As an individual I recognize that there are distinct groups of people including races, genders, creeds, ethnicities, religions, socioeconomic statuses etc. As a Voluntaryist these classifications are meaningless since I treat all people with their due respect and dignity. It is not the groups one ascribes to that determines their due respect but the rather the actions taken by that individual.
There are groups that one is born into involuntarily. This is as a result of no particular individual action and deserves no particular merit. It is not something to be proud of nor ashamed of. This includes nationality, religion, race, gender, ethnicity, creed, inherited wealth etc. These are just as beyond our control as is the color of our eyes, the color of our hair, or the propensity to develop certain illnesses due to family history. No intelligent human being would assign any importance to these attributes.
Then there are groups that one joins due entirely to one’s dedication and particular individual action, taken in totality these are what further define the nature and character of the individual. These are the direct results of particular effort and action taken by the individual. Examples of this include book club, chess club, music club etc. By these groups the individual can, more or less, be judged. However even still final judgement ought to be suspended until a frank discussion with the individual occurs. Every man deserves the ability to explain the motive behind his actions and those he willingly associates with before final judgement is rendered. In this manner, rash conclusions and hasty generalizations must be avoided at all costs. Every human being deserves his due respect and dignity until his actions dictate otherwise.
As a Voluntaryist my love and compassion extends to the totality of the human race. I make no preference or distinction towards any one group of people. We do not have women’s problems, black problems, rich problems, poor problems, Islamic problems, Christian problems, Hispanic problems, Mexican problems, Korean problems, or Russian problems. We have human problems because we are all human beings! Recognize your common heritage with your fellow human being. This is the source of true prosperity and peace.
There is all the difference in the world between treating people equally and attempting to make them equal.
Friedrich Hayek
