Libertarian Response to Homelessness Commentary
On behalf of the Libertarian Party of Kansas I’d like to address a recent commentary article titled “Libertarian ideals behind Wichita’s callous contempt toward the homeless.”
What the article gets correct is that Charles Koch is technically a Libertarian on paper and that the Wichita elite class tend to rally behind his political clout and fundraising efforts. But that is about where the truth ends, as it relates to the Libertarian Party at least. The truth is that the Libertarian Party of Kansas has never seen any kind of support - financial, social, or otherwise - from Charles Koch. His “brand” of Libertarianism certainly does not represent the majority of us.
In 2022 we hosted our Annual State Convention right here in Wichita. It was one of the biggest conventions we’d ever had, with both our 2020 Presidential and Vice Presidential candidates in attendance. We conducted party business most of the day Saturday and we spent our Sunday afternoon handing out supplies with our friend April - or the “Crazy Sack Lady” on Facebook. She is downtown every single day handing out food and supplies to the homeless. Our district leader and local Libertarian LJ Hermreck - or “Liberty ICT” on Facebook - helped us gather supplies and we were able to give a cash donation to April’s efforts as well.
The idea that Libertarianism means to “let the strong survive, and the weak die” is our biggest issue with the previous article. It’s simply inaccurate. Does our political philosophy endorse government handouts? No. Does our political philosophy endorse letting those less fortunate than us freeze and die in the cold? Also NO. Libertarians are not callous. A big tenet of our party that often gets overlooked is voluntaryism. Many of us donate time, energy, and resources to making the cities we live in better places for all.
Outside of voluntaryism, our party would ask you to look at what ways the government could actually be impeding homeless efforts. For example, how does law enforcement treat the homeless population? How are city planners and zoning boards helping our housing supply? Do our current laws prohibit extra dwellings, extra tenants, tiny homes, etc? Let’s open a discussion to real collaborative ideas and let us not continue the cycle of passing the blame.
We would like to invite anyone interested in learning more about the true spirit of Kansas Libertarians to engage with us on social media, check out our website, or come to an event sometime. We are committed to America’s heritage of freedom: individual liberty and personal responsibility, a free-market economy of abundance and prosperity, a foreign policy of non-intervention, peace and free trade.
Olivia Hayse
LPKS Marketing Director
Derby, KS
