It's All About Individual Rights, by Dr. Marc Guttman (All Users)

by jan , Raleigh NC, Tuesday, December 16, 2008, 13:53 @ jan
edited by jan, Tuesday, December 16, 2008, 14:24

This perspective reposted here with the permission of the author, Dr. Marc Guttman, was first published in "The Day", New London CT, on December 14, 2008.

It's All About Individual Rights
By Marc Guttman

It often seems that certain mainstream debates on issues like prayer in public schools, immigration, abortion, and gay marriage are used by the establishment political parties to distract us from other overwhelmingly harmful policies that effect everyone.
When we spend time on these issues, we are not discussing and more importantly, not criticizing, our government's aggressive and lethal foreign military interventions, massive corporate welfare and bailouts, international and domestic trade restrictions, and police state infringements into our civil rights to due process and privacy. Despite these tactics, these marginal issues really are important to the people who are most effected by these policies.

The recent dialogue concerning gay marriage is ironic to most libertarians. To start, should the government be licensing marriage? Obtaining a marriage license from the state is to receive permission to get married. In a free society one does not need permission for any personal choices that do not affect others.

One of the roles of government is to secure contracts. When two persons marry, on a legal level, they are contracting with each other. As far as which contracts the government secures, discrimination is unjust. Any cognitively-competent adult persons, be they Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender or Questioning (GLBTQ) or otherwise, can enter into a contract together. An intolerant majority may not infringe on individual rights. Couples also have every right to seek out a religious organization that may choose to marry them before their deity; another place government should have no influence. Let's leave questions of personal choice and tradition to individuals and organizations. Connecticut has it right on this one.

All of us discriminate moment to moment in our daily lives. The examples are infinite. We choose what clothing we prefer, what foods with which to provide ourselves with sustenance, what dietary supplements and medical therapies to utilize, with whom to associate, with whom to trade, with whom to be intimate, and on. It is good and moral that we are still somewhat free to make these decisions, aside from the harmful laws that outlaw many of these rights of self-ownership, associations, and trade. And yes, unfortunately, some people do discriminate based on race, gender, religion, disabilities, sexual preferences and otherwise, but intelligent and insightful people understand it is to the prejudiced own detriment.

Although we as individuals ought to be free to make these personal determinations, just as importantly we ought not allow our government to discriminate against innocent individuals. Is denying gays the right to contract and to marry much different than the state and local Jim Crow laws put in place by the Democrats in the late 19th century? These laws denied to non-white Americans, through to the 1960's in several places, access to public schools, public places and public transportation, and often even to private enterprises, such as transportation and restaurants, to the dismay of the private service providers.

The separation of non-whites from the commons was thus legalized and was upheld by the Supreme Court. Society now widely understands that Jim Crow laws were immoral and unjust. Similarly GLBTQ persons ought not be excluded from equal rights and fair public treatment.

The force of law and justice ought be blind to all matters of individual distinction, other than the guilt of initiating force, fraud, or theft. Similarly, the government ought not be preferential to individuals, businesses, industries, or any other special interests.

The only way one can be free to follow ones own endeavors and interests is to allow others the same freedom to follow theirs. This also means we should not be forced to support the ideas and endeavors of others. People who do not understand this will often ignore the infringements on others liberties that do not affect their personal interests or the public funding of activities that do interest them. Surely at some point their personal choices will be outlawed and they will be forced to support that which they are most opposed. This is why it is important to promote the individual rights of everyone.

MARC GUTTMAN IS AN EMERGENCY PHYSICIAN AND VICE CHAIRMAN OF THE LIBERTARIAN PARTY OF CONNECTICUT. HE LIVES IN EAST LYME.