Is Ross Ulbricht of Silk Road a Libertarian Hero?
Abstract
Abstract. Ross Ulbricht was sentenced to life imprisonment with no possibility of parole for electronically facilitating trade in illegal drugs with his website Silk Road. This is a more severe penalty given to drug dealers, and even murderers. Is he heroic for violating an unjust law, which makes selling drugs a victimless crime? Is he a libertarian? Is he a libertarian hero? These are the questions addressed in the present paper.
Walter adds in his email:
Hey, if Trump does pardon him, that’ll be one point on my side of our debate!As an aside, although I believe that Ross has been treated horrifically by the government and should be released immediately, I do not believe he is a hero (See: Is Ross Ulbricht a Hero?).
-RW
Any man who scales any government erected fence is a hero. There is real value in demonstrating to the whipped dogs that the masters are not omnipotent. Illegal immigrants, drug dealers, hookers, pranksters and daredevils all do a tremendous service when they defy the state. We can all learn from the defiant kids skateboarding where it's illegal. Most people can't even muster the courage to J-walk.
ReplyDelete