From: Mike Lorrey (mlorrey@datamann.com)
Date: Thu Mar 21 2002 - 06:58:04 MST
> "Smigrodzki, Rafal" wrote:
>
> Lee Daniel Crocker [mailto:lee@piclab.com] wrote:
>
> I think the Extropian priciples recognize that such behavior is
> irrational, and that it should therefore be disapproved of; but
> that it is not in itself sufficient justification for using force
> to override individual choice. I would classify discrimination as
> a sin along the lines of using astrology: you should know better,
> but I'm not going to stop you.
Though working as an individual to stop such behavior by reciprocal
action (i.e. refusing to do business with bigots) and propaganda
(communicating the facts of the bad behavior of bigots to others, so
that they may do the same) is not in conflict with libertarian
principles (or the Extropian principles).
In fact, an argument can be made that in a libertarian society, it is
the individual's responsibility to engage in such peer pressure in order
to maintain a polite, peaceful and stable libertarian community. Failing
to do so is abdicating individual responsibility and thus invites in the
hand of the state (essentially what occured in the south in the 60s).
>
> ### Generally I would agree with you but I don't think that a
> razor-sharp distinction can be made between private and state
> discrimination - if 90% of all businessess spontaneously and out of
> pure spite put "Niggers out" signs in their windows, the effect is
> just as devastating as state sponsored discrimination. As I am fond of
> saying, size matters in the economy, not the label.
Quite, but 90% of businesses acting in collusion IS, in fact, a
monopoly.
This is where I delineated between public commerce and private in a
previous post. I did not mean government versus commercial business, I
meant the difference between a business owner who advertises publicly
versus one who does business by appointment and referral only.
If you advertise your business openly in public, you are inviting all
potential consumers to engage in commerce with you. You *should* state
in your ads that you don't want blacks or gays or whatever if you are a
bigot, but you'd have to bear the consequences of letting the world know
of your bigotry. Failing to do so is false advertising and possibly
breach of contract.
If you only accept clients by appointment and referral, you can be as
selective as you wish to be, without the world knowing of your bigotry.
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