication when I'm older, some weirdo was arrested on "two counts of misdemeanor harassment" for accosting various women, commenting on their fine looking toes, and ultimately asking to suck on them.

Criminal charges!

The police came and picked him up at his home!

To serve him two counts!

Picture in the paper!

Everything!

Agh!

Requisite disclaimer: Yes, this man is surely guilty of being a creep, but at worst he deserves the middle finger and a stern "fuck off" from these women. But criminal charges? Seriously?

I just... I just don't know what to say. It stuns me. And worst of all, everyone else at work just kind of looks at me like I'm overreacting. Which maybe I am, but the point is that it never even registered to them that this might be going a bit far. To them, the slightest bit of deviancy is perfectly reasonable grounds for an arrest. Why not? He's clearly disturbed! Lock 'im up! (Think of the children!)

I understand the desire to want to live in an area free of repugnant individuals, and so the need for swift cleansing tends to build up over time, but at some point we've got to clearly state that it's not a crime to be annoying. Granted, if you are annoying, you better be ready for the consequences, but it shouldn't be a crime.

Instead the man is hauled out of his own home, potentially spends a night or two or three in jail, paraded before a court, and plastered all over every local news site, paper, and evening headlines segment. Convicted or not, the guy’s social life is now ruined over what may possibly have just been at best a lapse in judgment. What could have been a great opportunity to show tolerance, respect, and compassion by getting the guy some help is instead made into a let’s-all-point-and-laugh-at-the-sicko. Way to go, community.

Sigh.

The Library of Yore No More

A couple friends of mine are pursuing a Master’s in Library Sciences. To be honest, I can’t quite grasp why you need a master’s degree to be a librarian, but in fairness I will simply plead ignorance of what skills/knowledge is required for the job.

Best of luck to the both of them, in all seriousness. I hope they find it an enjoyable and lucrative career, I really do.

But I think they are entering into a dying field, propped up on crutches by the government’s monopoly on libraries and their IV trickle of money.  The very concept of a library is quickly becoming deprecated.

Biting the Hand That Feeds

Last year in Massachusetts*, Gov. Deval Patrick used a special power to reject 235 of 274 proposed rate increases by state health insurance companies. This, of course, did not sit well with said companies and they went to court over it and, in the mean time, stopped creating new policies. Unfortunately for them, a judge quickly ordered them to return to business as usual.

I can't say for certain what his rationale for it was, but I am confident it involved some form of "protecting the people" kick to it. Health insurance is "too important to deny" folks, since it is for so many a matter of health and sometimes life or death, theoretically. So to allow these companies to start denying customers would be, in some way, tantamount to murder, however tangentially or indirectly.

This Just In: Cigarettes Are Addictive

Just in time for summer are the FDA’s new cigarette rules, specifically these totally rad image warnings to go into effect later this year in September. Ah, the nanny-state.

Here’s what we all need to tell the FDA: get off my dick.

Paternal pessimists

The other day, my significant other was describing a conversation she had with a friend. The topic meandered into politics in which they got into a bit of a debate on various issues, mostly ObamaCare and current things. After a bit of this, she told her friend "You don't seem to have much faith in people."

This simple statement succinctly sums up exactly my issue with most conservative and liberal opinions.

Debating politics with libertarians is boring

It's gotta be frustrating as hell to debate politics with libertarians. Not just because we're nutso and constantly at odds with both major political parties, but because it's the same damn answer from us most of the time: "Not the gub'mint's job!"

Intersection of geek and libertard

A big deal in the world of programming has to do with what's called "separation of concerns." Put simply, parts of a system (in this case, a computer program) should have as little overlap as possible. This ends up making things more modular, which is techy-talk for having individually replaceable (or change-able) parts. Think of it like parts in a car. You can usually replace your tires without fear of screwing up the starter, because the two aren't really connected even though they both go into the making and design of a car. You can do this because parts of a car are distinct and discrete. Tires come off. Seats and doors and windows are removable.

Crushing

I gotta admit, the more I listen to Rand Paul (and watch his videos) the more I like the guy. And it’s more than just his politics: I even like the way he talks and his stupid hair. Take that however you will.

Sure, he’s not really a “true” libertarian (whatever that is) so there’s still plenty I disagree with him on, but Sweet Christ on High it feels like ages since the Senate was graced with such a no-bullshit small-government mensch.

And the best part is that so far he’s not just all talk.

title

Underground Allure, or The Silent Libertarian Killer

As a [relatively] recent college grad I can still remember the smell of piss-drunk baseball-cap-wearing douchebags and the nasal voices of this-jacket-ironically-doesn’t-fit-well my-hair-is-ironically-the-same-as-it-was-when-I-got-out-of-bed indie fucks. Countless experiences with said groups have been etched into my psyche. This isn’t me on the psychiatrist’s bed unloading, though. It’s no longer harrowing; just stay with me for a moment.

One of the great many tropes I witnessed first-hand so much was the classic “It’s popular; now it sucks”. That link to TVTropes is an excellent article summing it up and I suggest you skim it now. It’s particularly funny to anyone who’s seen friends or idiots at parties do it because of how true it is.

Term-limits pit practical versus purist

When the has-been Sen. Byrd died (MHDSRIP!!!1), it underscored once again the devil that is a career politician. Take it away, Nick:

As the encomia mount like rotting, fly-buzzed piles of the pork-barrel spending he so systematically shoveled back to his West Virginia home, let's not forget the late Sen. Robert Byrd's most undeniable legacy: Undermining Confirming belief in politicians as little more than self-serving glad-handers on the hunt for more and more taxpayer money for their constituents.

Read the whole thing if you haven't already. It's a fairly damning piece, but unfortunately for the rest of us in America it is a common tale. Articles that try to highlight in hyperbole the hubris and corruption of public officials come off as banal. Maybe we're desensitized. Maybe we've come to expect it.