It is not enough to be passively “not racist.” We must b

I would venture that many, if not most libertarians—like the general American public—haven’t come to terms with the widespread, systemic subversion of markets and democracy American racism wreaked on its most marginalized citizens. Consequently, libertarians have concentrated rather myopically on government reform as the sole function of libertarian social critique without taking full reckoning of what markets have failed to correct throughout American history.

Take, for example, the common libertarian/conservative trope: “We believe in equal opportunity, not equal outcomes.” Most people, outside of the few and most ardent socialists, should believe that is a fair statement. But to say such a thing as a general defense of the status quo assumes that the current American system offers roughly equal opportunity just because Jim Crow is dead. Yet, that cannot possibly be true.

Think of the phrase “Don’t go there, it’s a bad neighborhood.” Now, sometimes that neighborhood is just a little run down, doesn’t have the best houses, doesn’t have the best shopping nearby, or feeds a mediocre school. But, more often, that neighborhood is very poor, lacks decent public infrastructure, suffers from high unemployment, has the worst schools, and is prone to gang or other violence. And, in many cities—in both North and South—that neighborhood is almost entirely populated by minorities.

There are only two conclusions possible when facing the very real prospect that thousands or millions of Americans live in areas you warn your friends not to go, even by accident: Either everyone in those areas is a criminal, or is content to live among and be victimized by criminals; or there is some number of people, and probably a large one, trapped in living conditions that cannot help but greatly inhibit their opportunities for success and advancement. As Ta-Nehisi Coates lays out in thelatest issue of theAtlantic, that those neighborhoods are racially segregated is no accident. Jim Crow’s death is worth celebrating but hardly sufficient for establishing equal opportunity in any meaningful sense, especially when our society still effectively traps people in these conditions by both law and custom, based in no small part on their race.

So what is a libertarian to do about all this?

Wow how about no

>>132027605
Fighting racism isn't libertarian at all, allowing it is.

Restricting freedom of speech is fascist you fucking idiot.

cool novel bro, didn't read

>>132028103
I don't agree with the author either. He seems to be targeting white libertarian as the only racist perpetrators.

Guess what? Libertarianism doesn't necessarily believe in equality of opportunity either. It may be ideal, but to achieve that, again, requires hierarchy and governmental order. Libertarianism only backs universal freedom for everyone with no aggression, but where you go from there is up the person.

File: 1467488552387.jpg (10KB, 188x250px) Image search: [Google]

10KB, 188x250px

>>132027605
I am anti-racism. Against whites.

>>132027605

What if I'm against both types of equality?

>>132027605
this looks SLIGHTLY better than Joe Rogan's food.

slightly.

>>132028593
Never seen a real taco?

>>132027605
Sage get off my board nigger

This is why I can't take libertarians seriously. Racism by private individuals is liberty.