Free Stater exposes ‘seedy underbelly’ of liberty movement: ‘We attract the dregs of society’
As hundreds of libertarians, anarchists and voluntaryists descend on Roger’s Campground in Lancaster for PorcFest, the Porcupine Freedom Festival, one of the topics for discussion is “Why Liberty Attracts Scumbags.”
In a Concord Monitor feature on the festival, Free Stater Joel Valenzuela praised the “liberty lovers” who are flocking to the festival. The early mover from Arizona described PorcFest as a “libertarian laboratory” where “people just seem to have that sort of creative excitement where anything they want to try they’re willing to try there.”
In a more private setting, his blog, Valenzuela paints a different picture. “I know many people of great achievement, selfless compassion, and brilliant humor who easily outclass their counterparts outside of the liberty movement,” he writes. “However, that doesn’t change the fact that a sizable chunk of this movement is comprised of some real lowlifes.”
“It’s the elephant in the room that no one in the movement wants to talk about,” Valenzuela continues. “I’m talking about theft, fraud, and financial irresponsibility. I’m talking about creepy behavior and unwelcome advances bordering on sexual harassment. I’m talking about insults, harassment, and general unkindness…”
Valenzuela says the group can no longer turn a blind eye to the “seedy underbelly of the liberty movement.” He blames the situation on “a surprisingly-large contingent of apologists” within the movement. “Let’s be honest, we attract the dregs of society because we put up with them,” he writes. “The solution is amazingly simple: stop tolerating terrible people.”