Sunday, February 22, 2015

Mount Rockwell

By Chris Rossini

Everyone knows of Lew Rockwell by his iconic site LewRockwell.com. And as Robert Wenzel has pointed out on more than one occaision, Lew is "the greatest entrepreneur, ever, in the sphere of libertarian ideas." The Mises Institute is a living and ever-expanding testament to that statement.

One area that I want to focus on, in this mini-impromptu-tribute, is Lew's writing. LewRockwell.com regularly highlights the writing of other libertarians. I'm extremely proud to be among that group. However I'd like to take a minute to talk about his writing for a change.

Many years ago, I came across one of Lew's pieces and was shaken out of my Republican boots. Here was someone who didn't just nudge The State in one direction, or massage what The State does. Lew verbally and intellectually smashes everything The State stands for. I was so intrigued by what I was reading that I got hooked.

That's how you know someone is a great writer...when you can't wait for what that person has to say. I always wanted to know Lew's take, no matter what it was about. A major factor that reinforced that desire was that I knew I'd be getting a genuine opinion. Lew doesn't sugarcoat.

I remember thinking "Wow...I can't believe a person can get away with saying these things." You're conditioned from a young age to revere politicians, and here was Lew calling them 'bloodsucking vampires.'

But Lew wouldn't just leave it there. Anyone can do that. Lew would explain in such easy language why they're such scumbags. He does it in a way that's similar to teaching a child that 2+2=4. You can't walk away thinking otherwise. That, in my opinion, is another very important aspect of a great writer.

Lew tore down any statist beliefs that I had picked up throughout my life, and it really didn't take him long since the drive for liberty was always strong with me. I just never knew (in detail) how and why The State is the roadblock to a much more peaceful and orderly human existence.

It was through LewRockwell.com that I became a huge admirer of then Congressman Ron Paul, well before there were any indications of Dr. Paul actually running for President.

It was also through Lew that I came across EconomicPolicyJournal.com and Robert Wenzel. Again I was hooked on the opinions of another brilliant writer, so much so that I decided to work as hard as I could to someday write with him.

Whether its the discovery of Rothbard, or Mises, or North, or Block, or Woods, or McAdams, or DiLorenzo, or Vance, all roads lead back to Lew Rockwell for me.

I urge you, if you have never done so, to read through the extensive archives of Rockwell's own writing:


It'll sharpen your libertarian teeth, and put some brass onto your intellectual knuckles.

Libertarianism is the strict adherence to the non-aggression principle. In this world of ours, it can be a long and winding road to reach such a destination.

Read Rockwell and you'll get there without any doubts.








7 comments:

  1. Cheers, Chris Rossini.

    Rockwell single-handedly brought me out of a slumbering fog. When I began reading LewRockwell.com, I was flabbergasted and shocked that any political consumer could take his seemingly exaggerated and contrarian positions as having factual basis. Boy, was I wrong. Thank you, Lew.

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  2. I discovered LewRockwell.com via Earnest Handcock's site Freedoms Phoenix which in turn was found via a Ron Paul meetup group I was a member of. Thats how I also found Wenzel's writings, Tom Woods and Walter Block

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  3. I gotta agree. His site was the turning point for me. Funny thing is, I was clued into it by Neil Boortz's website. This was obviously before 9/11 when Boortz transformed from a light-weight "libertarian" to a "kill them them all" neocon, fed-gov loving salad-tosser.

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  4. Hear hear! Lew Rockwell, his website and the contributors to it are my daily dose of Liberty brain food.
    I love Lew because even as he exposes the State for the evil that it is, he always shows a positive side in our struggle against it.

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  5. I've gotten a lot out of LRC. I also read his book, the Left, the Right, and the State.

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