A Message From Dr. Richard Davis

I read this week that the Dorchester GOP is organizing a fund-raising program for the Harriet Tubman Memorial. As a Libertarian I applaud and support this for several reasons.

1. It is a libertarian approach to do this with private, voluntary contributions from people who actually support the memorial, rather than asking for tax dollars taken from those who may or may not support the idea.
2. Whatever else it has or has not done since then, the GOP was the original party seeking the abolition of slavery and the emancipation of slaves in this country.
3. Harriet Tubman is a great role model for libertarians; she valued freedom for herself and others above her own safety, and was willing to break laws she knew to be unjust to achieve that freedom. Rather than seek redress from an unsympathetic government, she acted independently toward that freedom. While the law of the time viewed her activities as theft, which is against libertarian principle, it could only define them as theft by denying the humanity of those freed. I think libertarians would accept individual human freedom as superseding this view of theft. 
4. Both of the major political parties have their roots in the idea of human freedom, however much this seems forgotten today. I support the Libertarian party because it is trying to bring us back to these roots, and I support any effort that has that effect on either party or both.
5. Both major parties have such talent for partisan fundraising, I would like to see some of that talent used for more productive purpose, rather than adding to an already overwhelming national debt.
6. If Dorchester County wishes to claim the heritage of Harriet Tubman, then the people of the county should step up and make this memorial their own project. The county government is already terribly short of funds, but to be true to the legacy of Harriet Tubman, this ought to be a true grass-roots effort. I would not refuse contributions from freedom-lovers elsewhere, but this should be a project of and for Dorchester County from the start. 

I will be looking forward to supporting these activities as they develop.

Sincerely,

Richard J. Davis