 |
| Lew Rockwell |
I frequently follow Lew Rockwell the American libertarian, political commentator, activist, and chairman of the Ludwig von Mises Institute. I previously linked on my blog his radio show podcast and website (LewRockwell.com). Last month, I decided to remove both his radio show and website from my blog. I came to that decision after he did a radio show promoting and endorsing harmful pseudo-scientific medical myths.
From that show's web page:
"Then, there are the harmful elements pushed upon us by the State,which we should not be getting at all, like fluoride which causes brain disorders, vaccines which cause autism and statins which inhibit healthy cells. Dr. Miller keeps close watch on government-enslaved doctors and the lying propaganda of the pill-pushers." [10/26/11 LewRockwell.com]
The American Dental and Hygiene Association has rebuked these claims about fluoride. Also vaccines DO NOT cause autism. Why that myth won't die.
After looking into what other controversial things Rockwell is into and linked to, I found other non-economics related reasons to distance myself from what could be seen by some as an endorsement of his beliefs. The reason I had his website listed and linked was for another libertarian viewpoint in my blogroll section. Unfortunately he's gone too far that it should concern libertarians as to where libertarianism will go as a movement with the influence Lew Rockwell has.
Things that should raise an eyebrow are what his columnists put on his website with his oversight. Gary North, a regular columnist for the website and a Christian Re-constructionist, has regularly been advancing 9/11 conspiracy theories whenever the 911 topic comes up.
From Gary North:
This was posted on August 30 on one of my GaryNorth.com site's forums regarding the pancake-like collapse of all three World Trade Center buildings on 9-11:
"All three are clearly controlled demos. Everyone that views it knows it."I cannot imagine a more inaccurate statement. Hardly anyone who views them knows "it." Almost every adult American has seen the videos of the collapse of the North & South towers. On September 11, 2001, the videos were shown over and over on the networks, all day long.
Only a handful of experts have ever publicly argued that the cause of the bildings' collapse was a system of controlled demolition. Anyone who dares to mention the pancake collapse of the third tower is rejected derisively as a conspiracy theorist.
[...]
I have faced this all of my adult life. I started out in 1958 with a high school term paper on whether Roosevelt knew an attack on Pearl Harbor was coming. I concluded that he knew an attack somewhere in the Pacific was coming. I have not changed my mind. In 1972, when I was awarded my Ph.D. in American history, as far as I knew, I was the only historian age 30 or younger with a Ph.D. in history who believed this. Even today, I am one of maybe a dozen men with a Ph.D in American history who believe this and say so in public. [9/1/11 LewRockwell.com]
The 9/11 Truth movement was not created by bloggers ranting on their web sites. It was created by professional architects and engineers some of whom are known for having designed steel high rise buildings. It was created by distinguished scientists, such as University of Copenhagen nano-Chemist Niels Harrit who has 60 scientific papers to his credit and physicist Steven Jones. It was created by US Air Force pilots and commercial airline pilots who are expert at flying airplanes. It was created by firefighters who were in the twin towers and who personally heard and experienced numerous explosions including explosions in the sub-basements. It was created by members of 9/11 families who desire to know how such an improbable event as 9/11 could possibly occur. [9/14/11 LewRockwell.com]
Roberts has also gave an endorsement of the 911 conspiracy book Debunking 9/11 Debunking in his column on a racist website called VDARE. He has also appeared on a white supremacist radio show.
In an investigation of 2012 Presidential candidate Ron Paul's Racist Newsletter controversy by the libertarian Reason Magazine, Reason pointed to Lew Rockwell as the chief ghost writer of Paul's newsletter. Rockwell himself denied responsibility for the newsletters' contents and characterized discussion of the newsletters as "hysterical smears aimed at political enemies" of The New Republic which broke the story. So Lew Rockwell may be the source of Ron Paul's political troubles. That doesn't fare well with me on Rockwell, nor should it for anyone else who supports Ron Paul.
For these reasons, I do not list or recommend Lew Rockwell's website for libertarian viewpoints. I still list and recommend the Ludwig von Mises Institute on libertarian economics which Rockwell is the chairman of. I'd urge Lew Rockwell and the columnists to just stick to economics and limited government. You know?....the whole libertarian thing. I can't recommend him as a columnist or his website if conspiratorial thinking is always pushed.
I myself have not gone into great enough detail into what libertarian economic policies I support and those don't. Many of them I'm deeply opposed to and support the progressive alternative. I'll discuss particular policies in future blog posts.
Ellen Barkin lashes out at Fox News in a recent interview, accusing the network of "blatant lying." The outspoken Barkin has a reputation for candor, whether in person or on her 
