Crack in the Libertarian Bell

Friends have told me that they’re tired of my crusade against the notion that the terms “conservative” and “right wing” are synonymous. So I’ve chosen another windmill at which to tilt, “libertarian” because, like conservative, in many ways I fancy myself as such. Having partaken of mood altering substances for years, some of them illegally, I object to their prohibition and the rationalizing behind it. In my opinion no act committed against oneself should be criminal, with the exception of suicide for which I recommend mandatory death penalty.  I also resent the compulsory use of seat belts. I’d be happy to pay a reasonable fee to compensate for my share of the added insurance premiums others would have to pay for my daring.   There is no libertarian handbook that I know of and according to Wikipedia “no general consensus on the precise definition” of the word. They “generally advocate a government of small scope relative to most present day societies or no government at all.”So I’m taking the liberty of equating the movement with the extreme right wing because so much of the rhetoric is similar, my apologies to those who don’t fit the stereotype. By this process I conclude that many self proclaimed libertarians are, in significant ways, imposters.   By and large it can be said that “libertarians” oppose birth control from abortion to contraception, particularly abortion. While I agree with Roe v Wade I do find arguments against abortion more reasoned than other right wing talking points, faint praise indeed. Whatever their validity depends on the length of pregnancy and conditions such as the well being of the prospective mother. But when it comes to those squiggly little things that can only be seen with a microscope their arguments are laughable. A female Representative in the Michigan Legislature was banned for a day for using the word “vagina.” I’m at a loss to think of another word to politely describe that part of the female anatomy. Reduced to essentials, these people are advocating government control, federal or state, over a woman’s body and, right or wrong, that’s quite a distance from libertarian.   The same can be said, although less directly, about libertarian attitude towards gay Americans. Rather than taking something away the focus is on not giving anything. In this matter I consider objection to the use of the word “marriage” less important than denying the same legal status to couples whose preference is for members of the same sex that belongs to conventional married couples.   I’ve used these two examples of important issues to make my point, at least as it pertains to women and gays. My guess is that there are others. If anyone has anything to add I’d like to hear about it. And if you come across a libertarian bible please send it to me C.O.D.