> Proposed FAQ question:
>
> Since the Extropian movement is heavily invested in libertarian
> philosophy, which purportedly stresses individual rights and property
> rights, how do the Extropians reconcile the "open borders" philosophy
> advocated by Extropians, with the fact that most American citizens
> oppose open borders (even before 911WTC numerous polls showed that
> 55-65% of Americans wanted less immigration, which is certainly a long
> way from open borders). Seems as if Extropians would wish to trample
> the individual rights of most Americans by implementing open
> borders--not to mention taking the food out of the mouths of working
> class Americans by lowering wages with immigration...or perhaps a
> weight reduction plan for the working classes is part of the Extropian
> philosophy :-)
I don't understand your confusion: where's the contradiction?
Libertarian politics implies open borders (or rather, that the
government not restrict people's movements). The majority of
Americans disagree--as would be expected, since the majority of
Americans are not libertarians. The idea that advocating open
borders in some way infringes the rights of those who don't
believe in them gets it exactly backward: it is the act of
excluding people that is a violation of rights; if individual
Americans don't want to allow immigration /on their own land/,
a libertarian government would enforce their property rights.
If others wanted to allow unlimited immigration on /their/
land, a libertarian government would not interfere. In that
way, /everyone's/ rights are protected, even the isolationists.
If the isolationists don't want to allow immigration to /other
people's land/, then it is they who are overstepping their power
and imposing their will on others. It is not the business of
a libertarian government to support people who would violate
the rights of others to do what they want with their own land.
-- Lee Daniel Crocker <lee@piclab.com> <http://www.piclab.com/lee/> "All inventions or works of authorship original to me, herein and past, are placed irrevocably in the public domain, and may be used or modified for any purpose, without permission, attribution, or notification."--LDC
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