• • • Enough lies about Ayn Rand 
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Egoism  |Objectivist author  | As regular readers of the Clifton Journal’s letters page know, I admire author Ayn Rand’s philosophy and objectivism. Frequently, Rand’s critics claim - falsely - that she advocated “thinking only about yourself.” But she did not. What she did advocate was every adult acting in his or her rational self-interest. The difference is enormous.  

• • • It’s time to read Ayn Rand 
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Atlas Shrugged  |Egoism  |Objectivist author  | People who fear Ayn Rand frequently mischaracterize her as advocating “thinking only about yourself.” For example, in a recent interview of (Barack) Obama published by Rolling Stone magazine, Obama was asked about Rand. Obama responded in part that he read Rand many years ago, and that “as we get older, we realize that a world in which we’re thinking only about ourselves and not thinking about anybody else... that’s a pretty narrow vision.” But of course Rand does not advocate “thinking only about ourselves and not thinking about anybody else.”  

• • • Obama like a Rand villain 
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Atlas Shrugged  |Capitalism  |Objectivist author  | Ayn Rand understood the pure hatred that anti-capitalists seethe with for individuals who are able to achieve peaceful financial success, years before the anti-capitalist Obama was even born. No wonder her novels are selling at greater levels than ever before.  

• • • Ayn Rand was a hypocrite 
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Personal life  |Inaccurate  | In today’s world, Ayn Rand has become the hero of the (pathetic, oops, sorry Joe Sidor) right. She despised programs like Social Security and welfare. She demonized the government at every turn, and believed the scientific consensus on the dangers of tobacco was a hoax. However, Rand herself received Social Security payments and Medicare benefits under her husband’s name, and when, in 1974 her 2-pack a day smoking habit gave her lung cancer (some hoax, huh), Medicare and Social Security became a sacrament. Can anyone say hypocrite?  

• • • Not very caring 
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Atheism  |Capitalism  |Paul Ryan  | I found it very entertaining that the Republican Party budget committee chairman Paul Ryan has resorted to throwing his idol Alisa Rosenbaum aka (Ayn Rand) under the bus. Rand was a pro choice atheist who pushed a brand of capitalism that would have literally let the poor suffer, starve and just fade away.  

• Americans need health insurance 
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[Mark] Kalinowski's ignorance is equal to his Ayn Rand obsession some 50 million Americans without health insurance.  

• • From fiction to fact 
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Atlas Shrugged  | Democrats such as [Dennis] Kucinich and their ongoing War on Prosperity show that there are real-life versions of the villains from Ayn Rand novels. In fact, the version of the Reasonable Profits Board in Rand’s classic “Atlas Shrugged” is called the Anti-Greed Act. (Only an Ayn Rand villain - whether from one of her novels, or from real life - would label as “greed” or as “unreasonable” the desire of peaceful, productive individuals to keep what they alone have earned.)  

• List of hate 
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The wacko from Towaco has thought of something that simple (Joseph) Sidor and Ayn Rand lover (Mark) Kalinowski couldn’t think of. He lists all the people that he admires, but first he will list his mostly despised individuals.  

• • What would Mother Teresa say? 
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Atheism  | What would Mother Teresa say? Mark Kalinowski, who learned to adore Ayn Rand through her books, unless he knew her personally, is now concentrating on attacking President (Barack) Obama and Nancy Pelosi through the occupy groups which are in cities all over the U.S., and in other countries. [....] Since Rand was an atheist who said she didn’t worship the symbol of the cross but rather that of the dollar bill, would Kalinowski want the churches to pay their share of taxes?  

• • Who is John Galt? 
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Atlas Shrugged  | Adman Jerry Della Femina was named one of the “100 most influential advertising people of the century” by Advertising Age magazine. He also ran a highly successful restaurant on Long Island, but decided to sell it recently. Why? [....] “I’m just not ready to have my wealth redistributed. I’m not ready to pay more tax money than the next guy because I provide jobs and because I work a 60-hour week and I earn more than $250,000 a year. So why am I dropping out? Read a brilliant book by Ayn Rand called ‘Atlas Shrugged,’ and you’ll know.”  

• • What is right? 
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Altruism  |Capitalism  | [My dictionary] defines altruism as the principal or practice of unselfish concern for the welfare of others. [Columnist] Mark Kalinowski likes quotes. So here’s a few from the late high priestess of Kalinowski’s cult – Ayn Rand. 1. I’m done with the monster of "we." Now I see the face of god who will grant joy, peace and pride. This god – this one word – "I." 2. If any civilization is to survive it is the morality of altruism men have to reject. 3. The cross is a symbol of torture. I prefer the dollar sign, the symbol of free trade therefore of a free mind. 4. Capitalism and altruism are non-compatible and they can not exist in man or in the same society. These quotes came from Time magazine in February 1960. If Rand is right the Americans who have tried to help those in need are traitors. Don’t they know it’s everybody for themselves? When you see someone who needs help - look away and keep going.  

• Capitalism doesn’t prevent fraud 
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Capitalism  | Ayn Rand cult-member Mark Kalinowski repeats his mantra, "Capitalism prevents fraud." Doesn’t he read the papers? Doesn’t he know about Bernie Madoff, James Nicholson and Marsha Sladich to name the tip of the iceberg of Ponzi schemers?  

• • Sound off 

Capitalism  | When the Oct. 30 Clifton Journal came, I checked Tom Sullivan's column first to see his latest claim that the bad economic situation was all the fault of Obama's nine months in office. When to my surprise it looked that Sullivan had an epiphany after watching a Frontline program on public television. He conceded the whole mess started before last Jan. 20. He skipped over G.W. Bush and went all the way back to Bill Clinton, Robert Rubin (Clinton's Treasury Secretary) and Alan Greenspan, federal reserve chief and Ayn Rand devotee. They let the housing bubble get bigger and bigger, as Sullivan reported.  

• • Letters to the editor, Aug. 21, 2009 

Atlas Shrugged  |Capitalism  | Open-minded individuals who seek to learn more about the true nature of money, one of the most valuable tools ever created, are encouraged to read what is popularly called "The Money Speech," first published in the novel “Atlas Shrugged” by philosopher Ayn Rand.  

• • Letters 

Atlas Shrugged  |The Fountainhead  |Capitalism  |Egoism  | Instead of focusing primarily on only the political background of objectivism - we need to look at the movement as a whole to fully understand the benefits. Ayn Rand, while standing on one foot recited the essence of objectivism: 1) Objective reality, 2) Reason, 3) Self-interest, 4) Capitalism. There it is - probably the four things that society has rejected!