Atlas Shrubbed

[GoodEnoughForMe]

Pre-eminent Randian 'libertarian' Republican Rand Paul ran his own political party into a bit of a negative externality the other day when a neighborhood dispute over landscaping resulted in him being tackled and suffering severe injuries, which will now cause him to miss significant time from Congress.

Days after Sen. Rand Paul suffered five broken ribs, the lawyer for the man who has been charged with assaulting Paul says that politics are not involved — and that it was a case of "a very regrettable dispute between two neighbors over a matter that most people would regard as trivial."

The new details shed light on an attack on Paul in which he was reportedly tackled from behind while he was mowing the yard at his home in Bowling Green, Ky., on Friday afternoon. After police were called, officers arrested Paul's neighbor, retired anesthesiologist Rene Boucher, setting off widespread speculation over what might have motivated the incident.

...

The dispute may have its roots in the senator's yard. Citing neighbors and local Republicans, The New York Times says that Paul "has long stood out in the well-to-do gated neighborhood," handling his yard according to his own ideas — the Times mentions pumpkins and compost — rather than following neighborhood rules.

Questions for the crowd;

Did the neighbor have a right to stand their ground regarding neighborhood rules?
Is this response of the neighbor's the work of rational self-interest in protecting their property rights?
Where was the state in all of this?

Please discuss the nature and consequences of said conflict, preferably with pithy, wisecrack-style remarks.

 

[metalhead]

As I've always said, if you're going to assault someone in a red state, your best bet for staying out of trouble is to shoot and kill them. Tackling from behind isn't in the constitution.

 

[Sommerswerd]

The Jack-O-Lantern faces on Rand's pumpkins put the neighbor in fear for his life.

Anyway... the neighbor wasn't attacking Rand Paul, he was defending free speech.

 

[OldBoomer]

Sounds to me like Rand invaded his safe space. The neighbor's only options were to maim, or kill.

 

[Lexicus]

I had assumed that the attacker must have been a central banker, angry because of Rand Paul's work to build a society of liberty, in which economic transactions are free from the tyrannical interference of central bankers.

 

[Hygro]

That's gotta be it for sure

 

[JollyRoger]

I am shocked that Rand got the government to intervene in this purely private dispute. What a waste of tax dollars.

 

[Kyriakos]

Garden problems in a gated neighborhood with these being the houses and area:

Yeah, i couldn't care less about their drama.

 

[onejayhawk]

Ayn Rand is nails scratching on a chalkboard. Next.

J

 

[Leifmk]

Ayn Rand is nails scratching on a chalkboard. Next.

The positive contribution of Ayn Rand to humanity is that without her, we wouldn't have things like the Illuminatus Trilogy, or Matt Ruff's rather amusing novel "Sewer, Gas & Electric" (which starts out as a mystery where a Rand fan is found bludgeoned to death with his own luxury hardcover edition of Atlas Shrugged, and one of the supporting cast is a cranky AI simulation of Ayn Rand's personality (who is largely ignored and ridiculed by the other characters)).

 

[Lexicus]

 

[BvBPL]

I think Will Wilkinson owes you for the title. (although he's probably also owed an explanation from his parents for his name)

 

[Ajidica]

I think Will Wilkinson owes you for the title. (although he's probably also owed an explanation from his parents for his name)

I was thinking the same thing.

 

[Valka D'Ur]

A U.S. senator mows his own lawn? Doesn't he have "people" to do that?

 

[Commodore]

Did the neighbor have a right to stand their ground regarding neighborhood rules?

Yes. You move into a neighborhood with rules, you have to follow them.

Is this response of the neighbor's the work of rational self-interest in protecting their property rights?

Rational? No. At least not the violence part. However, taking some sort of action to ensure all neighbors are in compliance with rules that they agreed to is certainly rational. And you can't really use the "I never consented to those rules" argument because merely moving into a neighborhood gives implied consent to those rules.

Where was the state in all of this?

Worrying about things vastly more important than a dispute between two neighbors. That's why things like HOAs exist: so neighborhoods can govern and police themselves when it comes to trivial matters like this.

 

[Berzerker]

Bobby Bouchier with another sack!

Go Waterboy, go!

 

[onejayhawk]

A U.S. senator mows his own lawn? Doesn't he have "people" to do that?

Perhaps he enjoys it or finds it cathartic. I've seen that, especially if a riding mower is involved.

J