“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” -Martin Luther King, Jr
I remember one year when I was active in the LPCO, a group of brave Libertarian activists braved the cold weather to march in the MLK parade in Downtown Denver. I had friends ask me if Martin Luther King was a libertarian. I pondered that question for a long time and I came up with a few examples.
Ken Prazak fought a seat belt law he and many Libertarians find unjust and unconstitutional; he simply refused to pay the ticket. for breaking the police lines when they weren’t included in the presidental debates.— Using non-violent activities to achieve social and political change. Libertarians feel that in order to make change it needs to be through non-violence. Change in public policy, education and at the ballot box are prime examples of this. For two years, my friend
Equal Opportunity and Rights — There have been some conflicting views between MLK and Libertarians on this issue. Marcus Epstein argues that MLK was no friend of libertariansor conservatives but his words have been misinterpreted by both groups alike. This may be true but I do believe that MLK wanted equal opportunity for all citizens not just one group. I feel that I have no more rights than the next man. A black man has no more rights than a white man and vice-versa. The problem is that we have allowed the government to strip our individuality and forced people in to a group mindset. Protecting individual’s rights should be the focus.
Injustices — Segregation was an injustice. Civil rights… it had to happen. Coercion in any form is an injustice. The things libertarians fight against like the Patriot Act, The National ID Act, illegal wiretapping, the War on Drugs are injustices. MLK fought for voting rights for all Americans while we are fighting to make sure every vote counts.
His dream still lives on-my dream is to make sure my children have more freedom in their lives than I did.