Virtue signaling anarchists!

I have a column I am working on but must get this off my chest. Why is it that even in libertarian/anarchist circles, we feel the need to virtue signal?

If we defend someone who is being targeted with violence, but he is of ill-repute, there is always someone in our own circles telling us he does not deserve to be defended.

If we criticize a company that enacts a discriminatory policy against Christians, we are reminded that it is a private company and they can do as they please.

When we laugh because a DC insider gets skewered we are reminded that everyone in government is bad.

When we criticize military action in Syria we are told that al-Assad is a tyrant.

My fellow anarchists, I propose the following understandings:

  • We all know private businesses may do as they want, but we will point out their errors in hopes that economic pressures will lead to change (that is how it would work in an anarchist world).
  • No, we do not like racists, sexists, communists, fascists, totalitarians or any other dirtball, but when their freedoms are denied we should defend those freedoms. Restricting the freedom of someone who thinks outside of the approved parameters is a threat to everyone. When we defend a dirtball’s freedom that does not mean we agree with the dirtball.
  • Yes, we hate all politicians (or anyone who wants to violently impose their will on other people), but sometimes it is just fun to watch the mainstream go apoplectic over a DC outsider.
  • It is incredibly sad when innocents are victimized by war, and yes it makes us hurt to see it. But that does not mean western governments need to kill random people in that country to keep it from happening again. We know the initial perpetrators of violence were bad guys, no need to remind us of that.
  • Finally, we all hate the “justice system,” let’s not pretend that you hate it more than any other anarchist.

Are there any other “givens” I forgot, if so comment below.

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