Recently, I saw Michael Moore sit on Jay Leno's couch and declare that "Capitalism is evil."  I must admit I found this statement pretty shocking.

Hypocrisy?

There is the obvious hypocrisy of the charge, because Michael Moore doesn't make movies for free---nor does he live in poverty like Mother Theresa. But the hyprocrisy doesn't much bother me. I've come to expect Michael Moore and those like him on the left and right to make statements that don't quite synch-up with reality.  For example, Al Gore lectures us on our carbon footprint but doesn't hold himself up as an example of a small carbon footprint.

It's not like the lefties own hypocrisy.  Ted Haggard, the homosexual pastor, and Jimmy Swaggart, the philandering televangelist, come to mind immediately.

I disagree with the assertion.

Furthermore, I disagree with Michael Moore's assertion, because as I was taught and as my life experience seems to indicate: capitalism is freedom.  Capitalism grants individuals the power to buy what they want. Capitalism breaks the caste system because anyone can open any business, pursue any vocation or do anything that they think serves their needs. The market seems to punish those who don't serve the needs of the public, while it rewards (often richly) those who solve problems, invent solutions and provide needed services. To me capitalism seems to be the American promise.

But, I'm willing to admit that those observations are just my personal opinions but I'm not outraged because I disagree with Michael Moore.

Evil ...

I'm outraged because he charges that capitalism is "evil".  He could have made a number of charges which I may or may not have disagreed with. He could have called capitalism inefficient; unfair; stupid; a rat-race or whatever else he wanted to say about the system that gave America the highest standard of living in the world.  But by choosing the word "evil" he has marked out a line that ends discussion. 

As I understand evil, you can't negotiate with evil. You can't live with evil. Evil must be destroyed because evil is a cancer that will consume and destroy everything it touches.

When Michael Moore calls me "evil" (as Howard Dean has done the past) then he has declared war on me and those who think like me. When Jay Leno questioned why Michael Moore described me and every other small businessman in America as evil Michael Moore backed off a little.  Mr. Moore claims that capitalism is only evil when people acquire great wealth.  This doesn't soften the blow for me.

The reason I work seven days a week is because I'm trying to acquire great wealth. 

I don't buy into the belief that capitalism is evil when the capitalist succeeds. We all want to succeed.  I'm sure Michael Moore expects that his movie will make money. There is nothing wrong with that.

Freedom, baby.

But, here's where I think America is headed down the wrong path. 

I support Michael Moore's right to think what he wants to think and make all the movies he can sell.  But what I fear is that Michael Moore and other polarizers like him oppose freedom of thought. I agree with Nancy Pelosi when she warns that the rhetoric and vitriol is out of control. But it's hard to take this lecture from the same person who called the townhall protesters "Nazi's".

I see it on Facebook. I see it in the media. I see it in my friends. We often feel the need to convince others to think the same way we think. This is entirely natural and on the surface there's nothing wrong with this. 

The problem comes when forget that we live in a pluralistic society. Just as I don't like being called evil, I don't countenance those who call left-wingers loonie, crazy or evil.  Rather I want to bring us back to one of the fundamental promises of America: we can each do and think whatsoever we like as long as it doesn't hurt anyone else. 

For my part, I've resolved myself to the fact that you can (and should) do whatever you want with your money and your life.  I wish others would leave me alone and let me do what I think is best---instead of trying to re-educate me or convince me that I'm wrong. Furthermore, I don't want my tax dollars confiscated to support systems that I don't buy into or benefit from. 

To get more current, I don't care what you do with your healthcare, as long as you don't take my money or mess with my healthcare choice. I don't care if GM fails, or if AIG fails.  Maybe I should but I don't.  I don't want my money propping up corporations with bail-outs, subsidizing corporate farmers or doing just about anything other than paving roads and building a strong defense.  On the other hand, I realize I might be wrong. So I support your right to disagree with me.

But freedom means that I should be free to be "wrong".  That's the whole point of freedom.  You can't tell me what to think or do. I don't expect you to think the same way as me. Please don't expect me to think the same way as you. If I disagree with you I'm not evil. If you disagree with me, you're not crazy.

It seems to me that natural selection and the punishing realities of life should do the convincing, not shrill commentaries from Rachel Maddow and relentless haranguing by Rush Limbaugh.

You're free to listen to anyone you like, but don't expect me to think the same way. Don't tell me that I'm uneducated or uninformed. The truth is I am uneducated and uninformed about the issues that are important to you, but I know well the issues that are important to me.

Live and let live.

Let's continue to enjoy a healthy pluralistic society. Let's not go the route of having a majority repress and suppress the minority.  I really wish the government would stay out of the problems of the individual and focus only on shared problems.

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About the Author --- Will Nesbitt is the principal broker of Condo 1 Alexandria / Will Nesbitt Realty LLC. Will specializes in condos, townhouses and single family residences in Alexandria, Arlington, Fairfax County, Crystal City, and Kingstowne. Will resides in Belle Haven Estates just outside Alexandria VA in Fairfax County.