In the 1970s, Manuel "Manny" Klausner co-founded Reason Foundation, which publishes this magazine, and served as an editor and publisher of Reason. In March, Klausner died at age 85. He was a longtime libertarian and Reason Foundation trustee and a happy warrior for free minds and free markets. What follows is a sampling of Klausner's writing in Reason over the years.
7 years ago
October 2018
"As support for gay marriage increases in America, it becomes increasingly unlikely that gay couples will encounter serious difficulty in finding a florist or baker for their weddings. When one vendor turns a couple away, there are numerous others lining up to win that couple's business. The economic harm falls squarely on the person with the moral qualms. There's no doubt that emotional harm can result from being turned away from a business establishment because of who you love. But surely there is also harm when an American is forced to participate in an event that is contrary to his or her deeply held beliefs. A voluntary, market-oriented approach is the best way to reconcile the competing interests in such situations….Reason has favored gay civil unions since the 1970s, long before they received widespread support. But we've always insisted that the law respect views held by minorities, and as libertarians we oppose using coercion to compel conformity in the private sector."
"Debate: Bakers Should Not Be Forced To Produce Cakes for Same-Sex Weddings"
