OFF: Bill of Rights sent to Whitehouse

[Paul Mather]

On Wed, 28 Feb 1996, M Holmes wrote:

> I'm somewhat gobsmacked even by the *concept* of a libertarian demanding
> any sort of censorship. You definately mean "libertarian" and not
> "liberal".

Yes, I definitely mean libertarian and not liberal.  I remember it
because it struck me as being so ironic.

> I'm an RAW fan of sorts, though I haven't read that book and understand
> that it's different from his other writing. What's in it that's so bad
> even a libertarian would cry out the dogs of censorship? It must be
> something pretty amazing.

Please forgive me for not being able to remember harsh specifics, as it
was a long time ago that I read that book, and my copy is overseas in the
UK, so I can't check.  Anyway, from what I remember, the book evolved out
of a debate on the concept of "Natural Law" in some journal.  The
publishers and readership were incensed by Wilson's thesis that there's no
such thing as "natural law" and we all form our own world-views
(realities) which we then (unwittingly) press on others through mechanisms
as simple as language, conversation, etc.  Through various examples, Wilson
put forward the idea that there is no real difference between the ultra
left and the ultra right (this is where the libertarians come in), in that
each has their own agenda they try and force on everyone else.  They may
deny this in various ways, but the fact remains that they earnestly wish
people thought like them (fit into their reality tunnel) and, like all
people, work towards enforcing their reality tunnel on their environment;
they are as bad as those they decry, in essence.

I think this got the libertarians very steamed up and angry; they felt
that "one of their own" (though RAW always denies being a libertarian)
should not be saying things like this.

Actually, "Natural Law" is fairly typical of RAW's writing, dealing, as
it does, with his recurrent ontological themes of reality and reality
construction.  It is perhaps more political than, say, "Cosmic Trigger"
et al.

Sorry this is so off-topic.  I hope the "OFF" keyword has been implemented.

Cheers,

Paul.

e-mail: paul at csgrad.cs.vt.edu                    A stranger in a strange land.