[mrick]

[ QUOTE ]
i read the first third and so far, as i understand it, people can't be free b/c someone might point a laser with the intensity of a flashlight at your house.



[/ QUOTE ]It's obvious you got to read it again a couple of times.

Friedman is not saying that "you can't be free" if someone shines a laser beam at your ranch. He is saying that when someone shines a laser beam at your ranch, it becomes evident that the supposedly very straight-forward notion of private property needs to be re-visited by libertarians, because it has been abused by some of them. As the author states, "Although we give some value, perhaps very great value, to individual rights, we do not give them an infinite value."

Friedman's other example of a society (even a libertarian society) being invaded and proclaiming a military draft is spot on -- and another heart breaker for some ACists round these here parts.

Yep, definitely, you should read it again a couple of times... [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]