Rand Paul, A Part Of The Libertarian Tradition

Libertarianism and racial exclusion have a long, joined at the hip tradition. The late writer, former New York mayoral candidate and intellectual father of modern American conservatism William F. Buckley opposed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and every other civil right act of the 1950s and 1960s. Rand Paul's position in opposition to the 1964 act is consistent with the intellectual tradition that from which he arose.  The old southern battle cry of "States Rights" was nothing but an open demand for the right of states to maintain segregation.  Barry Goldwater, the political father of modern conservatism, opposed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 on libertarian grounds.  Ronald Reagan expressed a similar sentiment in his opposition to the legislation.  While many members of the Republican Party are rapidly distancing themselves from Mr. Paul, his views and those of many historical and present day Republicans, are not that far apart.  Hopefully Rand Paul's intemperate statements along with those of Fox News'  John Stossel will shed light on the true identity of modern day libertarianism, the "Tea Party Movement"  and the Republican Party. 

John H. Armwood