Outright Libertarians
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Outright Libertarians is a United States association of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered, and other self-identified "queer" (LGBTQ) Libertarian Party activists and supporters. Outright Libertarians has at times been incorrectly characterized as an organization dedicated either to promoting the LGBT rights movement or working against it. It is in fact an organization which primarily focuses on promoting the ideology of libertarianism and the Libertarian Party (United States) to LGBTQ persons and supporting other organizations with similar goals. Outright Libertarians is friendly with like-minded groups such as the Pink Pistols.
[edit] History
Outright Libertarians was created in 1998 by a group of libertarian gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender persons that wanted to persuade their fellow LGBTQ persons to support a libertarian perspective on gay rights issues. It became the third such organization to exist, with the defunct "Libertarians For Gay and Lesbians Concerns" being the first, and the "Gays and Lesbians for Individual Liberty" being largely inactive since 2001.
[edit] Position on LGBTQ rights
- Sodomy Laws - Oppose sodomy laws as "unwarranted intrusion into the private bedrooms of ALL consenting adults." Even through the United States Supreme Court has ruled that sodomy laws are unconstititonal (see Lawrence v. Texas), Outright Libertarians seeks to have states repeal the laws from the books, such as the one in Utah.[1]
- Marriage - While the government is involved in the business of civil marriage, it should not exclude same-sex couples, but eventually Outright Libertarians want the government to have "no role to play in the relationships of people, other than possibly as a record keeper." Outright Libertarians oppose any government law requiring a license to marry or a private employer to provide any type of benefits to its employee.
- Adoption - Opposes any government rule in the adoption of children, except as a record keeper, and to address fraud, coercion or abuse.
- Affirmative Action - Opposes the expansion of civil rights laws to include sexual orientation because they feel that (absent of a contract) all private employment should be at-will, allowing the employer to hire or fire whomever he or she wishes. Libertarians oppose all affirmative action or anti-discrimination laws that regulate the private sector.
- Taxes & AIDS Funding - Oppose most taxes, and believe all funding of AIDS research, prevention and health care should be private and voluntary.
- Hate Crimes - Opposes all hate crime laws and all victimless crime laws.
- Gays in the Military - Supports allowing openly gay men and women to serve in the armed forces.
- Boy Scouts of America - Supports the right of private clubs and organizations, such as the Boy Scouts of America, to absolute "freedom of association," but is opposed to any form of government subsidy.
