Comments on: The Blessed Institution: Liberty

By: Joe

Joe — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 22:38:53 +0000

“Freedom belongs to nations flourishing, not to nations unripe or decaying. How do you determine it? By the presence of moral qualities. A nation that does not respect oaths unfit for juries, without education, that does not condemn dishonesty. Does not all this amount to conscience? Where there is an enlightened conscience, there shall be freedom. Where not, not. Mere enjoyment of material pleasures makes men indifferent.”
“Liberty is the condition of duty, the guardian of conscience. It grows as conscience grows. The domains of both grow together. Liberty is safety from all hinderances, even sin. So that liberty ends by being Free Will.” Selected writings of Lord Acton.

By: Freedom Fighter

Freedom Fighter — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 17:05:50 +0000

Oppression is an institution, not liberty. Liberty is a constant individual struggle. Liberty lacks the organizational dynamics to become an institution. It is something that exists when there is lack of oppressive institutions and something that vanishes when there are oppressive institutions.

Liberty cannot organize itself into an institution because it cannot use force to spread and maintain it’s stronghold and command resources etc.

It’s something fragile, delicate that exists absent tyrannical dangers and that rapidly collapses when there is too much tyranny.

You cannot make liberty, you can be free or not. You cannot coerce into liberty, therefore it cannot be an institution.

By: Ben Ranson

Ben Ranson — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 01:03:43 +0000

Well, he’s got my vote too. Nevertheless, I feel that he is in desperate need of either a ghost writer or a very aggressive editor. His prose, like his speeches, is haphazard, meandering, inconclusive, disorganized, and confusing to the uninitiated.

Of all the things the Mises Institute could do, I think that securing Jeff Riggenbach a position as Ron Paul’s chief speech writer would be the most beneficial.

By: Jordan Viray

Jordan Viray — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 20:54:02 +0000

Dr. Paul just earned himself a sale. It’s just too bad his speeches aren’t up to the quality of his writing. Oh well, he’s got my vote in 2012 whether he runs or not.