Vermin Supreme, a 2020 contender for the Libertarian Party presidential nomination who wears a boot on his head, now calls the LP an embarrassment.
Former Libertarian Presidential Candidate Torches Party | Newsweek - Nick Reynolds:
February 8, 2023 - "A former Libertarian candidate for president who rose to prominence for promises of free ponies while wearing a wellington rubber boot on his head denounced his involvement in the movement earlier this week, claiming the party has become a 'non-functional embarrassment' in a profanity-laden tweet late Tuesday night.
"Vermin Supreme — a performance artist and activist who finished third for the party's nomination for president at its 2020 convention — claimed Tuesday night he regretted ever getting involved in the party following a number of highly publicized missteps by the party's newly installed leadership ahead of a planned anti-war rally it was sponsoring in Washington, D.C., later this month to protest excessive U.S. aid to Ukraine.
"The rally's main aim, organizers claimed, was to promote a list of demands including immediate peace in Ukraine, global nuclear de-escalation, the abolition of the CIA and the "military industrial deep state," and the disbandment of NATO, among others. While many of the demands are considered standard fare among the anti-war movement, it was the messengers many — including Vermin Supreme — took issue with, prompting him to denounce his place in the party.
"'To all that were attracted to the Libertarian Party by my 2020 candidacy: I am sorry,' Supreme wrote on Twitter. "It has become a terrible dumpsterfire of a s***show. I regret my involvement in such a non-functional embarrassment full of paleo dips***s, pedo apologists, and culture war f***wads.' Newsweek has reached out to Vermin Supreme for comment....
"Angela McArdle, the current chair of the National Libertarian Party, told Newsweek the perennial candidate's views were not necessarily shared by others in the party. 'The guy who wore the boot on his head is not a great representative of the party,' she told Newsweek. 'He's kind of been out of step with us for a while.'"
"Others, however, said the credentials of many of the speakers scheduled ... spoke for themselves. In addition to mainstream speakers like journalist Scott Horton, former Hawaii Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard and former U.S. Congressman Ron Paul, the ... inclusion of speakers with pro-Russian sympathies ... undermine[d] whatever message the party hoped to advance, critics claimed....
"Party leaders have sought to downplay those concerns, issuing a statement Tuesday ... unequivocally stating the Libertarian Party's event was designed for one purpose: to oppose all wars. McArdle noted in addition to conservative speakers, the rally would also feature figures from the left like activist David Swanson as well as other fellow travelers aligned with the Libertarian position.
We are not pro-Putin. We are not pro-Russia. We oppose Russia's invasion and any initiation of force,' the statement read. 'The threat of nuclear devastation is higher than it's been for decades, and the war in Ukraine has led to horrifying death, harm, and destruction for thousands of innocents. War is simply mass murder writ large, and the party's opposition to these crimes has never been in question. Any speaker advocating for the contrary does not align with our values.'"
"The episode surrounding the February 19 'Rage Against The War Machine' rally, however, offers only a glimpse into a growing rift within the Libertarian movement over the past several years."
"Vermin Supreme: King of the Rats," cultureschlock13, September 9., 2012:
No comments:
Post a Comment