A history lesson for the statists

[natedogg]

http://www.townhall.com/opinion/colu...27/173033.html

Sowell reminds us that with regard to Jim Crow *laws* (note the word *law*, not *custom*),

[ QUOTE ]
Private owners of streetcar, bus, and railroad companies in the South lobbied against the Jim Crow laws while these laws were being written, challenged them in the courts after the laws were passed, and then dragged their feet in enforcing those laws after they were upheld by the courts.

[/ QUOTE ]

And this:
[ QUOTE ]
People who decry the fact that businesses are in business "just to make money" seldom understand the implications of what they are saying. You make money by doing what other people want, not what you want.

[/ QUOTE ]

In other words, there wouldn't have even been a need for civil rights legislation and "bus boycotts" if the damn government hadn't created that environment in the first place. The fools who worship at the altar of govt mandates insist that libertarians are prescribing a recipe for the return of slavery and segregation and the like, when in fact these things have only existed through government fiat.

natedogg

[elwoodblues]

[ QUOTE ]
In other words, there wouldn't have even been a need for civil rights legislation and "bus boycotts" if the damn government hadn't created that environment in the first place.

[/ QUOTE ]

Just to clarify, it was the STATE governments, not the federal government that created Jim Crow laws.

It was STATE governments that prohibited people from purchasing contraception.

It was STATE governments that prohibited interracial marriage.

It was STATE governments that prohibited abortion.

Now people decry that the federal government is out of control.

[slickpoppa]

[ QUOTE ]
http://www.townhall.com/opinion/colu...27/173033.html

Sowell reminds us that with regard to Jim Crow *laws* (note the word *law*, not *custom*),

[ QUOTE ]
Private owners of streetcar, bus, and railroad companies in the South lobbied against the Jim Crow laws while these laws were being written, challenged them in the courts after the laws were passed, and then dragged their feet in enforcing those laws after they were upheld by the courts.

[/ QUOTE ]

And this:
[ QUOTE ]
People who decry the fact that businesses are in business "just to make money" seldom understand the implications of what they are saying. You make money by doing what other people want, not what you want.

[/ QUOTE ]

In other words, there wouldn't have even been a need for civil rights legislation and "bus boycotts" if the damn government hadn't created that environment in the first place. The fools who worship at the altar of govt mandates insist that libertarians are prescribing a recipe for the return of slavery and segregation and the like, when in fact these things have only existed through government fiat.

natedogg

[/ QUOTE ]

If you think there weren't business owners who would have denied service to blacks in the absence of laws you are crazy. Not all business owners are rational.

[andyfox]

The state governments made those laws because the people wanted them. I wonder if Sowell thinks that slavery was a creation of government. Government condoned and supported slavery because the white citizenry wanted it. Does Sowell think slavery would have been eliminated when it was, or at all, without the State?

[Redmen62]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
http://www.townhall.com/opinion/colu...27/173033.html

Sowell reminds us that with regard to Jim Crow *laws* (note the word *law*, not *custom*),

[ QUOTE ]
Private owners of streetcar, bus, and railroad companies in the South lobbied against the Jim Crow laws while these laws were being written, challenged them in the courts after the laws were passed, and then dragged their feet in enforcing those laws after they were upheld by the courts.

[/ QUOTE ]

And this:
[ QUOTE ]
People who decry the fact that businesses are in business "just to make money" seldom understand the implications of what they are saying. You make money by doing what other people want, not what you want.

[/ QUOTE ]

In other words, there wouldn't have even been a need for civil rights legislation and "bus boycotts" if the damn government hadn't created that environment in the first place. The fools who worship at the altar of govt mandates insist that libertarians are prescribing a recipe for the return of slavery and segregation and the like, when in fact these things have only existed through government fiat.

natedogg

[/ QUOTE ]

If you think there weren't business owners who would have denied service to blacks in the absence of laws you are crazy. Not all business owners are rational.

[/ QUOTE ]

Not to mention that denying service to blacks could have been completely rational (In the economic, not the logical or ethical sense) anyway.

[SheetWise]

[ QUOTE ]
Does Sowell think slavery would have been eliminated when it was, or at all, without the State?

[/ QUOTE ]
Slavery's been eliminated?

[ACPlayer]

Sowll wrote some decent stuff many years ago when he was columnist for Forbes (which too has declined with Steve at the helm) now he is pretty much pandering, IMO.

[tylerdurden]

[ QUOTE ]
If you think there weren't business owners who would have denied service to blacks in the absence of laws you are crazy. Not all business owners are rational.

[/ QUOTE ]

So what if there were? You think people should be forced to associate with people that they don't want to associate with?

There's a guy out there who wants to sell me ice cream cones, but I don't want to buy them from him. Should the government force me to buy ice cream cones from him if he's a minority?

[etgryphon]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
In other words, there wouldn't have even been a need for civil rights legislation and "bus boycotts" if the damn government hadn't created that environment in the first place.

[/ QUOTE ]

Just to clarify, it was the STATE governments, not the federal government that created Jim Crow laws.

It was STATE governments that prohibited people from purchasing contraception.

It was STATE governments that prohibited interracial marriage.

It was STATE governments that prohibited abortion.

Now people decry that the federal government is out of control.

[/ QUOTE ]

But it is easier to move to another STATE that conforms with your principles and\or it is easier to effect LOCAL STATE politics than it is to change the country.

[elwoodblues]

[ QUOTE ]
But it is easier to move to another STATE that conforms with your principles and\or it is easier to effect LOCAL STATE politics than it is to change the country.

[/ QUOTE ]

It is, but you shouldn't have to over some issues.