Breitbart’s rant hinted at something that I’ve never truly understood. He said
Conservatives believe in individual liberty, they don't believe in group's rights. This guy's a multiculturalist, just like the black studies and the lesbian studies majors on college campuses. This guy was a 9/11 truther. This guy's hardly a rightwinger. This guy's political philosophy is more akin to the drivel that you hear on a college campus that delineates us by group, not by individuality.
Do Republicans really believe that liberals don’t believe in individual liberty? What planet are they living on?
My first thought is that individual vs. group rights come into conflict very rarely. The two instances (and from what I can find, the only two instances) that seem to upset Republicans are the recent efforts to ban smoking in public places and the Supreme Court’s decision in Kelo v. City of New London, which allowed governments to seize property and transfer to private owners.
I’ll admit that liberals are for the most part in favor of banning smoking in restaurants (and to a lesser extent, bars). Is this really about group rights vs. individual rights, though? Isn’t this just a health issue? We also don’t allow business owners to serve undercooked food, to operate unsanitary kitchens, or to cram more people into a restaurant than fire codes allow. This seems to fall more in line with Lockes social contract(meaning we give up some rights in order to maintain a good society).
I will not accept, however, that the "liberal" position is the one decided in Kelo. While I believe the majority was simply following precedent (I’m a law student, we can discuss this in comments if you wish), I don’t think most liberals believe in transferring private property to other private owners. Further, the conservative position seems to be anti-eminent domain in all circumstances. Eminent domain, though, is allowed in the 5th amendment of the bill of rights. Therefore, the liberal position of endorsing eminent domain in general is not an extreme position.
Following up on this, I would really like to know how conservative feel about the following issues. I would not always frame these issues as individual rights, but if it can persuade other, I’m more than happy to.
1.Individual liberty to choose the person we love. Republicans have fought against every single advancement made in the fight to for gay rights. I suppose I would normally call this a "group right," but the freedom to love a person of your choosing is really an individual right. Republicans have passed laws outlawing what people can do in their bedrooms. They have removed books from classrooms that portray positive gay relationships. Today they resist both civil unions and gay marriage. Does this sound like supporting individual rights?
2.Individual liberty to choose. Individual women should have the opportunity to make individual choices regarding their individual bodies. Opposing this is opposing individual liberties.
3.Individual liberty to express ourselves. Adults (and children!) occasionally say a bad word when they are very happy or upset. Republicans want to fine t.v. stations for spontaneous cussing at a live t.v. event. Republicans care more about the group rights of over-sensitive parents then they do about the rights of the writers and producers of television shows and movies. Also, any time any controversial piece of art is any media is introduced, Republicans throw a hissy fit. A person who cares about individual liberty would be anti-censorship in all forms.
4.Individual liberty to die with dignity. When a patient has a terminal illness, and that patient decides that he or she has had enough suffering, the government shouldn’t get a vote. This decision, should be left up to the individual. Conservatives want to be in that room with you forcing you to make the decision they would make.
5.Terri Schiavo. Conservatives apparently believe that the government should get to decide when to pull the plug. Our society, though, has always put this right with the spouse (if there is one). Republicans want to take away this individual liberty of deciding when enough is enough.
6.Individual liberty to use marijuana. How can someone fight so hard to allow smoking in restaurants and fight so hard on the other hand to put people in jail for smoking marijuana. The government is exercising the most power when it sends people to jail—I, and many other liberals, believe that the government should have no right to restrict this freedom by throwing citizens in jail. Why don’t we compromise and say you can do both of these things in the privacy of your own home?
7.Freedom from excessive security. Many Republicans seem to not care at all (or even encourage) unwarranted wire taps and well as unreasonable searches and seizures. Liberals, however, do not wish to live in a police state. This, more than any other issue, is what separates Republicans from liberals and libertarians. Liberals will not sacrifice their freedoms for a little more security like Republicans will.
Please point out if I missed any individual liberties that liberals believe in and conservative don’t. Once again, I believe that liberals choose our philosophy because we care so much about the government staying out of our private lives. This is why I get touchy when anyone says they care more about individual liberties than me.