Personal responsibility in a free society

The libertarian ideal world is unrealistic, many say. A world where the needs of the poor are met by private charity, where the environment is saved not through government regulation but through the free market of all things, where things like drugs and prostitution are legalized and it actually cleans up the streets. But is it really?

The ideological left argues that the only way to help our poor is to have government do it for us. After all, Americans are greedy capitalist bastards with no regards for their fellow man. The fact that Americans are still the most generous nation never seems to enter the equation.

Meanwhile, the right argues that we must protect our children from the evils of drugs, prostitution and pornography. The evils of these acts far outweighs any freedoms that could be associated with them. Of course, the fact that none of these things have been legal in most of our lifetimes seems irrelevant, and folks seem oblivious to the fact that these acts continue.

Arguments in favor of a lot of laws ignore the fact that, as Americans, we should be expected to exercise personal responsibility. Yes, many things that we Libertarians want to legalize could easily be termed as bad. Drugs are not healthy. Prostitution is not a career I would wish for a daughter. Pornography is something I don’t want my kid looking at. But where and why should this be illegal. Where is the personal responsibility.

The primary argument I hear in regards to drugs and prostitution is that both have other crimes associated with them. Drugs are argued to lead to criminal activities ranging from robbery to murder. Prostitution is often undertaken to pay for drug habits and can lead to abuse of the prostitute at the hands of the pimp or a john. These are valid arguments. These activities, in our society, do lead to these acts. Of course, the fact that these other acts are illegal already seems to miss the mark for many people.

These other crimes should be prosecuted. Personally, I feel the punishment for these crimes are pathetic. The idea that a man can kill another in cold blood, but be out of prison after a few years? This is ridiculous. Instead, I favor more draconian sentencing that would put them away for a very, very long time. Would we try to “rehabilitate” them? No. Put them away for society’s protection, not for the criminals benefit. Then, people may begin to understand the ramifications of their actions.

For all the freedom that we libertarians ask for, we also demand the flip side. That is responsibility. We must exercise that freedom with that responsibility. Before you say people won’t do it, let me point out that it happens every day. It happened behind the wheel of a car as just one example. The best example, in my mind, is carrying a firearm.

When I have my pistol strapped to my side, I’m exercising a freedom. I also carry a great burden and responsibility. Should, God forbid, I ever have to draw my weapon and fire, I am responsible for every round that leaves my weapon and where it goes. I’m responsible to ensure that I am actually being threatened. I’m responsible for not just playing with the damn gun. The list of things I’m responsible for is long. And yet, I and thousands of other Georgians carry every day without incident.

However, it’s worth remembering the old chestnuts the gun control crowd loves to throw about. Phrases like “blood in the streets”, etc. All are based on a premise that people are incapable of being responsible with their firearms. And yet, one study suggests that those with permits to carry weapons are actually less likely to commit a crime than any other group including police officers, lawyers, judges, and even politicians (they’re trustworthy, right?).

Those of us who are parents should understand the basics of what’s at work here. When you want your child to be more responsible, you give them responsibilities that come with some kind of benefit or freedom, like staying out late or extra TV time. When they fail to live up to those responsibilities, you punish them to teach them the importance of those responsibilities. Nothing major, but just enough to get the point across. It’s how I was taught, and probably how you were taught. It’s how people learn to shoulder responsibility.

However, our current society is incapable of allowing one to exercise responsibility without a fight. Carrying a gun is one. However, we have erased others completely, like the responsibility for a parent to provide for their children based on the fruit of their labors. Now, they can just let Uncle Sam provide, and the rest of us foot the bill. Their responsibility is gone, taken away and placed on the more responsible members of society. However, there’s no punishment, no repercussions for their actions. So, more and more will take the easy way out. Not everyone, but enough.

Now, if we just put the responsibility back onto people, make them responsible for their actions, what kind of world would we have? Would we have a world where people could be trusted not to screw up repeatedly? Would we create a world where right and wrong existed again? Would the private sector return to it’s place as the director of all private endeavors? What would happen?

I honestly don’t know for certain, but I’d sure as hell like to find out.