The College Fix

According to Zach Wahls, of Youtube fame, liberals and libertarians should start building “a bridge to not nowhere.”

During a webinar last night as part of the Students For Liberty Webinar series, liberal activist Zach Wahls (a Fix Contributor–read his articles here) emphasized cooperation and respect for liberal-libertarian alliances under the banner of “liberal-tarianism.”

Wahls said that liberals and libertarians should frame their differences–market failure, prejudice/privilege, government’s role and purpose, and principle/pragmatism–and form partnerships where they define goals, build trust and relationships, identify strategies, tactics, and a plan of action, execute the plan, and then wrap-up and have a resolution. All of these steps are crucial to building lasting left-libertarian alliances.

But it’s not all easy going. There are many obstacles to cooperation, said Wahls, such as distrust on economic issues, the internal incongruity in libertarianism, and staunch principle-oriented libertarians.

Despite the differences there is much overlap on issues such as ending the drug war, protecting civil rights, recognizing same-sex marriages, protecting internet freedom, and opposing imperialistic interventionism, the prison industrial complex, and governmental business collusion.

Wahls’ parting words were universal for all movements.

“When having a conversation, disagreements will arise but it is important to sit down and talk through difference of opinion and belief and respect is key,” he said. “Remember, it is not to covert anyone, just to form alliances and work together for a better tomorrow.”

Students For Liberty is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide a unified, student-driven forum of support for students and student organizations dedicated to liberty.

Fix Contributor Judith Ayers is a student at York College of Pennsylvania and a member of Students for Liberty.

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