“Liberty is the only thing you cannot have unless you are willing to give it to others.”
William Allen White
Libertarians have suddenly found themselves in the unaccustomed position of being in the national spotlight. For the moment, however, this notoriety has been received as a mixed blessing.
As with most minority parties, the Libertarians have struggled to establish a credible identity. Concurrently, they have experienced significant difficulty in having their views … ones not easily reduced to five second sound bites … properly understood and reported on by a headline-oriented media.
Therefore, the recent attention focused on Libertarians has been an unexpected boon, providing new opportunities to position itself and its politics.
Yet, many party members have significant reservations concerning the individual singularly responsible for this newly found political visibility, radio and television shock-jock, Howard Stern. Their consternation over the Party’s New York Gubernatorial candidate stems from his appearance, his reputation and questions as to his beliefs and personal political agenda. Others view his candidacy as a bad joke.
Here in, New Hampshire Libertarians have been more successful than in any other state. They have run a viable candidate for governor in the last two races, achieving unrestricted ballot access for the party in the process. Granite State Libertarians also boast the largest state legislative delegation in the nation. As important, the state’s major print and electronic media now seek out and report on libertarian views on important state and national issues.
It was, therefore, not surprising, and to its credit, that WMUR-TV asked the party to provide a spokesperson for a reaction to Stern’s candidacy. Unfortunately, what could have been a media coup was mutated into a public relations disaster for Libertarians!
Rather than focusing on such substantive issues as whether Howard Stern holds and articulates libertarian views, the
spokesperson rambled on for half the interview about Stern’s “visual image”. As the diatribe continued, listeners were treated to a physical description of Stern’s scraggly hair, his proclivity to donning sun glasses in public, and questions as to his eye color … concluding “he might not be what (Libertarians) would be looking for in New Hampshire.”
Comparisons to perennial Democratic candidate Lyndon LaRouche and 1992 Republican presidential also-ran David Duke were also inappropriate given the admitted lack of knowledge of Stern’s politics.
After some constructive probing by the anchor, the spokesperson finally speculated Howard Stern may hold some Libertarian beliefs, but without realizing it.
In reality, Howard Stern is an public figure who provides a menu of off-color entertainment for which there is a viable market. While perhaps offensive to some, his actions do not infringe on the rights of others. Such is the essence of democratic capitalism … a very libertarian concept. It’s also rumored he goes home every night to his wife of twenty-plus years … a virtue not emulated by all politicians.
Libertarians generally subscribe to a belief individuals in a free society must be permitted to live their lives as they please, free from governmental interference. Theirs is a more or less literal interpretation of the Constitution and Bill of Rights, both of which were written to place strict limits on governmental power. Most believe their government is too large, too intrusive and too costly!
Yet, as with members of other political movements, not all Libertarians think alike. Attend a gathering of Libertarians, and you’ll find neighbors, Little League coaches, members of your church, and former members of the local Republican of Democratic parties. They’re men and women, black and white, short-haired and pony-tailed, dressed in three-piece suits and in tank tops. Their minds, beliefs and values are important … not their superficial appearances.
New Hampshire’s Libertarians are sorely in need of damage control, particularly in this election year. They must ensure “official” spokespersons accurately articulate those beliefs and concerns which have attracted millions of disaffected Republicans and Democrats who have tired of politicians flaunting the Constitution, intruding on our personal liberties and nearly bankrupting our country.
