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My Response To A Critic
by Glenn Woiceshyn
[A Version of the letter below was published on Aug./12/97 in the Globe and Mail's
ROB section, in response to a letter (attacking me for my "The Endangered Species"
article) from a prominent Toronto lawyer -- Clayton Ruby.]
Dear Editor,
Re: "Protecting People"--Letter--by Clayton Ruby--Aug/07/97--The Globe
and Mail
I'm glad Clayton Ruby made reference to Ayn Rand's marvelous philosophy of reason-individualism-capitalism.
(Letter--Aug. 7)
It's been relatively easy for environmentalists to propagate their statist philosophy
and doomsday myths via the media, but very hard to get even a mention of Ayn Rand,
even though her bestseller Atlas Shrugged (1957) demonstrated what many today are
finally starting to realize: capitalism yields prosperity, whereas statism (or collectivism)
destroys it.
But Mr. Ruby insinuates that I "imagined" that he and his clients (such
as Greenpeace) want people to be sacrificed to nature (Protect People, Not Rats --
by Glenn Woiceshyn -- July 16). If so, then why are they trying to hand government
the power -- via endangered-species legislation -- to do so? I gave examples of how
people are being sacrificed to nature under the U.S. Endangered Species Act, and
I explained how this is consistent with environmentalism's underlying philosophy.
Mr. Ruby evaded my facts and arguments, and attempted to dismis me on grounds that
I admire Ayn Rand. How pathetic!
Mr. Ruby argues that Canada should pass endangered-species legislation because a
poll indicates support from ninety-four percent of Canadians. This begs several questions.
Are these people aware of the details and full implications? Are they familiar with
the U.S. experience--which I provided. Do people really understand environmentalism?
Is the majority always right? Are individual rights at the mercy of majority rule?
After all, Hitler -- who wanted to sacrifice people to the state -- came to power
by democratic vote.
The purpose of my article was to provide relevant information and insight which people
normally are not exposed to. This obviously makes Mr. Ruby unhappy. Too bad!
Sincerely,
Glenn Woiceshyn
© 1997 Glenn Woiceshyn. All rights reserved.
This article can be found on-line at at http://www.capitalism.org/glennw. |
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