P-Diddy AKA the Diddler (allegdely) - From a Libertarian

 By now everyone with any level of internet access has at least heard of the allegations against Sean "Puff Daddy" Combs aka Puffy, aka Puff-Daddy aka P-Diddy aka Diddy aka The Diddler (allegedly). 

Summary time - Combs was arrested September 2024 on a slew of charges including racketeering, sex trafficing by force, and transportation for purposes of prostitution. After being denied bail three times he currently remains incarcerated in New York City. 

There has been a number of lawsuits filed against Combs starting in 2017 but he is facing (or has faced) allegations from as far back as 1991. Following his arrest a number of alleged victims have come forward and joined civil actions seeking punitive damages. He is facing allegations from both female and male individuals that allege he coerced performance of sexual activities. 

Raids on Combs residences have produced many meme inspiring items most notably 1,000 bottles of "baby oil and lubricant." Authorities also found illegally modified firearms and drugs including ketamine, ecstasy and GHB.

Now the question, What does a Libertarian think about all this? 

This is not easy. As a libertarian I fully support a person's right to lead the life that they choose to lead, including partaking of mind altering substances, and even engaging in prostitution. So if Combs had done those things on his own with consenting adults then frankly I have no problem with it. 

But that isn't what happened "allegedly". For brevity everything I am writing in this post are allegations and while some suits have been settled and dropped that doesn't prove the underlying allegations are true or that they would have been found true by a jury. Everyone deserves their day in court, even Combs. 

Allegedly Combs used various forms of coercion to get others to engage in sexual activities and either paid or promised to pay a number of the victims. Many of the victims claim they were given various drugs which impaired their judgement and resulted in them engaging in activities they otherwise would not have done.

Consent. For me consent is a big issue with all this. With literally the same series of events but all the individuals are fully consenting, you do you. Remove that consent or impair a person's ability to give consent and I have a big problem.

Personal responsibility is another crowing hallmark of Libertarians. While I don't think having and personally using ketamine, ecstasy and GHB should be a crime, if you have those with the intent to force another person to use them it should be a crime, 100%. If you get those drugs and someone gets access to them through you, and that person then rapes or sexually assaults someone using those drugs, you are responsible. 

Protecting the vulnerable. Everyone reading this should know what is meant by "vulnerable." There are further allegations that different people within Combs' sphere knew what was happening but did nothing to stop or prevent it. Criminally this becomes difficult to pursue because you have to prove ability, knowledge on and on. Civilly, those that knew what was happening and did nothing should live the rest of their life penniless, begging for socks. 

Ironically consent is going to be the only thing that Combs will be able to argue in court. "She consented to being given GHB (the date rape drug) and letting people have sex with her while she was unconscious." 

If Combs is guilty of these charges he deserves to spend the rest of his life in prison and his victims should be given every bit of his wealth, AND he shouldn't be allowed to spend every penny he has on lawyers to fight his victims. Further, if you knew about what was happening, if you participated in any degree, you deserve the same fate.