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deny individual rights cannot claim to be defenders of minorities." -- Ayn Rand, philosopher & author No one can deny the history of oppression in U.S. public law geared specifically toward persons of color. Beyond the known history of discrimination and oppression of whites toward blacks in the U.S., there has also been a consistent history of government oppression forged upon persons of color. For example, state licensing of marriage began around the time of the Civil War to control marriages between blacks and whites. Legalized interracial marriage didn’t occur until at least 1868. Prior to that, the state forced couples to get contracts to ensure that they were not engaging in the "evil" practice of marrying the person they loved. The fear was that the individuals uniting were of separate races. Another example can be found in a historical examination of some of the most important and revered labor regulations of the late 19th Century and the first half of the 20th Century. Legislation like the Davis-Bacon Act of 1931 (which was a labor-rights act that had racist underpinnings) was designed to help white workers at the expense of African Americans and several of the labor laws had a harmful impact on African Americans. The judicial branch of government played an important, but inconsistent, role in blocking this assault on black workers, but it was only ideological judges committed to individual freedom and limited government who protected the despised minority. It’s been documented that there was a substantial declines in black employment in trades like barbering and plumbing after the passage of occupational licensing laws. Dependency is the Problem Destiny’s Child wrote a song that became a hit in 1998 called "Independent Woman." The lyrics were, .... The shoes on my feet / I've bought it .... The clothes I'm wearing / I've bought it .... The rock I'm rockin' / 'Cause I depend on me .... If I wanted the watch you're wearin', I'll buy it .... The house I live in / I've bought it .... The car I'm driving / I've bought it .... I depend on me (I depend on me) But the reality is quite different for many Americans. It might go something like this: .... The house I live in / Government bought it .... The health care I'm receivin' / Government bought it .... The education I'm gettin' / Government bought it .... I depend on government (I depend on government) In a society where less than 5% of black Americans own their own businesses, where merely 3% of black Americans have savings of any significance, and where 60% of them are employed by their government, perhaps the song should have been called "Dependent Citizen" rather than "Independent Woman." Entrepreneuership is the Solution Libertarians believe the best way to build our African American communities is by supporting African American businesses with African American dollars. When African Americans create and sell goods and services to their neighbors, more capital is kept within the community. Capital means wealth, and wealth means better communities. Business-creation embodies the creativity, enterprise, and risk-taking that defines America. Government regulations on business violate the Constitutional guarantees of liberty and equal protection of the laws. Helping the Poor Compassion of the mind supports effective charities like the Salvation Army, Big Brothers, the Prison Fellowship, and others -- charities that constantly monitor their own costs, operations, and results to assure that they're truly helping people. They aren't perfect, but they're good enough to be able to demonstrate to donors that their contributions are well spent. Can we say the same for our government? When government has tried to be the sole provider for the disadvantaged and oppressed, we dole out our income in taxes and the result is always more of the same -- more crime, more drug-related violence, more welfare dependency, more young single mothers, more racism, and more poor schools. In short, it's more oppression, but it's effectively disguised by government lies and media propaganda. Self-reliance through the free-market is the alternative that works: * African American families are trapped in a system that perpetuates inequality and segregation by constraining their mobility among schools. Easing the financial burdens imposed on parents who want more options allows everyone -- wealthy or poor -- to exercise school choice; * Discriminatory and unnecessary business licensing and zoning laws hurt African Americans who are trying to start their own businesses. Repealing such regulations will allow individuals to start new businesses from their homes with meager sums of money; * Because African Americans tend to have shorter life expectancies than whites, they often find themselves outlived by their benefits. Additionally, because the individual incomes of African Americans tend to be lower than those of whites ($19,722 versus $26,696 on average in 1994), many African Americans have little left after taxes to invest. The alternative is allowing individuals to opt out of the broke Social Security system; Do you like these ideas? They're all libertarian ideas. Because the government has never been controlled by African Americans, it has never truly looked out for the interests of our African American communities. The more the government tries to do for those in need, the worse things have gotten. The poor pay a larger share of the tax burden, but the money goes to legal bribes for the rich executives of white-run corporations. Meanwhile, there is more gunfire at night in our neighborhoods. When African Americans look out for themselves and their own neighborhoods, they will always find better solutions than can the government. More government doesn't work. It's time for all people of goodwill in our minority communities to unite together, free to make our own choices, and find solutions to our problems that don't depend on government. That's why libertarianism exists -- to make our lives and situations better. If we get rid of the destructive forces of government, the more our communities will thrive. We can do it. Special thanks to Starchild, Star Parker, Harry Browne, and Sean Haugh for their guidance in writing the above introduction. -- Ray Masters Notable Historical African American Libertarians * Benjamin Banneker, 1731-1806 (abolitionist; mathematician; astronomer) * Frederick Douglass, 1818-1895 (author; abolitionist; public speaker) * Marcus Garvey, 1887-1940 (civil rights activist) * Zora Neale Hurston, 1891-1960 (author) * Nat Turner, 1800-1831 (slave revolt leader) * Moses "Fleetwood" Walker, 1957-1924 (Negro League baseball player) * Booker T. Washington, 1856-1915 (author; activist; founder, Tuskegee Institute) * Richard Wright, 1908-1960 (author, Black Boy and Native Son) Notable African (American) Libertarians * June Arunga (Inter-Region Economic Network) * Dr. George B.N. Ayittey (Professor of Economics, American University) * Oyewamide Akinsiun Ojo (journalist; lecturer, The Institute of Public Policy Analysis) * Agwu Amogu (Individual Libertarian Network) * Thompson Ayodele (Institute of Public Policy Analysis) * Kenn Blanchard (pastor; founder, Tenth Cavalry Gun Club) * Richard Boddie (educator and motivational speaker) * Diahann Carroll (actress) * John Clifton (Libertarian Party of New York) * Ward Connerly (American Civil Rights Institute) * Dr. Jennifer Daniels (physician; political activist) * Larry Elder (talk radio host; best-selling author) * Glenn Gipson (film producer) * Patricia Gunn, J.D. (Professor of Management Systems, Ohio University) * Abdul Hakim-Shabazz (radio host, WXNT - Indianapolis, IN) * Ken Hamblin (talk radio host, KSFO - Denver, CO) * Ben Harper (singer & musician) * Brian Higgins (radio host, XM Satelite Radio - Boston, MA) * Niger Innis (Congress on Racial Equality) * Roy Innis (Congress on Racial Equality) * J.J. Johnson (Editor, The Sierra Times) * Reginald Jones (motivational speaker; entreprenuer) * Gregory Kane (columnist, The Baltimore Sun) * Casey J. Lartigue (radio host, XM Satelite Radio - Washington, DC) * Dr. Marva Y. Manigault (high school teacher) * Emanuel McLittle (Editor, Destiny Magazine; psychiatrist) * Sir Mix-A-Lot (singer & musician) * Sam Motsuenyane (National African Federated Chamber of Commerce) * Deroy Murdock (syndicated columnist) * Star Parker (author; founder, Coalition on Urban Affairs) * Gerard Randall, Jr. (Board of Regents, University of Wisconsin System) * Gerald Reynolds (Chairman, U.S. Commission on Civil Rights) * Reggie Rivers (columnist, Denver Post; former professional football player) * Dr. James Robinson (freelance writer; former Professor of Political Science) * Judge Janice Rogers Brown (U.S. Court of Appeals Judge, DC Circuit) * Chris Rock (comedian) * James Shikwati (economist; President, Inter-Region Economic Network) * Dr. Thomas Sowell (author; senior fellow, Hoover Institution) * Rigoberto Stewart (Institute for Liberty and Analysis of Policy in Government) * Sheryl Underwood (comedian) * Jimmy J.J. Walker (comedian) * Dr. Walter E. Williams (Professor of Economics, George Mason University; syndicated columnist) * Guy Wilson (record-holder: highest Libertarian vote total in a two-way U.S. House race, 22% in 1994) * Dr. Anne Wortham (author; Professor of Sociology, Illinois State University) Related Books - The Affirmative Action Fraud: Can We Restore the Civil Rights Vision by Clint Bolick - America in Black and White: One Nation Indivisible by Abigail Thernstrom - The End of Racism: Principles for a Multiracial Society by Dinesh D'Souza - Losing the Race: Self-Sabotage in Black America by Ward Connerly - Racist Regulations: How the Government Held Down Minorities by Robert Whaples - The Ten Things You Can't Say In America by Larry Elder Related Articles Abolish the government's "official" racial classifications, Libertarians say (1997) America's Black History: Reconciling patriotism with slavery's legacy (April, 2002) A new path for Africa: Establishing a Free-Market Society (April, 1999) Black candidate holds promise to make history (1994) Black libertarian leader challenges minorities in Nassau speech (September, 2002) Black libertarian: The Story of Zora Neale Hurston Blacks are the biggest victims of racist government policies, say Libertarians Black voters should 'throw off their chains' and abandon Sen. Max Cleland (2002) Conservative fixation on racial categories (December, 1995) Decriminalizing Work: Empowerming Black Women How rules against "environmental racism" hurt poor minorities most (October, 1998) Jesse Jackson's long, misguided march (December, 2000) Libertarian Boddie seeks nomination (1991) Libertarianism Speaks to the Concerns of African-Americans (2002) Libertarians pledge to reach minorities (1998) Libertarians salute black history month (February, 2000) Marketing liberty to minorities (2000) Militia in the Hood: A True Story (January, 1998) Outreach to African-Americans (January, 1998) Photo: Reggie Jones on the African-American gap (2000) Race analysis cites disparity in sentencing for narcotics (June, 2000) Race and Republicans (January, 2001) Racial preferences are dead: Interview with Ward Connerly (February, 1998) Roots of Racial Profiling (September, 2001) The segregation of the public school system (June, 1997) Study finds drug war targets blacks (June, 2000) When braiding becomes an "unlicensed activity" (1997) Why are public schools more segregated, but marriages more integrated? (1997) Related Links Education & Commentary: Black Libertarian Blog Headway Magazine The Multiracial Activist Organizations: American Civil Rights Institute Banneker Center for Economic Justice Black Alliance for Educational Options Coalition on Urban Renewal and Education Congress on Racial Equality Future of Freedom Foundation National Association of the Self-Employed Project 21 People: RiShawn Biddle Kenn Blanchard Richard Boddie Larry Elder Ken Hamblin Reginald Jones Reggie Rivers Chris Rock Sir Mix-A-Lot Thomas Sowell Jimmy JJ Walker Kennita Watson Walter E. Williams |
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