Volume 16, Number 6, June 2010 Yaron Brook’s Public Talks ARC Intellectuals in the Media and ARI executive director Yaron Brook is in high demand these days, speaking about Ayn Rand and on the Stage Objectivism at college campuses and other venues across the United States. Here is a sampling of rom op-eds in major newspapers to interviews contributor to Winning the Unwinnable War: Dr. Brook’s recent appearances. Between talks, Fon national news stations to speaking engage- America’s Self-Crippled Response to Islamic Dr. Brook continues to make regular appearances ments across the country—ARC intellectuals are Totalitarianism, was invited on the program to on PJTV and to give numerous radio, television and speaking out in defense of individual rights, laissez- discuss U.S. foreign policy with respect to Iran’s online interviews. Recordings of Dr. Brook’s talks faire capitalism, and the morality of self-interest. steadfast pursuit of nuclear weapons. and interviews can be found on ARC-TV.com. Here’s a roundup of some recent activities. Senior fellow Onkar Ghate took a unique In early March, an op-ed by analyst Don Watkins angle in a debate on BusinessWeek.com’s Debate • March 4, “The Morality of War,” San Diego and executive director Yaron Brook was published Room. The assertion posed by BusinessWeek.com Rotary Club, San Diego, CA in the Christian Science Monitor. “Apple vs GM: was that public university students should not be Ayn Rand Knew the Difference. Do You?” points protesting state tuition hikes because state schools out real-life examples of the two different kinds are cheaper than private schools. Dr. Ghate presents of businessmen identified by Ayn Rand in Atlas the pro side—only he does so on the grounds that Shrugged: the producer and the looter. the students have no right to state-funded educa- Mr. Watkins and Dr. Brook followed up their Christian Science Monitor piece with an op-ed in the Washington Examiner a few weeks later. The March 26 op-ed, “What’s Really Driving the Toyota Controversy?” shows how political pull—not safety concerns—was the driving force behind congressio- nal hearings into charges of a manufacturing defect in Toyota vehicles. The authors then argue that the Dr. Brook speaking at the University of Washington only way to end such pressure group warfare is to • March 16, “Capitalism Without Guilt: The Moral disentangle the state from economic affairs. Case for Freedom,” University of Washington, Another March success saw fellow and Seattle, WA Policy division manager Elan Journo on Fox • March 17, “The Contemporary Relevance of News Channel’s America’s News HQ on Satur- Ayn Rand’s Ideas and How They Matter,” day, March 27. Mr. Journo, editor of and main GenNext Seattle conference, Seattle, WA • March 25, “Capitalism Without Guilt: The Moral Senior fellow Onkar Ghate’s article on BusinessWeek.com Case for Freedom,” Arizona State University, tion in the first place. Dr. Ghate argues the state Tempe, AZ has no business being involved in higher education • March 27, “The Morality of Capitalism,” Wealth and points out that the fight over tuition hikes is an Conference, Tempe, AZ example of the pressure group politics that is symp- • March 29, “Free Markets Didn’t Fail: Its Defend- tomatic of the mixed economy. ers Did,” meeting of the New York Young Repub- In the weeks surrounding the House of licans, New York, NY Representatives’ vote on the health care over- • March 30, “You Are Not Your Brother’s Health haul in early April, ARC intellectuals published Care Provider,” New York University, New York, Fellow Elan Journo on Fox News Channel Continued on page 2 NY • March 31, “Capitalism Without Guilt: The Moral Case for Freedom,” Colloquium for the Albert Yaron Brook in Plenary Debate at Academic Conference Dorman Honors College, New Jersey Institute of n April 13 Yaron Brook participated in a Technology, Newark, NJ in Las Vegas.” plenary session debate titled “Ayn Rand vs. • April 1, “The Practical and Moral Aspects of O The debate underscored the presence of Adam Smith in Defense of Capitalism” at the Capitalism,” with Fred Smith of the Competitive Ayn Rand at the three-day conference, which annual conference of the Association for Private Enterprise Institute, Cornell University, Ithaca, brought together free market educators and scholars Enterprise Education held in Las Vegas this year. NY from colleges and universities, public policy insti- A packed room of well over one hundred academ- • April 8, “Health Care: You Are Not Your Broth- tutes and industry. In addition to the plenary session, ics, students and public policy experts w itnessed er’s Keeper,” University of Southern California, ARI sponsored three panel discussions—two on the the lively exchange between Dr. Brook and Dr. Los Angeles, CA history of thought and one on The Fountainhead— James Otteson, a distinguished Adam Smith expert • April 9, “Raise the Bar and Twist It by Unleash- and manned a prominent display booth. The speak- from Yeshiva University. Dr. Peter Boettke, an ing Capitalism: Why Unbridled Capitalism Is the ers at ARI’s panel discussions included Clemson economist from George Mason University, served Solution,” Entrepreneurs’ Organization, Dana university professor Eric Daniels, ARI senior fellow as moderator, taking questions from the floor as Point, CA Onkar Ghate, and Duke University professor John well as posing some of his own. • Apr. 13, “Ayn Rand vs. Adam Smith in Defense David Lewis. A number of other panels not spon- The debate, which was one of only three ple- of Capitalism,” with James Otteson (Yeshiva sored by ARI also focused on Ayn Rand. nary sessions, generated a lot of discussion among University) and moderator Peter Boettke (George “APEE has welcomed ARI’s scholars and attendees. Some considered it the highlight of the Mason University), annual meeting of the their papers for the past four years and over time three-day conference. Wrote one professor on the Association of Private Enterprise Education, Las our participation in their annual conference has economics blog Division of Labour, “[the] plenary Vegas, NV (See “Yaron Brook in Plenary Debate increased,” said VP of Academic programs, Debi debate between Jim Otteson and Yaron Brook over at Academic Conference,” on this page.) Ghate. “Objectivist scholars now present their work the defenses of capitalism offered by Ayn Rand and • April 22, “Capitalism Without Guilt: The Moral with non-Objectivist scholars interested in similar Adam Smith was one of the best conference ses- Case for Freedom,” 4th Annual Free Enterprise questions around the morality of capitalism and sions I’ve ever been to. I (and others) suggested that Foundation Awards Luncheon, Charleston, SC free enterprise. Jim and Yaron should take the show on the road or, “The leadership of APEE, some of whom are Continued on page 4 in the spirit of the meeting’s location, get a theater Continued on page 4 Objectivist Summer Conference 2010 Updates mpact would like to call Iyour attention to a number of events taking place at this sum- mer’s Objectivist conference, which will be held at the Red TM Rock Casino, Resort and Spa in Las Vegas, July 2–10. medical care, education, etc., do not grow in nature. Reception for First-Time Freedom and Individual These are values—goods and services produced by Conference Attendees (July 2, 6–6:30 PM): First-time men. Who is to provide them? summer conference attendees who register for the Rights “If some men are entitled by right to the opening cocktail reception and dinner are invited products of the work of others, it means that those to attend the reception thirty minutes before other Each month Impact suggests readings and other others are deprived of rights and condemned to guests are admitted. The reception will afford new resources for fans of Ayn Rand’s fiction who wish slave labor. attendees the opportunity to meet other first-time to learn more about her philosophy, Objectivism. “No man can have a right to impose an uncho- attendees and socialize with OCON staff and con- sen obligation, an unrewarded duty or an invol- ference speakers. untary servitude on another man. There can be no Virtual Ayn Rand Bookstore and Exhibit Room merica is hailed as the land of the free, and such thing as ‘the right to enslave.’ for Objectivist Organizations (July 3–10, all day): A yet it seems there are as many different ideas “A right does not include the material imple- The virtual Ayn Rand Bookstore will once again be of what that means as there are politicians who mentation of that right by other men; it includes offering steep discounts for conference attendees. claim to stand for freedom. What is “freedom”? only the freedom to earn that implementation by Browse display copies of the bookstores’ wares For Ayn Rand, the meaning of freedom, in a one’s own effort.” (“Man’s Rights,” The Virtue of and order books and recordings to be delivered political context, is inextricably tied to the concept Selfishness) to your home or office. The bookstore space will of individual rights. “If one upholds freedom,” she For further reading on this topic, see (in addition also serve as an exhibit hall for ARI displays and writes, “one must uphold man’s individual rights; to the works already cited) “The Nature of Govern- external organizations. Non-ARI exhibitors include if one upholds man’s individual rights, one must ment” and “collectivized ‘Rights’” in The Virtue of Americans for Free Choice in Medicine, Anthem uphold his right to his own life, to his own liberty, to Selfishness, “What Is Capitalism?” and “America’s Foundation for Objectivist Scholarship, Falling the pursuit of his own happiness.” (“Conservatism: Persecuted Minority: Big Business” in Capitalism: Apple Science Institute, Harry Binswanger List, An Obituary,” Capitalism: The Unknown Ideal) A The Unknown Ideal; and “For the New Intellectual” Hsieh Enterprises, LePort Schools, The Objective man is free, she holds, when his rights are secure.