There Is Such A Thing As A Free Libertarians Meeting

My favorite old haunt —Tanstaafl Pub — is getting media attention for hosting this week’s Tarrant County Libertarians Meetup.

Examiner.com political writer Garry Reed tried to connect the pub’s acronym for “There Ain’t No Such Thing As A Free Lunch” to the Libertarian Party movement of the 1970s.

But anyone who knows Tanstaafl owners Jim and Mary Ann LeRoy knows that the acronym came from Jim’s love of science fiction.

The phrase is used in author Robert A. Heinlein’s The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress (1966).

I’ve never the read the book but I know it spurred the bar’s name because I spent many evenings at Tanstaafl over the years and heard the story numerous times. (Tanstaafl is where I purchased my first legal drink at a bar when I was just a pup).

Despite there being no connection between the Libertarian Party and Tanstaafl, I’ll bet they all get along fine in the cozy pub.

The Tarrant County Libertarians meet at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Tanstaafl Pub, 409 N. Bowen Road in Arlington.