Ayn Rand in The Los Angeles Times

On Crime: Crime involves force; no such thing as crime against society

All actions defined as criminal in a free society are actions involving force--and only such actions are answered by force.

Do not be misled by sloppy expressions such as "A murderer commits a crime against society." It is not society that a murderer murders, but an individual man. It is not a social right that he breaks, but an individual right. He is not punished for hurting a collective--he has not hurt a whole collective--he has hurt one man. If a criminal robs ten men--it is still not "society" that he has robbed, but ten individuals. There are no "crimes against society"--all crimes are committed against specific men, against individuals. And it is precisely the duty of a proper social system and of a proper government to protect an individual against criminal attack--against force.

Source: The Ayn Rand Column (L. A. Times), "Americanism," p. 86 Oct 1, 1998

On Foreign Policy: Economic boycott of Russia & they will retreat

Russia, like Nazi Germany, like any bully, feeds on appeasement and will retreat placatingly at the first sound of firm opposition.

[From March 1964 Playboy magazine interview:] I would advocate an economic boycott of Soviet Russia; and you would see that regime collapse without the loss of a single American life.

Source: The Ayn Rand Column (L. A. Times), "Cuban Crisis," p. 62 Oct 1, 1998

The above quotations are from Media coverage of CA political races in The Los Angeles Times. Click here for other excerpts from Media coverage of CA political races in The Los Angeles Times. Click here for other excerpts by Ayn Rand. Click here for a profile of Ayn Rand.
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