# Ron Paul Wants RonPaul.com so badly he's going to the UN **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [February 10, 2013, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ron-paul-wants-ronpaul-com-so-badly-hes-going-to-the-un/649854 "2013-02-10T05:29:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Ibn\_Warraq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e19b73/32.png) [@Ibn\_Warraq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ibn_Warraq)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2013, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ron-paul-wants-ronpaul-com-so-badly-hes-going-to-the-un/649854/1 "2013-02-10T05:29:53Z")
I think Ron Paul is an early contender for the Chutzpah of the Year Award. Ron Paul apparently just realized that he’d never secured either [RonPaul.com](http://RonPaul.com) or [RonPaul.org](http://RonPaul.org) and he’s now trying to wrest away control of those domains from some of his fans who’d set up fan sites promoting his beliefs. He has now apparently filed an appeal with the World Intellectual Property Organization, "a global governing body that is an agency of the United Nations” to “expropriate the two domain names from his supporters without compensation.” After rejecting an offer to give him [RonPaul.Org](http://RonPaul.Org) as a gift while keeping [RonPaul.com](http://RonPaul.com) and an additional offer to let him buy the sites and the email list for $250,000. Personally, I think this is immensely hypocritical, but I’d love to hear if others disagree. [http://www.mediaite.com/online/ron-paul-wants-ronpaul-com-so-badly-that-hes-asking-the-un-for-help/](http://www.mediaite.com/online/ron-paul-wants-ronpaul-com-so-badly-that-hes-asking-the-un-for-help/) I do have to admit I found the statement by the group targeted by Paul somewhat amusing though also somewhat poignant. > [@](#): > > What in the world is going on? Earlier this week we were hit in the face by Ron Paul’s entirely out-of-character anti-Chris Kyle tweet, and now Ron Paul, the Internet grassroots candidate, who was at the right place at the right time to lead the rEVOLution, attacks his own grassroots supporters through an agency of the United Nations to deport them from their own domain names after 5 years of nothing but unlimited, unconditional support on our part? > > Back in 2007 we put our lives on hold for you, Ron, and we invested close to 10,000 hours of tears, sweat and hard work into this site at great personal sacrifice. We helped raise millions of dollars for you, we spread your message of liberty as far and wide as we possibly could, and we went out of our way to defend you against the unjustified attacks by your opponents. Now that your campaigns are over and you no longer need us, you want to take it all away – and send us off to a UN tribunal? These are true believers who’d dedicated their lives to this man and his ideals now finding that he wasn’t the prophet they thought he was. I suspect Ron shall learn that hell hath no fury like a true believer scorned. ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2013, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ron-paul-wants-ronpaul-com-so-badly-hes-going-to-the-un/649854/2 "2013-02-10T05:35:47Z")
I always thought that the one good thing about Ron Paul was that he was always true to his beliefs no matter how unworkable, unrealistic, bigoted, or reactionary they were, but this shows he’s being an utter arse. ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2013, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ron-paul-wants-ronpaul-com-so-badly-hes-going-to-the-un/649854/3 "2013-02-10T13:42:03Z")
I don’t think it’s hypocritical in general to use public institutions you think shouldn’t exist–you can think they shouldn’t exist while at the same time dealing with the reality that they do exist. But there is definitely something just completely weird about Ron Paul using the United Nations to solve an intellectual property dispute. It seems bizarrely out of character. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2013, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ron-paul-wants-ronpaul-com-so-badly-hes-going-to-the-un/649854/4 "2013-02-10T14:26:34Z")
I don’t care so much about the appeal to the UN, though it is a little curious. But why would he reject paying people for work they did and value they created in service of his name and agenda? > [@ronpaul.com](#): > > The value we put on the deal was $250k; we are getting our mailing list appraised right now but we are confident it is easily worth more than $250k all by itself. Claims that we tried to sell Ron Paul “his name” for $250k or even $800k are completely untrue, and there is little doubt that our mailing list would have enabled Ron Paul to raise several million dollars for the liberty movement this year. It would have been a win/win/win situation for everyone involved. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2013, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ron-paul-wants-ronpaul-com-so-badly-hes-going-to-the-un/649854/5 "2013-02-10T14:40:30Z")
Using the World Intellectual Property Organization’s Arbitration and Mediation Center is not really “appealing to the United Nations.” It’s more in the nature of appealing to a private mediator as provided for by a contract. There are several other such private mediators that can be used under the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2013, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ron-paul-wants-ronpaul-com-so-badly-hes-going-to-the-un/649854/6 "2013-02-10T14:41:55Z")
I’m not surprised. As I may have mentioned in a thread or two here, I own a somewhat big-name domain name that the owners have rattled sabres at me over a few times. That’s it - they rattle, I respond in perfectly clear terms that add up to “let’s talk,” and I hear nothing further until the next rattle, perhaps a year later. There is a peculiar attitude about domain names among some older, stuffier organizations. As for Ron Paul, the only thing he could do that would surprise me is make sense. At all. On any topic. ---
**Author:** ![newcomer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e5b9ba/32.png) [@newcomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/newcomer)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2013, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ron-paul-wants-ronpaul-com-so-badly-hes-going-to-the-un/649854/7 "2013-02-10T14:52:00Z")
[http://www.wipo.int/about-ip/en/studies/publications/domain\_names.htm#4](http://www.wipo.int/about-ip/en/studies/publications/domain_names.htm#4) Yeah, it really is crazy to use a common international mechanism for domain name disputes. I’m waiting for another Ron Paul scandal where he dials 011 to reach someone outside of US. Or, when Ron Paul goes to grocery store and uses fiat money instead of gold. If any of that happens, I’m so done with him as that will be the proof that he is racist. Also, that will be the proof that his stance on drug war invalid. Keep it real :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2013, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ron-paul-wants-ronpaul-com-so-badly-hes-going-to-the-un/649854/8 "2013-02-10T15:04:28Z")
> [@newcomer](#): > > Yeah, it really is crazy to use a common international mechanism for domain name disputes. It is if you’re a flag-bearing big-L Libertarian who denounces such things. But then, the Libertarian stance seems to be a rigidified form of the attitude “I don’t need all these things from government, therefore they are a waste”… which is subject to quick emendation when one of those services turns out to be personally useful. Yep, internationalism sucks… until it’s the refuge of an idiot. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2013, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ron-paul-wants-ronpaul-com-so-badly-hes-going-to-the-un/649854/9 "2013-02-10T15:10:49Z")
> [@NitroPress](#): > > It is if you’re a flag-bearing big-L Libertarian who denounces such things. > > But then, the Libertarian stance seems to be a rigidified form of the attitude “I don’t need all these things from government, therefore they are a waste”… which is subject to quick emendation when one of those services turns out to be personally useful. > > Yep, internationalism sucks… until it’s the refuge of an idiot. As I tried to explain before, this is not Ron Paul appealing to a governmental agency to save him. He’s paying a private arbitrator to adjudicate a dispute pursuant to a contractual provision that exists in all domain name agreements allowing him to do so. Now, there is also a provision of the U.S. Code that would allow him to bring a claim for cybersquatting before a U.S. district court. Comparatively speaking, taking that route would seem to be a lot less libertarian than the one he has chosen. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2013, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ron-paul-wants-ronpaul-com-so-badly-hes-going-to-the-un/649854/10 "2013-02-10T15:21:38Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > Using the World Intellectual Property Organization’s Arbitration and Mediation Center is not really “appealing to the United Nations.” It’s more in the nature of appealing to a private mediator as provided for by a contract. Which would make sense if Ron had a contract with his supporters to run the websites in question. But it appears that he has decided to do an end run around the marketplace that is supposed to settle all such matters, by appealing to the very sort of governmental agency that his personal philosophy deplores. Laughably hypocritical. ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2013, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ron-paul-wants-ronpaul-com-so-badly-hes-going-to-the-un/649854/11 "2013-02-10T16:18:54Z")
Yeah, the issue isn’t that WIPO is a UN agency, or even that it’s inappropriate to use it to resolve domain name disputes. The issue is that Paul is trying to use governmental apparatus to take something of value that someone else built instead of paying for it like a good capitalist should. I mean, it would be one thing if they were actually just cyber-squatters, but they aren’t. They’ve built a going concern. And they only registered the domains in 08 fer chrissakes. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2013, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ron-paul-wants-ronpaul-com-so-badly-hes-going-to-the-un/649854/12 "2013-02-10T16:32:54Z")
> [@Gorsnak](#): > > Yeah, the issue isn’t that WIPO is a UN agency, or even that it’s inappropriate to use it to resolve domain name disputes. The issue is that Paul is trying to use governmental apparatus to take something of value that someone else built instead of paying for it like a good capitalist should. I mean, it would be one thing if they were actually just cyber-squatters, but they aren’t. They’ve built a going concern. And they only registered the domains in 08 fer chrissakes. This. All of it. It is, IMHO, precisely the kind of self-serving contradictory action that all LIbertarians are prone to; they preach and preach and preach, but will happily use the system they decry in ways that completely contravene that preaching whenever it’s to their advantage. When Libertarians realize that their fantasyland can ONLY exist when it is supported from outside by the kind of strong government they profess to despise, there will be a basis for listening to their babble. ---
**Author:** ![newcomer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e5b9ba/32.png) [@newcomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/newcomer)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2013, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ron-paul-wants-ronpaul-com-so-badly-hes-going-to-the-un/649854/13 "2013-02-10T17:16:35Z")
> [@Gorsnak](#): > > The issue is that Paul is trying to use governmental apparatus to take something of value that someone else built instead of paying for it like a good capitalist should. I mean, it would be one thing if they were actually just cyber-squatters, but they aren’t. They’ve built a going concern. And they only registered the domains in 08 fer chrissakes. It’s ironic that your argument makes you bigger Libertarian (of anarch-liberal type) than Paul is. ---
**Author:** ![newcomer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e5b9ba/32.png) [@newcomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/newcomer)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2013, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ron-paul-wants-ronpaul-com-so-badly-hes-going-to-the-un/649854/14 "2013-02-10T17:29:01Z")
> [@NitroPress](#): > > This. All of it. > > It is, IMHO, precisely the kind of self-serving contradictory action that all LIbertarians are prone to; they preach and preach and preach, but will happily use the system they decry in ways that completely contravene that preaching whenever it’s to their advantage. > > When Libertarians realize that their fantasyland can ONLY exist when it is supported from outside by the kind of strong government they profess to despise, there will be a basis for listening to their babble. When I see you protesting Obama’s drone policy or Obama’s failed promises of campaign finance reform I might give your argument some consideration. Until then you are in a “partisan hack” bucket. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2013, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ron-paul-wants-ronpaul-com-so-badly-hes-going-to-the-un/649854/15 "2013-02-10T17:30:48Z")
> [@newcomer](#): > > It’s ironic that your argument makes you bigger Libertarian (of anarch-liberal type) than Paul is. Oh, BS^3. One of the things that makes steam come out of my ears is when a fringe movement claims a common or wide-centrist concept as its very own. The Libbies excel at this, jumping up and down with glee and squealing when a politician of standard stripe states his belief in or support of some generality the L’s think they’ve staked out. What Gorsnak outlined is simple capitalism, something Libertarians have no proprietary grasp on whatsoever. Just as neither the NRA nor the Tea Party own patriotism. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2013, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ron-paul-wants-ronpaul-com-so-badly-hes-going-to-the-un/649854/16 "2013-02-10T17:32:51Z")
> [@newcomer](#): > > When I see you protesting Obama’s drone policy or Obama’s failed promises of campaign finance reform I might give your argument some consideration. We’re up to BS^fucking4 now. Typical Lib shot: “Since you don’t decry \_\_\_\_\_\_\_ you’re just [somehow worthless].” This thrown in from left field even when the discussion had nothing to do with \_\_\_\_\_\_\_. Since you’re obviously for clubbing and eating baby seals raw, we’re not going to listen to you any more. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Fun\_Ball](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_fun_ball/32/17664_2.png) [@Happy\_Fun\_Ball](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Fun_Ball)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2013, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ron-paul-wants-ronpaul-com-so-badly-hes-going-to-the-un/649854/17 "2013-02-10T17:50:14Z")
> [@newcomer](#): > > It’s ironic that your argument makes you bigger Libertarian (of anarch-liberal type) than Paul is. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2013, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ron-paul-wants-ronpaul-com-so-badly-hes-going-to-the-un/649854/18 "2013-02-10T18:07:57Z")
Maybe he’s going senile. I stopped paying attention to him when he went apeshit on the homophobia in the movie Bruno ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2013, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ron-paul-wants-ronpaul-com-so-badly-hes-going-to-the-un/649854/19 "2013-02-10T18:54:47Z")
> [@newcomer](#): > > It’s ironic that your argument makes you bigger Libertarian (of anarch-liberal type) than Paul is. What’s ironic? I _am_ a bigger libertarian (small l) than Paul is, albeit with the opposite emphasis with regards social vs economic from Paul’s. ---
**Author:** ![newcomer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e5b9ba/32.png) [@newcomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/newcomer)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2013, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ron-paul-wants-ronpaul-com-so-badly-hes-going-to-the-un/649854/20 "2013-02-10T18:56:04Z")
> [@NitroPress](#): > > Since you’re obviously for clubbing and eating baby seals raw, we’re not going to listen to you any more. Well, I’m a Canadian and it’s a fair tradition so, yeah, I am. As for the rest, finding a sliver in someone else’s ideology while not noticing a log in your own suggests a partisan hack of 1st order. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ron-paul-wants-ronpaul-com-so-badly-hes-going-to-the-un/649854.md?page=2)