Welcome to the Free Talk Live bulletin board system!
This board is closed to new users and new posts.  Thank you to all our great mods and users over the years.  Details here.
185859 Posts in 9829 Topics by 1371 Members
Latest Member: cjt26
Home Help
+  The Free Talk Live BBS
|-+  Free Talk Live
| |-+  General
| | |-+  Activism: how far would you go?
Pages: [1] 2 3 ... 12   Go Down

Author Topic: Activism: how far would you go?  (Read 33975 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

vanguardist

  • Guest
Activism: how far would you go?
« on: February 03, 2006, 07:31:27 PM »

One thing that I am curious is how far people are willing to go to promote liberty and be an activist against government crimes (or do I repeat myself?).

Some people prefer to be monkeywrenchers and demonstrators, others like to work within the system (politics, blogging, academics, etc.), and yet others want to simply go underground and avoid taxes and all licenses and registrations.

Fortunately, those who want liberty span the entire spectrum: from full-time intellectuals to full-time activists. So, as an open-ended question, what's your particular balance between fighting for freedom from home or from jail?  :o
Logged

fourthgeek

  • Guest
Re: Activism: how far would you go?
« Reply #1 on: February 03, 2006, 07:36:03 PM »

I'm willing to go to jail as long as I can afford it. >>

Until I have a bit of money as backup, I'll mostly be doing outreach and non-illegal protest, and possibly a bit of underground stuff if i don't think i'll get caught.
Logged

Proletarian

  • I am the opiate of the masses!
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 170
  • Thought Criminal
    • View Profile
Re: Activism: how far would you go?
« Reply #2 on: February 04, 2006, 04:36:07 AM »

I educate myself as much as possible.

I engage people in discussions about the origin of their liberty -- like, does liberty derive from the benevolence of government and are you really free when government doesn't give you a choice?

I engage people in discussions about the extent of their knowledge and understanding of the federal constitution. I always ask them if they believe their rights are given to them from the constitution.

I engage people in discussions about money, the federal reserve, the liberty dollar, fiat money, commodity-backed money, etc.

I am working on making tons of flyers about jury nullification to hand out to passers-by in front of the courthouse downtown.

That's just a bit of what I do.
Logged
"From each according to his ability, to each according to his need."

"If there is hope, it lies in the proles."

sfliberty

  • Guest
Re: Activism: how far would you go?
« Reply #3 on: February 04, 2006, 11:54:47 AM »

When I get a solid foundation down for myself I'll be willing to get arrested if needed; however, I think that I'm more useful out of jail.  I'm excited about gettting to New Hampshire because there will be more than one or two people to take part in a protest that you might get arrested in.  The more the merrier, and the more the less likely you will actually get arrested.  And even if you do end up getting arrested, there are more people left to get attention to the matter and work their a**** off to get you out.
Logged

JetlagQ

  • Take it up with my DRO...
  • FTL Creative Team
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 126
  • ...I love Mises to pieces
    • View Profile
    • Black and Gold
Re: Activism: how far would you go?
« Reply #4 on: February 05, 2006, 01:17:28 AM »

1. Keep myself on as sound an intellectual footing as I can through research and constant questioning.
2. Try to live as consistently as I can according to my principles.
3. Without prosteletizing (which turns people off) share my views and freedom-related solutions when I think it appropriate.
4. ???
5. Freedom!

Step 4 is where I am having some problems. Recently I have been thinking about how far to go with this.

some things I would do:

1. Let them know that we are onto them. When offered a receipt for payment of licenses, fines or taxes, refuse and say "I never take a receipt for money that is stolen from me."
2. Someone recommended stamping money. I like that. Stamp it with "This money is not backed by anything" etc.
3. Stage occasional shows of non-compliance.
4. Write letters to editors
5. Take communication classes - like Michael Cloud's
6. Don't concentrate only on nagging about what's wrong. People want solutions. They think in positives, not negatives. Concentrate on positive free-market solutions.
7. Find people who disagree with you and hone your skills against them.

When it comes down to it I think we have to be willing to pay for our liberty.
Logged
There is no worse tyranny than to force a man to pay for what he does not want merely because you think it would be good for him.

battlesysadmin

  • Guest
Re: Activism: how far would you go?
« Reply #5 on: February 05, 2006, 02:34:04 AM »

I like this thread. It made me think. I had a long answer written out, then canceled it. I'm still figuring out how far I will go. I still haven't decided what I want to accomplish and what is reasonable to expect. So far, I'm willing to put time and effort into learning these things, and possibly to move to New Hampshire for the Free State Project.

What I have done so far is to start reaching out for the first time in my life to fellow Libertarians and actually paying attention to politics. I had given up a long time ago, thinking things were so f***ed up that there was no point in trying and that nobody cared about the truth or the Constitution anymore. I learned that that isn't true, and I'm willing to throw in and see if I can make a difference.

So far, everything I'm doing is "safe" and within the system. I'm the Activities Chair for my local LP (I'm throwing my first event this Wednesday). I helped out the LP at a Junior Statesman event and the FSP at a convention. I'm an AMPlifier (YAY FTL!). I joined the NRA. I'm working on some other ideas, especially on how to fight Eminent Domain here in California.

Here's the ad for my first thing (it's in the Bay Area of CA)  :) :

*:-.,_,.-:*'``'*:-.,_,.-:*'``'*:-.,_,.-:**:-.,_,.-:*'``'*:-.,_,.-:*'``'*:-.,_

February Gathering
All Santa Clara county Libertarians are cordially invited to meet on Wednesday, February 8th at 7pm at:

Bakers Square
165 Los Gatos-Saratoga Ave.
Los Gatos, CA  95030
408-354-4733

If you've always wanted to get involved but weren't quite sure how, come out and have some pie with us! This is a casual meeting with a semi-formal agenda. You can bring up any topic that concerns you. You can find out more about various projects and committees that are forming. We are a friendly bunch!

* If you missed the county convention dinner in January, this is your opportunity to meet the new officers of your Executive Committee. Let us know what you would like to see happen in the coming year.

* If you plan on attending the state convention in February but are not yet a delegate, please come out and let us know that you would like to be on the LPSCC roster.

* We will be gathering signatures for 2006 LP statewide and local candidates. If you are interested in running, now is the time to announce your intentions and to help us to help you.

Hope to see you there -
Lois Garcia
Activities Chair


Libertarian Party of Santa Clara County
Phones: 1-408-243-2711, 1-877-872-3007<b/>
Post Office Box 60171, Sunnyvale  CA 94088-0171
>
Logged

lepidoptera

  • Guest
Re: Activism: how far would you go?
« Reply #6 on: February 05, 2006, 02:14:08 PM »

Not very.  The problem with libertarians is that they're concerned with their individual rights, and a natural progression of that -or even the origin of it- is to be concerned for their person in general. 

That means getting arrested is a rather unpleasant prospect for us, whereas the libbies have no problem breaking into the president of a university's office at night and chaining themselves to the desk.  After all, the ugliest forest- it wasn't even really a forest- was going to be cut down for a parking lot! (It happened at my school!)
« Last Edit: February 05, 2006, 02:17:14 PM by lepidoptera »
Logged

lapafrax

  • Guest
Re: Activism: how far would you go?
« Reply #7 on: February 05, 2006, 07:10:23 PM »

I value my liberty too much to go to jail, even if it were for advancing freedom.  Causes that use illegal activities often turn people off.  Look at animal rights activists.  Recently they threatened to harm all Oxford university students because a lad at the uni tested things on animals. 

I think legal methods of advancing liberty are still acceptable.  To me, libertarians should both influence the ruling political class and society at large towards embracing liberty. 

Logged

Cortaigne

  • Guest
Re: Activism: how far would you go?
« Reply #8 on: February 05, 2006, 07:50:58 PM »

Causes that use illegal activities often turn people off.

I couldn't believe how many of the people I told about the arrest of Michael Badnarik and David Cobb — you see, I had to tell them about it because they sure as hell never heard anything of it on the major media — thought they got what they deserved because they were undertaking civil disobedience.  Most of them saw it as a publicity stunt.  That event was not only a capper in my recognition that the major media really is bought and sold, but also a capper in my recognition that the majority of people really are sheeple.

Quote
I think legal methods of advancing liberty are still acceptable.

But they keep tightening the noose — raising the requirements to participate in presidential debates, raising the requirements to appear on ballots, creating "free speech zones," threatening bloggers with libel and slander, etc.  How far does it need to go before you'll recognize that it's too late to work within the system to change it?
Logged

vanguardist

  • Guest
Re: Activism: how far would you go?
« Reply #9 on: February 05, 2006, 07:52:49 PM »

"America is at that awkward stage. It's too late to work within the system, but too early to shoot the bastards."
Logged

Cortaigne

  • Guest
Re: Activism: how far would you go?
« Reply #10 on: February 05, 2006, 07:55:02 PM »

"America is at that awkward stage. It's too late to work within the system, but too early to shoot the bastards."

[casually checks his pocket watch and resumes polishing gunmetal]
Logged

bonerjoe

  • Guest
Re: Activism: how far would you go?
« Reply #11 on: February 05, 2006, 08:04:06 PM »

I think it's literally suicide to go and directly confront the government with force at this time. Best to try and play their game for awhile.
Logged

vanguardist

  • Guest
Re: Activism: how far would you go?
« Reply #12 on: February 05, 2006, 08:09:31 PM »

I agree. That said, however, I support any and all activity that antagonizes the government. Burn flags, shoot up, hide guns, don't pay taxes, hire people without social security [sic]. Those are legitimate activities and should be honored and praised.
Logged

Evil Muppet

  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 5487
    • View Profile
Re: Activism: how far would you go?
« Reply #13 on: February 05, 2006, 08:57:33 PM »

There is a certain escalation of force that you got to go through.  The tactics you use just depends on the political environment.   

As far as getting arrested.  You should avoid arrest unless it serves your political purpose.  You get arrested only when it makes the government look like jack boot thugs and you as a heroic martyr for truth justice and the American way. 
Logged
Now you see that evil will always triumph, because good is dumb.

Laetitia

  • Global Moderator
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 3952
  • ...
    • View Profile
Re: Activism: how far would you go?
« Reply #14 on: February 05, 2006, 09:11:45 PM »

How many laws and or regulations do each of us break or skirt around every week? Is anyone on this BBS able to say with absolute certainty that he or she hasn't broken any? Our government has put so many caveats on our daily activities at all levels, that it's hard to say.

I'm not saying we should go out and start throwing rocks with politcal messages through govt. office buildings, or initiate force.
But I think we have to be willing to openly break the law, when the law is a flat-out violation of constitutionally protected rights.
The homeowners in condemnation/eminent domain cases should sit on their front steps and wait to be dragged from their property and arrested.
Badnarik was right to walk into the barricades outside the presidential debate and be arrested.
Doctors who assist patients end their suffering either by prescribing pills they know to be for the purpose of an overdose or administering a higher dose of morphine by injection do so knowing that they are in danger of arrest AND losing their license to practice their profession, yet they choose to do what is right for their patient.

I'm not sure exactly how far I would go, or exactly where to begin. I do know that as my children get older and are more self-reliant, I will be willing to step farther.  America's founders started with arguments over the pub table, letters to newspapers, pamphlets and books. It wasn't until they began to act openly that things began to change.
« Last Edit: February 05, 2006, 09:16:38 PM by joy »
Logged
Good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of experience comes from bad judgment.
Pages: [1] 2 3 ... 12   Go Up
+  The Free Talk Live BBS
|-+  Free Talk Live
| |-+  General
| | |-+  Activism: how far would you go?

// ]]>

Page created in 0.02 seconds with 32 queries.