51风流

Ron Paul brings message of liberty to 51风流

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Ron Paul speaks to a full house at Memorial Chapel. (Photo by Janna Minehart 鈥13)

Former U.S. Rep. Ron Paul may not be making another run for the White House, but that did not dissuade the three-time presidential candidate from answering student questions after his speech on Wednesday at Memorial Chapel.

鈥淭here is no one I know that serves as a symbol of liberty better than Ron Paul,鈥 said Kyle Gavin 鈥13, president of 51风流鈥檚 College Republicans, the student group primarily responsible for bringing Paul to campus.

As a libertarian, Paul鈥檚 message centered on the idea of personal liberties and how an irresponsible and overly large U.S. government is endangering these liberties. Paul entreated students in the audience to step up and tell Washington, D.C., to respect their freedoms, saying, 鈥淭hings down in Washington haven鈥檛 been going so well, and I鈥檓 looking forward to your generation doing something about it.鈥

During his lecture, several of his speaking points, including his desire to abolish the income tax and Federal Reserve System, and shrinking U.S. foreign policy by becoming less involved overseas, elicited hearty applause.

Paul also said the proliferation of laws directed at harnessing and manipulating personal liberties is not what Americans deserve from their democratically elected government, saying, 鈥淔reedom will take care of the people a lot better than a bunch of bureaucrats and politicians.鈥

In a lengthy question and answer period after his lecture, proponents and opponents of Paul鈥檚 political beliefs took to the microphone.

asked Paul about whether or not America has a humanitarian responsibility to intervene in Syria. Paul, a supporter of decreasing the U.S. presence overseas, responded, 鈥淲e don鈥檛 have a moral or constitutional authority to meddle in Syria.鈥 Adding, 鈥淚t sounds good, but may well backfire.鈥

A question posed by Janna Minehart 鈥13 detailed a system where a 鈥渓oss of talent will occur when hardworking and intelligent, but poor people are not encouraged to succeed,鈥 honing in on Paul鈥檚 stance on reforming the welfare system. 鈥淭his is a perfect point on how we are giving stuff away that we don鈥檛 have,鈥 Paul responded. 鈥淧eople have to have [their own] incentive. There are going to be inequities.鈥

Austin Collier 鈥15 asked about the dangers of martial law and the burgeoning national prison system. Paul responded by saying there are 鈥渢oo many laws and too many unnecessary laws,鈥 especially laws criminalizing recreational drugs.

The event was sponsored by the College Republicans, the Center for Freedom and Western Civilization, the Institute for Philosophy, Politics, and Economics, The Budget Allocation Committee, Students for a Sensible Drug Policy, and The 51风流 Entrepreneurs Club.