Misrepresentation

The above movie from Reason TV, featuring Nick Gillespie, is a propagandistic attack on any move toward government-sponsored health care. Unlike much of what Reason TV produces, this is so ham-handed, it borders on the laughable. To make the argument that many people without health insurance are wasting their money on lesser things and should not be helped, Gillespie goes out and interviews a few losers he found on Sunset Strip. This is not only insulting to poor people without health care, its depiction of the African-Americans Gillespie interviews is borderline racist.

Imagine this, Mr. Gillespie. I decide to do a short video documentary about libertarians, and selected the worst fanatics possible to represent the movement. (You know the type having seen them at Ron Paul rallies, Mr. Gillespie, the idiots walking around ranting about how we need to close our borders and handing out John Birch Society pamphlets.) Somehow, I have the feeling you would be blogging about how unfair it was.

I do not want to imply that I totally oppose the libertarian movement. They have good insights in some areas, and they are right to be cautious about imposing another massive government program. However, I have also observed that their ideology at times seems totally devoid of morality. This is a pronounced case in point.