Third Way PoliticsDr. Daniel Harrop Discusses Libertarianism

Dr. Daniel S. Harrop is a libertarian candidate for RI Representative in District 3, Providence. Dr. Harrop is also a Clinical Assistant Professor at the University and an Instructor in Psychiatry at the Harvard Medical School. In addition to his faculty positions, Dr. Harrop also maintains a private practice of psychiatry. In an interview with The Spectator, he discussed his candidacy, national and local issues, and libertarianism.

The Spectator: Over the past few years several prominent issues have dominated the politics of Brown—most recently the controversy over slavery reparations. What is your stance on the Horowitz anti-reparations advertisement that was published in the Brown Daily Herald two years ago?

Harrop: It was hateful. A private publication like the Brown Daily Herald has the right to publish whatever it wants. Should they have published it? Probably not without commentary. I was somewhat surprised that they didn’t cormment on it. In some ways, the more people’s opinions get out, the better it is. Someone told me once that you need to give people forums to say the craziest of things because it is a lot better than shoving them under ground. Typically they dig their own grave. Should he have a forum? I think you need to give hateful people like that a forum.

The Spectator: What is your position on arming Brown public safety officers?

Harrop: I would be opposed to that. Again Brown University is a private institution. It should have the right to make its own decisions. If it were my decision I would say no. I know that Brown Police are trained as police and have all the credentials, and I am perfectly well aware that a Brown University policeman was killed being pushed down a set of stairs. [Providence] Police and security should be focusing on violent crime. As a member of the community, I can’t imagine a case in which Brown Police would need to use their guns. Maybe we should have guns locked up somewhere in case of a horrendous situation.

The Spectator: Could you outline the essentials of libertarianism?

Harrop: Libertarians believe government should do only what government needs to do. In other words, there should be small government; there should be limited government. Now, within those areas, that the goverrunent needs to operate, they need to operate well—perfect example—public safety, public security. In that area, most libertarians believe that government needs to be involved in. Sure there are some private police forces in smaller towns, but, in most cases, the government needs to be involved, protecting life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness. So, libertarians are very hard on violent crime. In fact, as a libertarian, I could see great benefit in increasing all sentences for violent crime, domestic violence, violence with guns…. The other thing with libertarians is that the government should stay out of your life. So, in the vast areas where the government now intrudes, there should not be crime. Things that are labeled as crimes, should not be crimes. The government, for years, said that abortion should be illegal. Society has come around to the fact that it is ridiculous for the government to interfere with someone’s personal decisions. There are some problems with people using marijuana, and heroin, cocaine are just deadly, but I think all of that should be legalized. What a person uses, what a person decides to do to themselves, is their decision. I think all that should be decriminalized. Why should Brown Police be in dorms? If they are specifically called because people are being bothered, that’s one thing.