Tim Starr

... is the guest speaker scheduled for the 147th meeting of the Karl Hess Club, to convene on September 18, 2006.

Tim Starr on "Yes, Virginia, there are such things as Wars of Liberation."

Tim Starr believes that sometimes war can benefit Liberty. As he puts it:

"War is a type of historical event which has occurred at many different times and places throughout human history and has often had great impact upon liberty. War is frequently thought to decrease liberty, but this theory is badly in need of critical re-examination in the light of contrary evidence - wars which have actually increased liberty. These counter-examples are exceptions to the rule, showing (at a minimum) that the rule does not always apply.

"The liberating effects of war can be a function of the intent of those who fight, or they can occur in spite of anyone's intentions. War, like all other types of human action, can have unintended consequences. Sometimes, wars fought for the worst reasons can have a liberating effect. However, the fact that a war increases liberty is not enough to make that war just. Just wars can have bad consequences, unjust wars can have good consequences, and most wars have both good and bad consequences."

Michael B. Everling recommends that people read the following prior to this month's meeting: The Survival of Western Civilization by Robert Ringer, and Are Questions of War and Peace Merely One Issue Among Many for Libertarians? by Robert Higgs.

About Tim Starr

Tim Starr was born in Berkeley, CA and raised in Albany. He attended the University of California at Santa Barbara for a year and a half, then campaigned for Libertarian presidential candidate Andre Marrou all over the Western states.

Starr became an anarcho-capitalist and taught himself computer science. He was webmaster for International Society for Individual Liberty in San Francisco, and has been an assistant editor and book reviewer for ISIL's Freedom Network News. Starr has since read hundreds of books on world and military history.

His interests include the history of guerilla warfare, Afghanistan, and US foreign policy. He's currently writing a paper, "Wars of Liberation." It was the dying wish of Chris Tame, founder of the Libertarian Alliance, that it be published by the L.A. when completed.

Starr is a student and teacher of Filipino Martial Arts (FMA). He works as a "Deliverability Lead for Responsys," an Email Service Provider, in Redwood City. His essays may be found at No-Treason. He lives in Fremont, CA with his wife, Jeanie, where they host the Free Exchange supper club.

ADDENDUM: David Harmon took these photos at the above meeting.