Libertarians Revisted

A reader (who asked that I not use his name) wrote in response to yesterday’s essay:

The movement is going through a profound realignment right now — with pro-Iraq liberation libertarians like you, the Samizdata crowd, Neal Boortz, Glenn Reynolds and others being criticized by the institutionalized anti-war libertarians who have pretty much run the movement for the last thirty years.

There is no question in my mind, as a long-time activist, that the new crowd is far more dynamic and in-touch with political realities. It is not clear to me, however, that they will not simply abandon the movement to the old-school libertarians who were motivated initially, I think, by a desire not to be seen as taking sides against their leftist friends — who were winning the culture war in the sixties and seventies. Today, their anti-war position seems more to do with momentum and habit.

That’s heartening to hear, especially from an insider. I’m curious to see if the capital-L Libertarian movement can be captured by the small-l newcomers.