Reason Mag Contributor Harsanyi: Ron Paul not a Serious Thinker and is Racist!

[Anti Federalist]

Reason's bashing Ron Paul?

Oh...that.

 

[freshjiva]

Calm down, folks...

Chill out, everyone! Here's my approach to all this:

Ron Paul has argued and voted for these ideas on freemarkets, monetary and foreign policies for almost 3 decades. They're nothing new. The fact that these attacks really only picked up after his 2008 presidential run is evidence of Dr. Paul's growing popularity.

Remember, if you don't draw opposition and attack from the establishment, you ARE the establishment.

This is actually great news for Ron Paul supporters.

 

[Epic]

Reason's bashing Ron Paul?

Oh...that.

It's a beltway libertarian thing.

When Ron Paul gains popularity, they need to crush him. They wouldn't want libertarianism to get too popular.

 

[Anti Federalist]

It's a beltway libertarian thing.

When Ron Paul gains popularity, they need to crush him. They wouldn't want libertarianism to get too popular.

Reason and (ST)ATO are like the NRA.

Unless they have somebody to rail about in order to sell memberships and subscriptions, they'll wither up and blow away.

 

[The Deacon]

What the hell is wrong with Reason? I used to subscribe a long time ago.

 

[Dark_Horse_Rider]

E Mail sent to Matt Welch

 

[jkr]

Racist! Racist! Racist! Racist! Racist! Racist! Racist! Racist! Racist! Racist! Racist! Racist! Racist! Racist! Racist! Racist! Racist! Racist! Racist! Racist! Racist! Racist! Racist! Racist!


FUN!

Racist! Racist! Racist! Racist! Racist! Racist! Racist! Racist! Racist! Racist! Racist! Racist! Racist! Racist! Racist! Racist! Racist! Racist! Racist! Racist! Racist! Racist! Racist! Racist! Racist! Racist! Racist! Racist! Racist! Racist! Racist! Racist! Racist! Racist! Racist! Racist!

 

[The Deacon]

DO NOT give them traffic. How many times will we have to tell you guys?

You're right. I keep falling for it.

 

[dannno]

E-mail sent.

 

[axiomata]

OP, you might consider breaking the link

I'm comfortable letting Reason know we think they suck for publishing crap like this.

 

[dannno]

I'm comfortable letting Reason know we think they suck for publishing crap like this.

Ya, these aren't random bloggers, this shit is more serious.

 

[Matt Collins]

Here is what I just e-mailed:

I just subscribed to Reason a couple of days ago, and now I see a piece such as this:
http://reason.com/archives/2010/02/24/the-ron-paul-delusion

What the hell kind of crap is this?


Even if the author wanted to downplay Ron Paul, (which I think would be a bad idea considering the audience) though I would personally disagree with it, calling Ron Paul a racist, an anti-Semite, an isolationist, and silly, is not only vile but just plain shoddy writing causing your publication to be lowered to the level of 3rd grade name calling. If one has an opinion of Ron in the negative then one should be able to articulate their points in a rational, logical fashion, not merely listing insults many of which are indeed false Trotsky-type fabrications. While it is important to have discussion and even critique about the direction of the liberty movement and its leaders, when I signed up for Reason I expected a higher level of discourse than this garbage piece.

I also disagree with the premise of the piece but if it was written in a more objective scholastic type of manner it would at least be tolerable; it currently is not. Were the editors asleep at the wheel here?


And are you aware of what kind of bad PR this piece is generating for your magazine? This reflects very poorly on Reason and is souring your core audience. Take a look: http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?t=233228



I am now reconsidering my subscription because of this. Your public response and retraction of this stain upon Reason will determine my decision.


Matt Collins
Nashville, TN / Orlando, FL

 

[Anti Federalist]

 

[fisharmor]

Erm... what did CATO do?
All I know is that they championed what became Heller.
Why's everyone so mad at them?

 

[mczerone]

Reason: Libertarian means that we oppose all State intervention*




* - unless its for money, police, foreign wars, running the political process, medicine, roads, schools, justice or basically anything that the State wants to do. And we like 'efficient' tax systems, because we'd not rather waste money on getting people to obey the State. And anyone who says otherwise is a racist, because David Frum told us so.

 

[Anti Federalist]

Erm... what did CATO do?
All I know is that they championed what became Heller.
Why's everyone so mad at them?

h ttp://www.cato-at-liberty.org/2008/01/11/ron-pauls-ugly-newsletters/

 

[Annihilia]

Time to send an email..

 

[The Deacon]

To be fair, Reason just put up a much better Paul piece. But the damage is done. You can guess which of the two articles will be highlighted and quoted by neocons and neolibs...

 

[gls]

I am shocked that a pro war and pro bailout "libertarian" rag like Reason Magazine would attack Ron Paul. /sarcasm

 

[Elwar]

Erm... what did CATO do?
All I know is that they championed what became Heller.
Why's everyone so mad at them?

They backed Fred Thompson while attacking Ron Paul.