If libertarians had more controversial lives (such as being openly gay in the 1950s demanding peace) would they gain more traction instead of being a portrait mostly well-off white guys?
You might be surprised if you looked under the hood sometime. Libertarians are generally not interested in using personal situations to further their political ideology because we find it intellectually dishonest.For instance, until recently Stefan Cuevas has been living near or below the poverty line for quite some time from what I can gather. But I don’t know that from his libertarian answers. I’ve never seen him try to use it to gain credibility in political realms. Instead he uses his ideas for that. I know about his material situation from a handful of lifestyle answers that had nothing whatsoever to do with politics.I personally am in a similar situation debating healthcare. People regularly default to “sharing” the story of some family member who suffered at the hands of the US healthcare system when the topic comes up. They tell me that they feel strongly because it impacts them. They imply that I don’t want “universal healthcare” because I don’t have a personal stake.But my beautiful little girl was born with a heart defect (BAVD) three years ago. She requires regular ultrasounds and specialist visits to confirm her condition isn’t worsening, and could require a heart valve replacement at any time with just a few months warning. My wife suffered a hearniated disk as a result of her pregnancy that has severely limited her ability to do physical activity and required back surgery last year. I’ve spent over six grand on healthcare (my max out of pocket on my HDHP) every single one of the past four years.And yet I have literally never brought that fact up when debating healthcare. Maybe I should, but it makes me ill every time I consider it. Because my personal hardships and situation doesn’t change the economics of healthcare.I think you would find that most libertarians are like that. We’re a far more diverse group than our opponents would like to represent. But you won’t see it associated with our positions because we don’t consider it relevant.But I don’t think publicly controversial lifestyles would help the cause anyway. It certainly hasn’t with drug use. We’re dismissed as weird kooks or junkies just as often as “white middle class men.”
Can black people be racist? What is the difference between racism and prejudice?
I'll keep this as brief as possible. I've noticed that white and black people have done a poor job re-educating themselves on the topic as Martin Luther King, Jr. once suggested.Racism is a system in America that was created over time to benefit those who self-proclaim to be “white” (and “male”). I'm not talking about the origin of the term. Racism was intended to control free people not slaves (the slavery system was designed for that purpose), so let's not say it was from slavery. It wasn't (at least, not that I've found). Racism is British in origin and Americans adopted and maintained the system post independence from Britain. Other countries like old South Africa patterned their system after the American System (seemingly). Racists use government and all other tools to control the behaviors of not only blacks, but as also ensure white participation in the system. Racism impacts everyone within the system. For example:Whites can't marry blacks.Blacks sit on the back of the bus.Segregation and caste-like system configuration.Sociopolitical labels like “black” and “white” as nouns to sustain division.Jim Crow laws.Historic Revisionism.Etc.Prejudice is self explanatory. It is not by itself Racism. Prejudice is typically imposed by an individual. It's personal. For example:“I” hate okra.“I" believe that anyone who sells or eats or cooks okra are idiots.“I” will teach “my” kids to hate okra and that anyone who eats or sells or cooks okra are idiots.Racism is prejudicial, but not prejudice. It's more. Racism exists in the absence of a real opinion of those subject to it. Without an opinion, you don't have prejudice. Prejudice is “prejudging.”All okra tastes horrible.Racism is “predetermining.”It's illegal for blacks to marry whites and vice versa.Blacks should go to schools with blacks only.Racism likely started because of prejudice, however, today (actually since it's start) it's more than prejudice. I think black people (as a collective) can be racist if they control the system. But, I've seen no evidence of it.