This letter from https://libertyagainstfascism.wordpress.com/ came out before the Charlottesville attack.

Today (August 12th, 2017), the “Unite the Right” rally is scheduled to proceed in Charlottesville, VA. The “Right” being united there isn’t just any “Right,” but one that welcomes white supremacists and self-described fascists. Multiple speakers will say this themselves, and the chants at a chaotic pre-event march the night before included Neo-Nazi slogans.

The purpose of this letter is to clarify the role for libertarianism in this rally – which is no role at all.

That clarification is necessary because it might appear otherwise. Three of the listed speakers have at one time or another identified as libertarians: Mike Enoch, Augustus Invictus, and Christopher Cantwell. Mike Enoch previously called himself a libertarian, but now mocks the philosophy as “autistic.” Augustus Invictus previously attempted to run for Senate through the Libertarian Party. Recently, though, he publicly changed his registration to Republican in disgust. Christopher Cantwell now seems ambivalent about his relationship with libertarianism and anarchism, but his primary identification is with fascism.

Regardless of how any speakers or attendees have identified in the past or present, we want to make clear that this event is not in any way a place for libertarianism. Among libertarians, some identify as “right-wing,” some as “left-wing,” and some as “radical centrists.” Virtually the entire outside political spectrum is mirrored within libertarianism, and this makes for no shortage of infighting. One area where the undersigned have consensus, however, is in a rejection of any attempt to connect white supremacy and fascism to libertarianism. Libertarians, including those who see themselves as on “the Right,” have no interest in uniting with the horrifically authoritarian “Right” – often called the “Alt-Right” – rallying in Charlottesville.

All this should be exceedingly obvious from even a cursory glance at the two movements.

On a historical note, modern-day libertarianism largely took root in the English-speaking world through Jewish intellectuals, some of whom fled the Nazis. Our movement grew as a revolt against fascism, Communism, and early twentieth-century progressivism. As Thomas Leonard has shown in his Illiberal Reformers, that third enemy’s intellectual history is closely interwoven with eugenics.

On the level of philosophy, libertarianism stresses the freedom of individuals even when that freedom goes against some supposed collective will. The entire point behind a politics of white supremacy is to replace free association with endless central planning and regulation on collectivist racial grounds. “Unite the Right” speaker Richard Spencer actively seeks to turn the United States into a 100% white ethno-state. It is impossible to conceive of this happening without a return of the total state and its horrors.

Despite the obvious incompatibility of that totalitarianism and libertarianism (of any kind), an attempted association between the two is unsurprising. Attempts at rebooting authoritarian movements often operate through a tactic called entryism. Entryism is where a smaller political movement attempts to capture a larger one and seize its resources. In cases like fascism and Communism, the tendency towards entryism is probably a joint product of amoral opportunism and an inability to rationally defend their views.

It is necessary, then, for libertarians to restate the exceedingly obvious and insist on the stark differences between our views and those of anyone with any affinity for National Socialist Germany.

We, the undersigned, affirm such a gulf between liberty and its opposite.

To sign this letter, please send your name and any other information you’d like to include (such as an institutional affiliation) to libertyagainstfascism at gmail dot com.

SIGNATORIES (currently in the process of alphabetizing):

Dominique Abshire

Corey Adkison

Julian Adorney

Paul E. Altum

Joshua Ammons

Melanie Angel

Ibrahim B. Anoba (Acting Executive Director, African Liberty Organization for Development – Lagos, Nigeria)

– Lagos, Nigeria) Alex Aragona

Meg Arnold (Social Media Coordinator, Center for a Stateless Society )

) The Badmin ( Bad Memes for Bad Boys with Bad Politics )

) Adam Bates

Omar Benmegdoul

Scott Bieser (cartoonist / creator, Quantum Vibe )

) Chris Bordelon (Member, Libertarian Party of Louisiana )

) David T. Beito

Erin Berkenpas [Lahman]

Vincent Birrittella

Eric Boehm (Reporter, Reason Magazine)

Donald Boudreaux

Adam Brooks

Elizabeth Nolan Brown (Associate Editor, Reason.com)

Jason Lee Byas (Fellow, Center for a Stateless Society )

) Zach Cadman

Ryan Calhoun (Fellow, Center for a Stateless Society )

) Kevin A. Carson (Senior Fellow, Center for a Stateless Society )

) Gary Chartier

Billy Christmas

David Colborne (Chair, Washoe County Libertarian Party ; Vice-Chair, Libertarian Party of Nevada )

; Vice-Chair, ) Nick Cooper (Campus Coordinator, Students For Liberty; Former Chapter Chairman, America’s Future Foundation)

Former Chapter Chairman, Alexander Wade Craig

Tyler Crock

Allen Dalton

Jonathan Daniel (Undergraduate Student Philosopher, William Jewell College )

) Nathan C. Davis

Eric D. Dixon

Paul Dutton

Joanna Fransisco

Colin French

Cody Frosh ( Students For Liberty )

) Alexis Garretson

Cole Gentles (self-identified Really, Really, Really Cool Dude)

Charlie Gers ( Students For Liberty )

) Matthew Gilliland

Mike Gogulski

Peter Golightly

Camilo Gómez ( Young Voices Advocates ; host, Late Night Anarchy )

; host, ) Nathan Goodman

J.P. Gonzales (Former North American Executive Board Member, Students For Liberty )

) Anthony Gregory

Phillip Griffith

Caitlin Grimes (Global Communications Manager, Students for Liberty )

) Gilbert Guerra (President, Swarthmore Conservative Society at Swarthmore College)

at Swarthmore College) Brian Hagen

Romo Hallahan

Tracy Bruce Harms

Sean Haugh

Lee Herridge (creator, Aussie Liberty ; host / producer, Taking Liberties Radio)

; host / producer, Radio) Steve Horwitz (John H. Schnatter Distinguished Professor of Free Enterprise, Ball State University )

) Chris Hernandez

Crystal Hollis

Adam G. “Brick” House

Jack Hunter (Politics Editor, Rare.us)

Christopher R. Hudson, Jr.

Trevor Hultner (Investigations Coordinator, Center for a Stateless Society ; cohost/producer, The Terminus Podcast )

; cohost/producer, ) Cliff Hyra (Candidate for Governor of Virginia, Libertarian Party )

) Parker M. Jenkins

Charles W. Johnson

Bill Jokela

Peter Jordan

Angela Keaton

Jason Keisling

C. Edward Kelso (author of The Market Anarchist: Do Not Let the Hero in Your Soul Perish)

Ashley Kessler

Shane Killian (podcaster, Bogosity, YouTuber, shanedk)

YouTuber, Thomas Knapp ( William Lloyd Garrison Center for Libertarian Advocacy Journalism )

) Kevin Currie-Knight (Teaching Assistant Professor, East Carolina University College of Education )

) Jason Kuznicki

Paul Krane (Vice President, BSC Spectrum, Birmingham-Southern College ; Perennial Congressional Candidate)

; Perennial Congressional Candidate) Jared Labell (Executive Director, The Libertarian Institute ; Taxpayers United of America )

; ) Dr. Wolf von Laer (Chief Executive Officer, Students For Liberty)

Angel Lauver

Mark LeBar

Eric Leja

Jacob T. Levy

John Lindley

Roderick Long (Professor of Philosophy, Auburn University ; President, Molinari Institute & Molinari Society ; Senior Fellow, Center for a Stateless Society ; Co-Editor, Molinari Review & Journal of Ayn Rand Studies )

; President, & ; Senior Fellow, ; Co-Editor, & ) Karl Thomas Luecke

Stephen Lusk (Campus Coordinator, Students For Liberty)

Siobhan Lynch ( Outright Libertarians)

Earl D. Lyons

Yusuf Mahmood ( Students For Liberty )

) Akiva Malamet

Sean Malone (Director of Media, Foundation for Economic Education)

Melissa Mann (Reason Foundation)

Bruce Majors (Contributor, The Hill; writer, Breitbart, Daily Caller, The Federalist)

Keir Martland ( Cambridge University ; Ludwig von Mises Centre UK )

; ) Cory Massimino (Senior Academic Programs Chair, Students For Liberty ; Mutual Exchange Coordinator, Center for a Stateless Society )

; Mutual Exchange Coordinator, ) Joey McAuley (wanted me to list him as being with the Human Fund, may as well.)

may as well.) Matthew McCaffrey ( University of Manchester ; Editor, Libertarian Papers ; Associated Scholar, Ludwig von Mises Institute )

; Editor, ; Associated Scholar, ) Alex McHugh (Communications Coordinator, Students For Liberty )

) Noah Mickel (Campus Coordinator, Students For Liberty; Campus Coordinator, Turning Point USA; Campus Ambassador, Foundation for Economic Education )

Campus Coordinator, Campus Ambassador, ) Gabriel Mitchell

Andie Moore (Vice-Chairperson, Australia & New Zealand Students For Liberty)

Corey Moore

John Moser (Professor of History, Ashland University )

) Iain Murray (Vice President, Competitive Enterprise Institute )

) Nicholas O’Connell

Jonathan Okun

Tom Palmer

Geoff Parks

Sam Parkinson

Leslee Ann Petersen ( Outright Libertarians ; Povertarian Caucus ; Audacious Caucus )

; ; ) Jeff Peterson II ( We the Individuals )

) Nick Pham (Officer, Young Americans for Liberty at the University of Texas at Austin )

) Alex Pilkington ( Students For Liberty )

) Kyle A. Platt

Colin Flynn Porter

Tony Prashad (Sovereign Individual, Urban Farm Educator)

Joseph F. Pritchard (quadriplegic poet and author)

Daniel Pryor (Education Manager, Adam Smith Institute )

) Sheldon Richman (Executive Editor, The Libertarian Institute)

Brendan Roman

Sarah Skwire (Senior Fellow, Liberty Fund, Inc. )

) Dawud Talib ( Muslims 4 Liberty )

) Jeffrey Tucker ( Foundation for Economic Education )

) Matt Zwolinski (Professor of Philosophy, University of San Diego)

Jesse Walker (books editor, Reason)

Robby Soave (associate editor, Reason)

James Tuttle (Financial Coordinator, Center for a Stateless Society)

Bill Woolsey (Associate Professor of Economics, The Citadel ; Mayor, Town of James Island )

; Mayor, ) Andrea Shepard

Lucy Steigerwald (writer)

Marc Scribner (Senior Fellow, Competitive Enterprise Institute)

Mara Jyn Roth

Robert K. Stock

Nicholas Singleton ( Students For Liberty )

) Kelly Wright (Former Student Leader, Students For Liberty & Young Americans for Liberty )

& ) Will Walker

Kieran Wall ( University of Ottawa Liberty Society)

Michael Tanner

Sam Raptis (Former Campus Coordinator, Students For Liberty )

) Jody Weitzman

Veronica Stefanko

Cooper Williams

Alexander R. Smith

Zachary Woodman ( Students For Liberty )

) Kelly Kidwell (former student leader, Students For Liberty & Young Americans for Liberty )

& ) Otto Lehto

Andrew Taranto

Mike Shipley (Chair, Outright Libertarians )

) Steve Lolyouwish (blogger, A Sisyphean Revolt )

) Omry Shapira (Former Local Coordinator, Students For Liberty)

Ryan Willis

Brett Ritchey

Keith E. Whittington (William Nelson Cromwell Professor of Politics, Princeton University)

Chris Shaeffer

Robert Wicks

Justin Tucker (Chair, The Libertarian Party of Chicago; Deputy Field Director, Libertarian Party of Illinois)

Deputy Field Director, Justin Vavak

Ellen Young

Jacob Woolbright

Wendy Stolyarov (Legislative Director, Libertarian Party of Nevada)

Rob York

Adam Raby

Zachary Yost (Young Voices Advocate)

Tavish Kelly (Former State Chair, Young Americans for Liberty)

Zachary Silva

Brian Ramsdell

Geoffrey Allan Plauché

Eric Yao

Ben Stone ( Bad Quaker )

) Bryant Jackson-Green

Joe Wendt

Eric Joseph Szymanski II

Rachel Douchant (Professor of Philosophy; Director, Liberty & Ethics Center , Lindenwood University )

, ) Paul Stanton

Thomas J. Webb

Jerry Ladd

Nick Reid / Comrad Hermit ( Exiled in Happy Valley )

) John David Ward ( Santa Clara County Libertarian Party )

) Michael Payne ( Libertarian Party of Kentucky )

) Stephen J Goulet ( The Society for Creative Anarchism )

) Mark Hilgenberg (Former State Chair, Libertarian Party of Utah )

) Jerrod A. Laber (writer & non-profit program director)

Jake Douglas Bobay (Ronald Reagan Fellow, Goldwater Institute ; surrogate delegate, Iowa for Rand Paul ; veteran political operative; former Executive Board Member, Arizona State University College Republicans; former member , ASU Young Americans for Liberty; former Campus Coordinator, Students For Liberty; political writer, libertarian, activist, commentator, social critic, The Libertarian Republic; Liberty Viral; BlueRepublican.org; Punk Rock Libertarians; Newslogue; Liberty.me – *formerly* [emphasis in signature email] contributed content at The Liberty Conservative )

; surrogate delegate, ; veteran political operative; former Executive Board Member, former member former Campus Coordinator, political writer, libertarian, activist, commentator, social critic, – *formerly* [emphasis in signature email] contributed content at The ) Jonathan Steinbiser (Member, Libertarian Party )

) Trey Reginelli

Andrew Criscione (organizer, Boston Austrian Economics Group )

) Zac Gochenour

David Huther

Lizz Sawyer

John Jascob

Kent Weatherbee

Eric Fogelberg ( Free the People )

) Corey J. Rusko (Former Campus Coordinator, Students for Liberty ; Koch Fellow: Policy, Summer 2016)

; Koch Fellow: Policy, Summer 2016) Michael Kielsky (Attorney at Law; former Chairman, Arizona Libertarian Party ; Libertarian Candidate for Arizona Attorney General)

; Libertarian Candidate for Arizona Attorney General) C. Michael Pickens ( Libertarian Leadership Academy )

) James Peron ( Moorfield Storey Institute ; Fr33minds.com )

; ) Shal Marriott (Campus Coordinator; Students For Liberty )

) Angel Clark

Peg McIntyre

Paul Nicolosi (Attorney)

Dan Johnson (Former National Director, People Against the NADA; Solutions Institute; Tax Revolution Institute ; Current Executive Director, We Do Better )

; Current Executive Director, ) Luke Henderson (Contributor, The Libertarian Vindicator; Executive Committeeman, Missouri Libertarian Party )

Executive Committeeman, ) Scott King

Kennita Watson (Executive Committee, Santa Clara County Libertarian Party )

) Conor McGarry (Former State Chair & Chapter President, Young Americans For Liberty ; Former Campus Coordinator, Students For Liberty ; Member, Republican Liberty Caucasus )

; Former Campus Coordinator, ; Member, ) Josh Guckert (Former Editor in Chief, The Libertarian Republic )

) Joseph Howe (Officer, Libertarian Party of Iowa ; Johnson 2016 Volunteer Coordinator; Rand Paul 2016 Polk County Chair)

; Johnson 2016 Volunteer Coordinator; Rand Paul 2016 Polk County Chair) John C. Martin

Eric Mytko

Dave Dellinger (Former Member of the National Platform Committee, Libertarian Party )

) Ava Sophia Brightstar

Andy Craig (Political Director, Libertarian Pragmatist Caucus ; Endorsements Director, Johnson/Weld 2016 )

; Endorsements Director, ) Rob Addison Van Tuinen ( Artists for Free Expression ; Host, The Third Perspective )

; Host, ) Campbell Ray (State Coordinator, Students For Liberty Queensland, Australia )

) Joel D. Wurnig

Kevin Boyd (writer and commentator)

Scott T. Stevenson Fred Hewitt (Libertarian Christian Anarchist)

Richard Reynolds ( Libertarian Party of Missouri, Buchanan County )

) Sharon Presley ( Association of Libertarian Feminists )

) Association of Libertarian Feminists

Ellen Young ( Libertarians For Immigrants )

) Libertarians For Immigrants

Harriet Jesper

Paul T. Charters (Secretary, NEOK LP )

) Carolyn “Care” Clift (2014 Libertarian Candidate for Alaska Governor)

Bruce W. Schultz

Jackson Howard Wagner ( Students for Rand – Michigan State University ; Michigan State College Libertarians )

; ) Jose Amilcar Camilo

Guilherme Reis

Bobby Wakesleep

William Nava

λιμπερταριανισμός (Greek YouTube channel)

Or Ben Zvi Reif

Anna Shnaidman (Regional Director for Southern Europe, European Students for Liberty )

) Jay P. Hailey (Taxi Driver, Spokane, WA.)

Maryam Mohammed

Avens O’Brien (Chapter Leader, Ladies of Liberty Alliance ; Contributor, The Libertarian Republic ; Former Vice Chair, Libertarian Party of New Hampshire )

; Contributor, ; Former Vice Chair, ) Kathryn Kuntz

James R. Oaksun (Former National Treasurer [2010]; Libertarian Party )

) Jim Cunagin

Scott Bowers (industrial chemical / robotics manufacturer)

Michael Croteau (Member, Libertarian Party )

) Skylar Walker

Bunyamin Aydin ( 3H Movement )

) Nazlican Kanmaz

Michael Mangold MD

Angela Fisher (Philanthropist)

Andrew J. Richter (Ohio)

Dan Ust

D.K. Williams (Former State Chairman, Libertarian Party of Colorado )

) Tom Tague

Elisha Valdez ( ERRVoluntaryist )

) Thomas T. Simmons (Professor Emeritus of Economics, Greenfield Community College ; 2016 Libertarian Congressional candidate)

; 2016 Libertarian Congressional candidate) Sam Erickson (Founder and President, Illini Libertarians )

) Jon Gabso (Member, Libertarian Party & Libertarian Party of Rhode Island )

& ) Kitty Antonik Wakfer ( Self-Sovereign Individual Project )

) Garrett S. Watson

Jillian Waller

Sergio Méndez

Michael W Lettie

Ashley Kuvet (Former Texas State Chair, Young Americans for Liberty ; Campus Coordinator, Students For Liberty )

; Campus Coordinator, ) Caleb Franz (Podcast Director, OUTSET Network ; Host, MilLiberty

; Host, Jill Galvan ( Dankertarians ; LPMN ; LP )

; ; ) Philip Cavender

Jason Casella ( People Against the NDAA ; Tax Revolution Institute ; Solutions Institut e )

; ; ) Leslie Scardigno

Max Ortengren (Vice President, College Republicans, Florida Gulf Coast University )

) Michael Bronspigel ( Capitalism is Freedom Foundation )

) Steve Dutner (Candidate for Illinois Secretary of State, Libertarian Party ; Activism Director, Libertarian Party of Illinois ; Vice Chair, Dupage Libertarians )

; Activism Director, ; Vice Chair, ) Steve Suess (Communications Division Director, Libertarian Party of Illinois ; Candidate for McLean County (IL) Board)

; Candidate for McLean County (IL) Board) David Earl Williams III (2018 Illinois Libertarian Lt. Governor candidate)

Helen Dale (Miles Franklin Literary Award Winner)

Donald J. Henning, PhD. (Member, Libertarian Party, Libertarian Party of Illinois, Sons of Confederate Veterans)

Lisa Charly (Member, Outright Libertarians)

Andrew Scobie

David Clement (North American Programs Director, Students For Liberty)

James E. O’Gallagher

Todd A. “Yogi” Light (Member, Libertarian Party of Chicago)

Grant A. Mincy (Energy & Environment Advisory Council Member, Our America Initiative)

Anthony Q. Thompson (Attorney)

Danielle Davidson (Australian Libertarian Society)

Tim Andrews (Executive Director, Australian Taxpayers’ Alliance)

Boris Karpa

Mikayla Novak (Adjunct Fellow, Institute of Public Affairs, Australia)

Andrew Reynolds

Tyler Lindsey (Executive Director, #VoteDifferent & #DisruptTheVote

Desarae Lindsey (Operations Director, #VoteDifferent & #DisruptTheVote

Steve Foerster (President, New World University)

Janet Bufton (Program Coordinator, Institute for Liberal Studies )

Steve Trinward (Soul Proprietor, trinWORDS; Contributing Editor, Rational Review News Digest; Editor, Progressive News Digest)

Daphna Morell (Students For Liberty Israel; Ladies Of Liberty Alliance)

Richard Bennett (libertarian in Illinois)

Ian Peak (Volunteers Director, Libertarian Party of Illinois; Chair, South Central Libertarians)

Bob Weber (Two-time Southern Vice-Chair, Libertarian Party of California)

Michael Jage

Michael Barker (Cañada Tree Care)

Satyajeet Marar (Director, MyChoice Australia)

Richard Sincere (Co-Founder, Gays and Lesbians for Individual Liberty; Former Chairman, Libertarian Party of Virginia)

Jesse Velay-Vitow (Students For Liberty)

Thomas R. Eddlem

Stuart Hatch (Executive Director, Australian Libertarian Society)

Christopher Santo Mason

Mase R. Molina (RVG Libertarians)

Ed Enos

Gabriel de Andrade (Students For Liberty Brazil; Instituto de Formação de Líderes de Santa Catarina – Brazil)

Robert Bartnik (Regional Coordinator – South Australia; Australia & New Zealand Students For Liberty [ANZSFL])

Cody Davis (Vice-Chairman, Mohave County AZ Libertarian Party; Member, Libertarian Party Radical Caucus)

Brandon Gunn (Libertarian Party; Libertarian Party of Illinois)

Charles Richardson (blogger, The World is Not Enough, Australia)

J.C. Cook (Vice Chair, Libertarian Party – Henderson County, TX)

Christopher D. Osborn (Member, Lions of Liberty podcast’s Lion Guard [Oslo, Norway])”

Todd Myers (Professor of Political Economy)

Reece Holl

Micah J. Fleck

Jonathan Winder (Libertarian Party – Mohave County, Arizona)

George Godwyn

Jim Rongstad (Secretary Libertarian Party of Minnesota [1998 – 2003])

Carla Gericke

Brinck Slattery

Nicholas Cote (President, Right Way Forward Virginia)

Scott Bush

Joel Williamson (Non Serviam Media)

Eric Schuler (Contributor, The Libertarian Institute )

) Idan Eretz (Liberty for All; Students For Liberty)

Duston Barto (Co-Director, Foothills Interfaith Assembly)

Trey Morrison

Asaf Almog (University of Virginia)

Josh “Jack” Walsh

Bradley K. Hobbs (Clinical Professor of Economics, Clemson University)

Nathaniel Scalf

Kenneth Mulvena

Adam Whitley