Bob Barr, Civil Libertarian."Bob Barr
Robert L. (Bob) Barr, Jr. (born November 5, 1948) is an attorney and a former member of the United States House of Representatives from Georgia. doesn't fit most people's image of a civil libertarian civil libertarian n. One who is actively concerned with the protection of the fundamental rights guaranteed to the individual by law: "Civil libertarians tend to assume such tests must be an illegal invasion of privacy" ," writes Jesse Walker ("Bob Barr, Civil Libertarian," December). I'll say. He certainly hasn't struck the Libertarian Party The Libertarian party was founded in Colorado in 1971 and held its first convention in Denver in 1972. In 1972 it fielded John Hospers for president and Theodora Nathan for vice president in the U.S. general election. that way. In fact, the L.P. found Barr's record in Congress to be so odious that it specifically--and successfully--targeted him for defeat in his most recent race. I do not dispute Walker's claim that Barr has done his share on behalf of civil liberties. Unfortunately, I also have been forced to conclude at this point that his cheerleading The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view of the subject. Please [ improve this article] or discuss the issue on the talk page. for the drug war has been so vociferous and so relentless that it more than cancels out whatever good he has done. Like many conservatives, Barr clearly believes that there should be a "drug exception" to the Constitution and Bill of Rights and that this exception can somehow be codified cod·i·fy tr.v. cod·i·fied, cod·i·fy·ing, cod·i·fies 1. To reduce to a code: codify laws. 2. To arrange or systematize. in laws that mete out punishment to (illicit) drug users and traffickers with draconian efficiency while leaving everyone else free to go about their business. It's a big lie and always has been. That Barr believes it so passionately, even as he talks up liberty and occasionally fights on its side, may make him an interesting tragic figure. But a civil libertarian? No. Sorry, but no. Ethan Straffin Palo Alto, CA |
|
||||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion