Loompanics
Loompanics is an American book publisher specializing in nonfiction on generally unconventional or controversial topics, with a philosophy tending to left wing or libertarian. The topics of their list include drugs, weapons, anarchism, sex, conspiracy theory, and so on. Many of their titles describe some kind of illicit or extralegal actions, such as Counterfeit I.D. Made Easy, while others are purely informative, like Opium for the Masses. Loompanics has been in business for nearly 30 years. The publisher and editor is Michael Hoy. In addition to Loompanics' massive annual catalog of its entire stock, Loompanics regularly mails its customers a thinner quarterly supplement featuring a selection of books interspersed with articles about government propaganda and conspiracies, and/or underground resistance. The cover always features an old-timey government propaganda poster with an eagle carrying a stack of volumes and the slogan, "Our men want books!" Loompanics does not fall into the categories of mainstream liberal, conservative, or libertarian politics. While Hoy claims to favor free markets, he also criticizes libertarians for championing multinational corporations, which he describes in a 2005 article as being entirely different entities from individuals. Hoy characterizes them as governmental entities, since their limited liability is the result of government fiat, rather than contractual dealings among individuals. Thus, in some ways, Hoy argues, corporations have more rights than individuals. He also criticized libertarians for brainwashing themselves, stating:
:"Libertarian" followers have been taught numerous thought-stopping techniques by "Libertarian" leaders, so that anyone who attempts to discuss the non-market reality of corporations is slapped with a negative label ("anti-corporate," "anti-trade," etc. - there are lots), and then any questions raised by that person are literally unthinkable to "Libertarians."
Hoy's articles, which systemically lambast the policies of all major political groups, have earned him the wrath of organizations across the political spectrum. Loompanics' FAQ states that the company's name is a play on words inspired by Hoy's fondness for National Lampoon.
Alleged censorship
Reason refused to publish Loompanics' ads, due to a pencil sketch of a female breast that appeared in his catalog. Hoy claims that Reason subsequently sent him a pitch for donations to support their magazine. This led to Hoy writing several articles criticizing libertarians for being hypocrites who advocate a free market, but publish their propaganda through nonprofit organizations rather than self-sustaining, for-profit enterprises. According to Gia Cosindas, Amazon.com, Ebay, and Google have refused to allow Loompanics to advertise on their sites, since some of the books' content violates their editorial guidelines. Specifically, Google wrote, "At this time, Google policy does not permit the advertisement of websites that contain 'the promotion of violence,' 'drugs or drug paraphernalia.'"
ReferencesCosindas, Gina: Covert Censorship on the Web, 2005 Spring Supplement.Hoy, Mike: Why Corporatons are Not People and the Unsavory Consequences of Pretending That They Are, 2005 Spring Supplement.
External linkLoompanics Unlimited
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