Though Cowards Flinch

Ever since Spectator columnist Alex Massie apologised for calling me a Nazi, I’ve had a bit of a soft spot for his scribblings.

I rarely bother with the inconsequential and/or racist and/or absurd  drivel of some of the writers on the Spectator site, but Alex’s stuff does stand out as coming from someone with an independence of mind.  I particularly liked the way he stood against the herd over the ‘Neathergate’ scandal, and then called out Liddle for the obnoxious twat that he is. 

I’ve also really liked his short pieces on the top Tories’ obsession with ‘nudge’ behavioural economics, and how this their ‘liberal paternalism’ is little more than a cover for all-to0-traditional elite authoritarianism.

So, while I don’t lose too much sleep about it, I do wonder why Alex is wasting his time and talent at the Spectator. 

His latest short post, on the problems facing Haiti, should be a thought-provoking piece which re-ignites a serious debate within the so-called ‘libertarian’ community about freedom of labour movement as a balance to historical legacy of slave trade ‘reparations’ and then the insouciance of Western capitalism to mass poverty and misery on its doorstep. 

It should open up questions on why or why not this might be an appropriate step for Haiti, and about any wider replicability.  It should open the door for libertarian/lovers of liberty to get into some serious debate about human rights in their widest conception.

Instead, as of now, there have been four comments.  One’s a bit tangential, about how the Irish economy grew in the ’90s, but does at least try to engage.  One’s incomprehensible, and the other two are racist tosh.

He must feel like bashing his head against the wall.

So here’s an offer, Alex, if you’re reading.

Why not come over and write for Though Cowards Flinch?  Sure, Dave and I may not agree with some of your analysis, perhaps considering your own libertarian stance to be a bit short of a proper analysis of current social and economic power relations. 

But, you’ll get to say your piece, unencumbered of any lingering editorial direction to feed the trolls what they want. And we can assure you that, in general, our readership is open to argument, and (mostly) respectful about it, as I think liberal/liberal-left thinkers-and-doers like Sunny, Giles and Paul S would acknowledge even if they disagree with some or all of Dave’s (and my?) fundamentals around class relations.

Of course, we probably can’t offer you the terms you currently enjoy at the Spectator, although, as is now well known , we are currently working on a big scam to ensure all left wing blogs get 80,000 quid from the taxpayer to run their blogs and drink champagne with, so you’ll be able to have a share of that if you conform properly. 

But in the meantime, there’s got to be more to live than being either ignored in favour of Rod Twatface Liddle, or reviled for actually having a modicum of sense, and a sense of humanity.

Massie, come on home, boy.