For most Americans, our homes are one of the most important concerns in our lives after our families—usually because of our families. The concept of a man’s home being his “castle” remains even today. Of course, many years ago, America became far more mobile than we had been. Into the early 20th century, most people lived all their lives in the same neighborhoods if not the same houses. But at the end of World War II, Americans began to move about the country, something that required the purchase of new homes. Real estate agents soon recognized that people were willing to pay more and accept less to acquire good schools and neighborhoods for their children and themselves.
With the Civil Rights movement of the 1950s, efforts to “racially integrate” neighborhoods began using a strategy known as “blockbusting.” Now not all black people lived in slums; there were very wealthy black neighborhoods where the lower middle-class white could no more afford to live than the middle-class black could move to Beverly Hills! The divide was economic as well as racial.
At the time, middle and lower middle-class housing was usually divided by “groups” as people wanted to live among their own. Thus, you had “little Italy,” Chinatown, Jewish Williamsburg, Harlem and so forth. Because of the lack of political clout of the white lower middle class, blockbusting usually involved their neighborhoods and often poor blacks were inserted into such neighborhoods without being able to afford to live there! What resulted was usually a catastrophe for the people—white and black!—and the neighborhoods.
The first blacks who moved into these white neighborhoods were little different than their white neighbors; that is, they were socially and economically “on the same level.” The result was that there was very little reaction. As I remember it (and I lived through it!), there was no outcry from white residents many of whom had lived for generations in these neighborhoods. However, not long after the first black families moved in, still more appeared and these later arrivals were people who soon created the same slums from which they had so recently departed! Swiftly, black ghettoes with their outré behavior and rampant crime overwhelmed the traditional lower middle-class white community. Overnight “for sale” signs appeared everywhere and the demographics swiftly changed – often within months or even weeks. In other words, all attempts at forcing “assimilation” and “association” did not work!
Historically, no one had a problem with people choosing to live among their own kind whether it was a matter of race, ethnicity or religion. Real estate businesses avoided the sale of houses to people who did not “belong” within a particular community. And while this was not entirely “fair,” as that word is understood today, it allowed people to legally protect their property rights and to associate with those whom they and not the central planners wished. There is no constitutional right to live wherever one wishes especially if the issue involves private property. Even landlords have (or used to have) the right to deny a rental property to people whom they considered bad risks or otherwise unsuitable!
Sadly, the current philosophy of entitlement has convinced people that such standards and the rules by which property values and decent communities were maintained are “racist,” – but “racist” or not, they maintained order and decency allowing a community to avoid undesired behavior including rampant crime. However, with enforced “diversity” came the police and the police state—and that was no coincidence!
Freedom of association is illegal now. If a real estate agent is too obvious in directing a buyer toward or away from a particular area, he or she faces disciplinary action from the real estate board and, if found wanting, forfeits his license. A homeowner who refuses to sell or rent to whomever shows up no matter what the reason, will find himself in front of a judge. Freedom of association has joined freedom of speech in that it is no longer a guaranteed right in America. Everyone has to seek permission from the state before they can buy or sell or rent and as a result, often finding a suitable place to live or, conversely, selling one’s home has become difficult for white middle-class families.
Long ago, modern conservatism gave up fighting for freedom of association and accepted the Left’s assertions that discrimination was the vilest of sins requiring an extraordinary remedy that forced people into undesired living situations. Many remember Barack Obama’s stated intention to have HUD legally prevent what he termed, “white enclaves!” Once Americans accept the contention that people don’t have a right to say with whom they will associate, all that remains is begging the Left to make exceptions in order to obtain civic order. Of course, as we all know, the Left doesn’t give exceptions to its rules. Only the Right seems willing to do that.
Freedom of association is not just forbidden, as an issue, it is not even allowed to appear in the public square! It is easy to imagine what would happen if someone—especially a white someone!—appeared on TV and said they didn’t want to live next to a minority. Their life would be ruined! This is why few if any “principled conservatives” came forward when the LBGT types started attacking Christian bakers and florists! Even libertarians are silent when the topic of free association is raised because we have conceded the “moral high ground” to the Left. This also explains the failure of conservatives to back then President Donald Trump on illegal immigration or acknowledging that America has the right to refuse Muslim immigration as Muslims are openly declared enemies of our nation and our people. Americans never needed permission to say “no!” when it comes to importing the “diversity” that is destroying us, but we have turned that former right into a sin against humanity.
All natural rights are premised on the freedom of people to live apart from those with whom they do not wish to associate and to choose those with whom they do. If we can restore the freedom of association, all of our other natural rights will, of necessity, follow.
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