Rand Paul has created an uproar by saying he opposed the Civil Rights Act of 1964. As wikipedia notes, the Civil Rights act:
""outlawed unequal application of voter registration requirements and racial segregation in schools, at the workplace and by facilities that served the general public ("public accommodations.")
Once the Act was implemented, its effects were far-reaching and had tremendous long-term impacts on the whole country. It prohibited discrimination in public facilities, in government, and in employment, invalidating the Jim Crow laws in the southern U.S. It became illegal to compel segregation of the races in schools, housing, or hiring."
Rand's ideology has trapped him here and he doesn't yet have the sense his father has to avoid talking about impossibly controversial aspects of Libertarianism. Libertarianism has no answer for racism or bigotry in the workplace. How can it since it doesn't believe in regulating the workplace at all. Is Rand Paul racist? Many people, mostly those who don't understand Libertarianism, have concluded that he is. At this point, I don't have any evidence to say that he is because his opposition to the Civil Rights Act may simply be a reflection of his ideological opposition to any government "interference" in private businesses. That being said, he certainly lacks a good sense of awareness regarding how others may interpret the things he says.
Paul's campaign is in furious damage control mode. They have pulled the candidate from a planned appearance on Meet the Press this Sunday. This makes only the third time in the 64 year history of Meet the Press that someone has cancelled an appearance. Obtaining an invite to the show is considered one of the big scores in politics. For a politician to beg out of attending means things are so bad for them that their handlers believe that they do not have the ability to handle the tough questions that might be asked on the show and thus this incredible opportunity to introduce yourself to millions of voters and potential contributors on TVs most respected political show has to be squandered. Yes, if you have to pull out of THAT, things are bad.
Still, this has upset my timeline a bit. What will happen to the political landscape if Libertarianism starts to be tarnished before Republicanism is gone? Something has to fill the vacuum that will be left by the GOPs inevitable departure. This concerns me because far worse incarnations of right wing beliefs are certainly possible. In the short run, will Rand Paul survive this flap? Possibly, but he won't do it by hiding from people. His best chance, in my opinion, is to call up Meet the Press and tell them that he will go on after all and then on the show he should try to explain the reason someone with his belief system would tend to oppose regulation on business and how that translates to opposition to the Civil Rights Act. He should apologize to anyone who felt offended and reiterate that he is not a racist and meant no offense. If he hides away now and leaves this out there for everyone else to define, he is finished.
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