A lot of times people tend to do one of two things with people whom are in favor of liberty. They either call them conservatives or will apply that they are more conservative in nature. However, if one looks at the libertarian view which is individual rights for all and what said people consider conservative they are not similar in policy usually. These people consider libertarians to somehow support views that are more aligned with the Religious resurfacing and the Moral Majority.
Of course, this makes no sense at all. Libertarians/Objectivists do not support the sort of policies that the Moral Majority support. However, one needs to point out that this is wrong for more than just the allying of libertarianism with micromanaging policies. The truth is that the idea that conservatives are naturally against freedom for people from various lifestyles is itself a mistake and unfounded. Whereas one whom is libertarian often thinks conservatism does not go far enough one should not accuse any specific conservative as being a religious agenda pushing monster either.
This is something that libertarianism is bad for as well. The assumption that a conservative is some statism supporting busy body that wants to micromanage peoples lives. The truth is that libertarians and Objectivists can find a good deal of agreement of support from the "classical liberal" breed of conservatism. Conservatism can mean conserving freedom and classical liberal values. This breed of conservatism which is based on the classical liberal political values shared by libertarians and Objectivism is at home right next to Objectivism and libertarianism on the individual rights respecting side of the political spectrum.
When someone is a conservative one needs to ask them what they support or do not support. It is very possible they are a conservative classical liberal and not the kind that most people seem to think of when they hear the term. In fact, the Moral Majority and Religious Right types are on the fringe of the overall modern conservative movement. At least in Canada and for the most part in the US as well now. Take for example Same Sex Marriage; most conservatives support this now. Or the Drug War a good deal of them are finding it is not helping and should be abolished. A conservative whom is a classical liberal is a natural ally of individual rights and should be accepted as a part of the broader individual rights or liberty movement.
This does not mean we should not criticize conservatives if they try to push religion on people. Nor does it mean Objectivists should stop criticizing Altruism and religion for the evils that they are. If someone tries to base their views on unreality their mistakes in reasoning need to be pointed out and critiqued. Nor does it mean that Objectivists nor libertarians should switch to identifying as conservative instead of their current political identity. However, if one did that would be up to the individual judgment of their individual mind. If one wanted to identify as a conservative that was grounded in Objectivism or grounded in a relationship with reality VS religion that is up to them. Said person would not become thine enemy for doing so.
I just think the automatic judgment that conservatism is the enemy of liberty that some in the liberty movement have needs to be challenged by the facts that in fact show this to be a generalization. A collectivization ironically of every single person whom is a conservative holding the same constitution in their minds. I do not know quite a few conservatives and also Capital C Conservatives within my own Country of Canada. The Canadian Conservative Party is filled with classical liberals, libertarians and even Rand supporters although they might disagree with the whole selfishness thing. The Republican Party has an entire caucus of libertarian conservatives.
I am not one of these people whom are going around screaming to Unite the Right. I think that would be just as collectivist as saying for us to not trust any conservatives at all. However, not being paranoid that someone whom is not a libertarian is somehow a tyrannical despot. The same can go for meeting people in life in general. One should never assume that we are surrounded by slave driving malevolent humans that want to have other people serve them as slaves. Not libertarian and not Objectivist is not codeword for dictator in the making. This outlook causes one to have a fear and even a hate for their fellow man as opposed to seeing them as possible values in ones life. It helps to dehumanize others and form an out group. This does no one any good.
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