In Defense of Avatar

Some writers who are generally my allies in favor of capitalism and free markets have been critical of the movie Avatar. Reihan Salam, for example, on Forbes.com, writes, "In a sense, capitalism is the villain of Avatar." Edward Hudgins, a fan of Ayn Rand, as am I, writes that Avatar is "loaded with tired, mind-numbing … Continue reading “In Defense of Avatar

The Case Against Iran Sanctions

When I was a kid, the boy next door once played a nasty trick on my brother, Paul. Our neighbor held his cat in his arms, brought it within a few inches of Paul’s face, and pulled its tail. The suddenly angry cat bit Paul’s face. My brother and I were upset; we both thought … Continue reading “The Case Against Iran Sanctions”

A Coalition’s Progress: Monterey’s Anti-Afghan War Demonstration

Introduction My local chapter of Libertarians for Peace, co-founded by local libertarian activist Lawrence Samuels and me in 2005, joined the Peace Coalition of Monterey County (PCMC) about three years ago. I think we are the only non-Left group in the 20-plus member coalition. The PCMC includes two religious organizations (Unitarians and Quakers), a labor … Continue reading “A Coalition’s Progress: Monterey’s Anti-Afghan War Demonstration”

An Evening With Cindy Sheehan

"If we thought [the wars in] Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan were wrong when Bush was president, then they’re still wrong." So began Cindy Sheehan in a speech at the Peace Resource Center in Seaside, Calif. (near Monterey). I had never seen Ms. Sheehan speak, and I found her performance impressive. I’ve always respected her for … Continue reading “An Evening With Cindy Sheehan”