Property Rights and Racism

YAL interns ask people on the street whether a black restaurant owner has the right to refuse service to a Klansman, in a clear defense of the right of private property owners to make their own decisions about the use of their own property.

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  News & Politics

[Wyndstarthedruid]

i think you should make another video, and ask people on the street if a white owner has the right to kick out a loud, obnoxious. black panther, or any person being a complete and total clown, of color, out of their establishment, or is that considered racist.

[SirTenenbaum]

Libertarians who are confronted about property rights and racism can do the following to explain their situation: Simply demonstrate that property rights are analogous to free speech from the libertarian perspective. Everyone believes people have a right to free speech but may think that what people say is immoral (racist speech). Just like free speech the libertarian believes people have property rights but may think that what people do with their property is immoral (racist businesses).

[EarthBornHero]

Twilight, stay out of my establishment.

[SirTenenbaum]

People can misuse their free speech, but shouldn't be denied it. People can misuse their property rights, but shouldn't be denied them.

[tubevideoguy762]

If a property is not a business then the owner should have complete property rights unless he's killing people or something crazy. Like when the cops said I couldn't hunt in city limits I said private property FUCK OFF! and they left. But a klansman would not be allowed to refuse service to a black man so it shouldn't be allowed vice versa.

[treed86]

...and we as consumers have the right to shut their businesses down with a simple free market solution...DON'T DO BUSINESS WITH THEM! Wow...what a radical idea.

Keep up the great work YAL

[treed86]

...and ask these same people if a white business owner should be able to refuse service to an obnoxious black person and I bet my bottom dollar that they would have the exact opposite reaction. Such is the inherent double standard and hypocrisy of collectivism...but, you know, King Lincoln freed the slaves and was not a racist, Reconstruction made race relations better in the South, and the Civil Rights Act defeated racism. Hooray ignorance! People have the right to be racist idiots...

[AussieAustrianBlog]

Anytime we make a choice regarding any matter, we are discriminating against someone or soemthing else. The nature vs choice point you make is terribly weak.

[josefkesselring]

Great video

[seismicmike]

While I agree with your principal, I think you're making a false analogy. Race is genetic. It can't be chosen or changed. Being a Klansman is a choice, and carries with it certain natural consequences. Refusing service to a Klansman is not the same refusing service to a White man. Discrimination based on nature is not the same as discrimination based on choice. I still agree with the principal of property rights, but this is a weak argument.

[trekkerperson]

great vid