There are so many libertarian heroes, this beginning list will be updated frequently. QUALIFIER: not all people or fiction characters below are libertarians and may not accept the Nonaggression Principle in every political issue. Each personifies a peaceful personal ethic and exceptional moral courage in line with libertarian traits; historic heroes exemplified libertarian values before the philosophy was well known. Update 9-2-11 Julian Assange: The Guardian leaks and harm 7-5-11 Bradley Manning: the leaky case against him; 6-10-11 Wikileaks team: the U.S. has widened its persecution of Assange and Wikileaks; 6-9-11: In defense of Bradley Manning and condemnation of authoritarian legal systems, Leavenworth, KS; 6-7-11 Daniel Ellsberg interview, and activism continues at age 79.
Heroes In Our Time:
Julian Assange 9-2-11: The Guardian and Domscheit-Berg’s recent disclosures of sensitive information perhaps prove the impossibility of perfect secrecy; Wilileaks, despite heroic intentions, erred in trusting these sources. The damage to innocents and to the cause of transparency may be great, as explained by chronicler Glenn Greenwald. Assange himself has inspired millions around the earth with his message of truth, peace, and freedom, risking personal harm and persecution. As to the Swedish accusations he stumbled in his personal life, nothing has been proved; this forum judges on known facts; Update 6-2-11: Assange wins the Martha Gellhorn journalism prize, “WikiLeaks has given the public more scoops than most journalists can imagine: a truth-telling that has empowered people all over the world. As publisher and editor, Julian Assange represents that which journalists once prided themselves in – he’s brave, determined, independent: a true agent of people not of power.” 2-3-11: A Norwegian parliamentarian has NOMINATED Assange for the Nobel Peace Prize. Could a legitimate Nobel laureate for a second year running rescue the reputation of the Committee from its award to Obama, the world’s most murderous warlord today, and from earlier laureate debacles such as chronic pro-war advocacy and self-serving climate warming mercenary recipient Al Gore? The Sydney Peace Foundation, with a far better record of Gold Medal recipients, has AWARDED Assange its Gold Medal Peace Prize.
Daniel Ellsberg: Leaker of the Pentagon Papers which revealed Nixon’s corruption, at 79 he still risks his personal freedom to speak truth to power; he supports accused leaker Bradley Manning: “I identify with him very much. He sees the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, I’d say correctly, as I saw Vietnam –as hopeless ventures that are wrong and involve a great deal of atrocities;” and he denounces the persecution of investigative journalist Julian Assange, pointing out that Wikileaks reports leaked facts, just as major news organizations and the New York Times reported the Pentagon Papers. Update 6-7-11: In a recent interview Ellsberg points out: “Richard Nixon, if he were alive today, might take bittersweet satisfaction to know that he was not the last smart president to prolong unjustifiably a senseless, unwinnable war, at great cost in human life. (And his aide Henry Kissinger was not the last American official to win an undeserved Nobel Peace Prize.) He would probably also feel vindicated (and envious) that ALL the crimes he committed against me–which forced his resignation facing impeachment–are now legal.”
Marc Emery: One of many freedom advocates serving jail time charged with bogus victimless “crimes,” marijuana reform activist Emery worked tirelessly for many years as an advocate for cannabis users, and openly defied Canadian and U.S. laws against selling the herb. The E.P.A. filed charges and Canada extradited him to the U.S. for trial. He blogs and is currently imprisoned at the D. Ray James “correctional” institution at Folkston, Georgia.
Everyday Superheroes: HERE is a delightful example from THIS website which highlights a new real-life superhero weekly, describing deeds of amazing valor and courage we hear little of in today’s media or history books. The heroes take responsibility and don’t wait for the slow wheels of officialdom to (maybe) arrive on the scene and (maybe) figure out what to do to save lives and foil the bad guys or natural disasters. Note: Sadly the author is not libertarian and makes some odd choices such as listing Obama — surely one of the most cowardly shills for the status quo military-industrial-banking-corporate complex — as a Badass.
Glenn Greenwald: A man of the political Left, Greenwald is the rare journalist who delivers truth no matter where that path leads. He does not pander to any political base and risks much in his astute, fact-based reportage. HERE and HERE are examples.
Wang-Wei Lin: The slender, unarmed youth who stood alone facing a line of Chinese army tanks in Tiananmen Square is an icon of peaceful resistance to tyranny. The photograph of his brave, lone stand will live forever as an inspiration to all who yearn for freedom from the heavy hand of government coercion.
Bradley Manning Update 7-3-11: Greenwald continues to shine light on journalist state lackey smears of heroic Manning, 6-9-11: What supporters of a just legal system must consider; 3-26: New original image (see larger version on LibertyArt page) published in support of this US army private, accused of leaking evidence of war crimes and political/diplomatic corruption in many countries. If the army’s allegation is true, at age 22 this young hero had the presence of mind and moral courage to stand up to the vast U.S. war empire and make a sacrifice of himself to tell the truth to the world. He has suffered torture for nearly 11 straight months in a marine prison, yet he is convicted of nothing. He has been allowed one visitor who REPORTS Manning’s deteriorating condition under severe psychological and physical duress since his confinement. 3-8-11: HERE. The U.S. political and military Establishment like the harshest authoritarian regimes the world over, recognizes no presumption of innocence for individuals not proven guilty, nor the Geneva convention condemnation of torture.
Ron Paul: Since the 1970s, this astonishing Congressman stood alone during both Republican and Democrat administrations, in condemning the financial causes of the ongoing US debt crisis and debasement of the dollar. He consistently condemned the US wars of aggression against numerous countries. He has been the most consistent opponent of a growing domestic police state and violations of the Constitution and Bill of Rights.
Unknown Davids vs Goliath Dictators Update 2-27-11: Around the globe we are watching unarmed peaceful protesters, attacked by military dictatorships, turn into resisters with only homemade weapons against tanks, fighter jets, bombs, missile launchers, guns, mercenaries; then as the people overwhelm the military and acquire their weapons, we see pitched battles and some victories. HERE is one of the many ongoing stories.
Wikileaks team: The U.S. government is proceeding with Grand Jury action against individuals who work closely with Wikileaks in publishing truth; these team members understood the danger of standing up to Goliath and have vowed to refuse to testify, since the charges are in violation of freedom of speech and journalistic independence.
Historic Heroes:
Mahatma Gandhi: A pioneer of resistance to tyranny through peaceful mass civil disobedience, Gandhi’s success in helping India gain independence from British control inspired civil rights movements across the world. A wonderful libertarian book titled The Great Explosion, a sci fi spoof by Eric Frank Russell, contains a chapter in which a planet is inhabited by Gands whose society is inspired by Gandhi. This chapter was later published separately as a novella and is a beloved libertarian classic titled And Then There Were None. Gandhi himself was inspired by another libertarian hero, David Henry Thoreau; he carried Thoreau’s essay, Civil Disobedience with him during his many imprisonments over the years and considered it a “suitable” English translation of his own practice of satayagraha which he summed up as “persistence in the pursuit of truth”. Update 2-18-11: This ARTICLE on Gandhi’s libertarian perspective states, “While not all libertarians are pacifists, all pacifists are libertarian, whether they realize it or not.” Apparently Gandhi did realize it; during his lifetime he repeatedly referred to himself as an anarchist.
Martin Luther King: King defied the powerful forces of his day, by acts of peaceful civil disobedience, and inspired millions to demand nullification of unjust state and local laws and policies which allowed mistreatment and persecution of citizens by politically-connected criminal agents. He also spoke out against war and inspired civil disobedience and protests to end the aggression against Vietnam.
Henry David Thoreau: Abolitionist, naturalist, tax resister, leading transcendentalist. He is best know for his book Walden, a meditation on simple living in a natural setting, and his essay, Civil Disobedience, an argument for moral, peaceful resistance to unjust government. As a lifelong abolitionist he opposed the Fugitive Slave Law and defended John Brown’s direct action. His Civil Disobedience influenced Leo Tolstoy, Mahatma Gandhi, and Martin Luther King, Jr. When Thoreau refused to pay taxes because of his opposition to the Mexican-American War and laws that supported slave owners, he was jailed but released against his will after one night, when his aunt paid his taxes.
Fiction Heroes:
Randian Heroes: Ayn Rand’s novels explore the theme of freedom vs tyranny; the heroes of her stories exemplify courage, responsibility, dedication to justice, creative productivity, rationality and honesty. They have an honor code of peaceable cooperation yet are prepared to defend against aggression.
Mattie Ross: 14-year old Mattie is a courageous individual who overcomes social norms as a girl in a frontier, patriarchal culture, to enact justice for her father’s senseless murder, in the Coen brothers’ re-make of the 1969 film, True Grit. HERE is a full review.