Relations with other, more specialized and mixed groups?

[Burgess Laughlin]

Here is a topic for consideration: What is OIR's relationship to other
but more specialized groups? Examples below. They are not Objectivist
organizations or movements and they are therefore not consistent in
supporting individual rights.

Are they still suitable for (1) individual Objectivists to support,
and for (2) OIR to support organizationally on an ad hoc basis (e.g.,
a particular ballot measure)?

- A movement to stop an established tax by placing it on the ballot.

- A movement to roll back laws against "street drugs." (Oregon NORML,
perhaps.)

- An organization (such as Oregon NARAL) whose main purpose is
protecting a woman's right to choose an abortion -- but also, wrongly,
advocating some statist measures?

- A movement to "reform" or "streamline" (but not abolish on
principle) certain regulations (e.g., "land-use planning").

- A movement that supports a "fair" tax -- lowering the rate for many
but raising the rate for others who might now pay little or no tax.

- A broad, diffuse movement such as the Tea Party movement, one which
includes religious people and others who are opposed to "Big
Government," but not on the basis of the principle of individual
rights.

[Brad Williams]

I will answer this next week.

Brad

[Burgess Laughlin]

Here are notes, offered just as an example of what can go wrong with
seeming allies.

1. The national organization, Americans United for Separation of
Church and State, has one chapter in Oregon, the Columbia Chapter:
http://www.keepthemseparate.org/index.htm

2. The Reverend Barry Lynn is the Executive Director of the national
AUSCS. According to a Wall Street Journal article, "Faith-Based Double
Standards," Rev. Lynn is a member of the Obama administration's "Faith-
Based and Neighborhood Partnerships" office, which is the direct
descendent of President Bush's Office of Faith-Based Initiatives.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204731804574391183769432284.html

Rev. Lynn, a supposed advocate of separation of Church and State, is
now participating in a government office that sanctions religions.

From the article by WSJ writer Mollie Hemingway:

"Barry Lynn, head of Americans United for Separation of Church and
State, was a vocal critic of Mr. Bush's faith-based office. Now, under
Mr. Obama, he serves on the advisory council's task force to improve
the functioning of the office. Explaining his turnaround, he said he
doesn't view Mr. Obama's office as partisan—the way Mr. Bush's was.
But acknowledging that there was no substantive difference between the
offices yet, Mr. Lynn said: 'We have a guarded optimism that when the
advisory council, Justice and the White House act and get down to the
nitty gritty, they will make this a constitutionally protected
program. However, we have no proof of that and no guarantee'.

Now that is the audacity of hope."