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Volume 16, No. 10                                                                                                                     June 3, 2011

The Liberator Online

for everyone who loves Liberty
Published by The Advocates for Self-Government


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In This Issue

REMEMBERING GEORGE SCHWAPPACH
by Dr. James W. Lark, III

PRESIDENT'S CORNER
by Sharon Harris, President
* George Schwappach, a Shining Light for Liberty

INTELLECTUAL AMMUNITION
* Ron Paul: The New Chuck Norris?
* U.S. Gun Sales Soar -- And Crime Hits New Lows
* Senators: Secret Interpretations of the PATRIOT Act Threaten U.S. Liberty
* Free Book: Libertarian Solutions to Local Political Problems
 
THEY SAID IT: The Baltimore Sun on Rand Paul .... Yale law professor on Emperor Obama .... Jay Leno on immigration .... Thomas Sowell on welfare ....

PERSUASION POWER POINT #309
* No One Is Coming to the Rescue

 ASK DR. RUWART
* What is the libertarian alternative to zoning?

ONE-MINUTE LIBERTY TIP
* Writing A Supportive Letter to the Editor
 
 WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THE ADVOCATES
* FREE OPH KITS for libertarian student groups!
* Join the Advocates on Twitter.
* Join the Advocates Facebook Fan Club.


Remembering
George Schwappach

by Dr. James W. Lark, III
Advocates Chairman

RIP George Schwappach, 1953-2011, Advocates Board Member and Leading Libertarian Activist

George Schwappach passed away in early May. I have lost a friend and colleague, the Advocates has lost one of our "founding fathers," and the liberty movement has lost a great champion.

I first met George by telephone just over 25 years ago. He organized a driving tour for me during the spring of 1986; I met with libertarians in various localities to help them organize "Seminar 1" groups for the Advocates. I drove from Evanston, Illinois to Vancouver, BC, and back, meeting with libertarians in Omaha (NE), Casper (WY), Boise (ID), Eugene (OR), Beaverton (OR), Vancouver (BC), Seattle (WA), Tacoma (WA), Missoula (MT), and Crooks (SD). Given the meeting dates he established and the distances between localities, I jokingly congratulated him on his ability to organize the tour without ever consulting a map.

As I learned more about George, I found him to be a man of intelligence and wit, passion and compassion, with a devotion to the cause of liberty. He had an abiding zeal to promote the principles of liberty and responsibility, and he always sought ways to help people understand the essence of the libertarian perspective.

It wasn't until I joined the Board of Directors of the Advocates in 2003 that I began to work closely with George on a routine basis. While I had thought well of him prior to that time, it was through our work together on the Board that I saw what a truly fine fellow he was. He worked hard and well to help the Advocates pursue our mission, bringing a keen analytical mind (as well as humor and humility) to bear upon the problems we faced. When I had the honor to be elected chairman of the Board in 2009, George stepped up to the plate to serve as vice chair; he performed his duties with his usual competence, enthusiasm, and good humor.

As with his good friend and fellow Christian Marshall Fritz (founder of the Advocates), George treated people with courtesy and respect, always looking for ways to turn strangers into friends. As with Marshall, he was remarkably creative in finding opportunities to share libertarian ideas with others. As with Marshall, he faced a deadly enemy (cancer) with tremendous courage, grace, and humor. As with Marshall, he departed from us much too soon and much too young.

Many years ago Lyndon Johnson (someone I don't remember fondly) supposedly observed that usually one should not pass up a free meal or a chance to go to the bathroom. Allow me to suggest that one should not pass up the opportunity to say "Thank you." Fortunately, I said "Thank you" to George several times; unfortunately, I doubt I said it enough.

George, on behalf of the Board: Thank you. May God bless you and keep you.

Your friend,
Jim


President's Corner

by Sharon Harris



Remembering George Schwappach, a Shining Light for Liberty
 
Dear friend,

As Advocates Chair Jim Lark observes above, George Schwappach, a leader of the Advocates since the organization's founding days, has passed away.

George was one of the most enthusiastic supporters of the Advocates I ever met. He worked very closely with Advocates Founder Marshall Fritz in the early days of the organization, testing and refining the products and programs the Advocates created to help libertarians become successful communicators of the ideas of liberty. George was one of the first users of the World's Smallest Political Quiz and of our Operation Politically Homeless outreach kit.

He was an indefatigable worker for liberty, with an infectious energy and enthusiasm. He loved to take the message of freedom to audiences anywhere and everywhere, and he used Advocates tools and techniques to do so.

George especially loved the Quiz. In fact, he used the Quiz to screen prospective dates! That's how he met his wife, Debbie. Debbie passed away a few years ago. And at Debbie's funeral, George spoke about how he had used the Quiz to get to know her better. And then -- yes, right there at the funeral service -- he gave the Quiz to attendees! That might sound rather shocking… but knowing George, it was done in a charming and winning way.

George's car tags in Texas and Florida sported the phrase SELF GOV.

To the best of my knowledge, George was on the Advocates Board of Directors every year, from the very first year of the organization's existence.

He was passionate about the Advocates, about liberty, and about family. Even as he struggled with a life-threatening illness the past few years, he remained on the Advocates Board -- and continued to use the Quiz and OPH to find new libertarians.

After his death, his daughter wrote me these moving words:

"I know my father's greatest joy in this life (outside of loved ones) was being a libertarian and spreading the hope for a better future. Thank you guys for all the impact you had on his life. I still remember him speaking at your event in Las Vegas last summer... and seeing this tiny frail man become suddenly alive with energy. I can not describe how thankful I am for those memories."

George was a devout Christian. I am sure that, when he reached the Pearly Gates, he refused to enter unless St. Peter first took the Quiz.

(And I think I know how St. Peter scored.)

George, you were a character! You made our world a freer, and more colorful, place. And you will be deeply missed.

Below are a few additional short comments and reminiscences about George. Enjoy!

-- Sharon Harris

*  *  * 

"I was familiar with George's activism and dedication to the cause of liberty long before I met him; his reputation -- and it was a remarkable one -- definitely preceded him. It has been an honor and a pleasure, too brief to be sure, to serve on The Advocates board with him."

-- Diane Bast
Advocates Board of Directors

*  *  * 

“By far George was one of the best advocates for and successful givers of the Quiz to the public that I have ever observed. His reputation for this long preceded the recently short time in which I got to know him. He had a knack for making everyone feel special about taking the Quiz, even if they identified themselves with a position contrary to George’s beliefs.
 
"He was a good teacher, in words and by example, for how one should give the Quiz -- without judgment and with kindness. His goal was to identify libertarians, but more importantly, to make everyone feel good about taking about the Quiz, no matter one’s beliefs. His efforts thus helped to expand the reach of the Quiz and to give libertarian beliefs a good name.
 
"George will be sorely missed.”
 
-- Mark W. Rutherford
Advocates Board of Directors

*  *  * 

"George was an extrovert extraordinaire.  During our 26 year friendship, our temperament type differences gave us many hearty laughs, something I will cherish forever."

-- Ken Bisson, M.D. (Introvert)
Secretary, Advocates Board of Directors

*  *  *

Excerpt from a letter to George, from a young man who George mentored (written when George first became ill):

I want to tell you this story again--how you changed my life.

(Read the full story here.)


... Not one week of my life since 1991 passed without thinking about the mission I was on:
 
To become a good man.  To become a respected member of the working world, of my community, of my neighborhood.  To put myself in a position where I can be of benefit to the [libertarian] movement . . . and as it happens, to myself, my family, my world.
 
And it all started . . . precisely . . . because you had the wisdom to offer an honest appraisal of me at that time.
 
And because with your character and your spectacular depth and breadth of knowledge about libertarian philosophy and just because I admired you so much . . . I listened to you.
 
And it worked.

Respectfully, and very truly yours,

Bill Ferry

* * *

See our special page about George.

* * *
The purpose of the Liberator Online is to build a stronger movement for liberty. We do this by providing information about the libertarian movement and how to best communicate the ideas of liberty. Thank you for being a part of this!

Learn more about the Advocates and our work for liberty.

Learn more about libertarianism -- the philosophy of liberty.
 
-- Sharon Harris, President | Email

Intellectual Ammunition

by James W. Harris



Ron Paul: The New Chuck Norris?
 
A new website by Ron Paul fans argues that Ron Paul is the new Chuck Norris.
 
As proof, it offers zillions of Chuck Norris-style “facts” about Ron Paul. Just like the recent fad of Chuck Norris “facts” that flooded the land, some are hilarious, some are duds, and a few will seem offensive to some readers.
 
Will the idea catch on? Some of our favorites include:
 
* Ron Paul has no alarm clock, but instead wakes every morning to the call of freedom.
 
* Ron Paul doesn't cut taxes. He kills them with his bare hands.
 
* Ron Paul doesn't go the gym. He stays fit by exercising his civil rights.
 
* Dr. Paul delivers babies without his hands. He simply reads them the Bill of Rights and they crawl out in anticipation of freedom.
 
* King Midas shook hands with Ron Paul once. Nothing happened.
 
* Ron Paul has two first names... and is proud of it.
 
* Ron Paul was born 75 years ago, but he is only 45.
 
And of course…
 
* Chuck Norris has a list of 5 people not to mess with. Ron Paul is all of them.


U.S. Gun Sales Soar -- And Crime Hits New Lows
                                                                                                       
When President Obama won the presidency in 2008 gun sales soared, because many people feared the liberal president might call for gun bans.
 
Gun opponents predicted the flood of new guns into American society would mean more crime, more violence, more murder.
 
But they were wrong.
 
On May 24, the FBI released crime statistics indicating that between 2008 and 2009 – even as gun sales rose -- the number of murders in the U.S. decreased by a startling 7.2 percent.
 
That’s about an 8.2 percent decrease in the per-capita murder rate.
 
That’s also roughly a 10.5 percent decrease in the murder rate between 2004, when the federal “assault weapon” ban expired, and the end of 2009.
 
And finally, it means that in 2009 America’s murder rate fell to a 45-year low.
 
What about other crimes?
 
According to the FBI, in 2010 violent crime in all categories declined an average of 5.5 percent -- and the decline was felt in all regions of the country. Robbery was down 9.5 percent from 2009. Aggravated assault was down 3.6 percent. Rape was down 4.2 percent. The number of so-called property crimes -- burglary, larceny-theft, and motor vehicle theft -- decreased 2.8 percent.
 
The report is based on information the FBI gathered from 13,007 law enforcement agencies.
 
Of course, one should be cautious in drawing conclusions from such statistics. But at the minimum, it seems safe to say that the massive increase in gun sales over the past few years has not led to an increase in crime, and further, statistically at least, the increase of guns in private hands has been accompanied by significant drops in crime.
 
More Guns, Less Crime is the title of an excellent book by John R. Lott.
 
It also might be an excellent bumper-sticker explanation of what has happened in America during the past few years.

 
Senators: Secret Interpretations of the PATRIOT Act Threaten U.S. Liberty
 
According to two prominent senators -- both Democrats -- the Obama administration is using “secret interpretations” of the PATRIOT Act to justify massive invasions of civil liberties that would shock and anger Americans if made public.
 
Both senators are members of the Senate Intelligence Committee, and as such have access to classified information they cannot share with the public.

Photo: crazbabe21
During the late May debate over extending some of the worst provisions of the PATRIOT Act, both made it clear that something alarming is going on.
 
“I want to deliver a warning this afternoon: When the American people find out how their government has secretly interpreted the PATRIOT Act, they will be stunned and they will be angry,” said Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR).
 
“And they will be asking senators, ‘Did you know what this law actually permits?’ ‘Why didn’t you know before you voted on it?’ The fact is that anyone can read the plain text of the PATRIOT Act, and yet many members of Congress have no idea how the law is being secretly interpreted by the executive branch because that interpretation is classified.
 
“It’s almost as if there are two PATRIOT Acts, and many members of Congress haven’t even read the one that matters. Our constituents, of course, are totally in the dark. Members of the public have no access to the executive branch’s secret legal interpretations, so they have no idea what their government thinks this law means.”
 
Senator Mark Udall (D- CO) echoed Senator Wyden: “Americans would be alarmed if they knew how this law is being carried out.”
 
Senator Wyden expanded a bit on his fears in an interview with Wired.
 
"We're getting to a gap between what the public thinks the law says and what the American government secretly thinks the law says,” Wyden told Wired. “I’m talking about instances where the government is relying on secret interpretations of what the law says without telling the public what those interpretations are, and the reliance on secret interpretations of the [PATRIOT Act] is growing.”
 
On Senator Wyden’s urgings, Senate Intelligence Committee chairman Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) has said she will bring his concern to the Senate Intelligence Committee.
 
So what nefarious things is the government doing under its “secret interpretation” of the PATRIOT Act?
 
The Cato Institute’s Julian Sanchez makes an educated guess here.
 
Whatever the answer, Sanchez is right about the principle at stake: “a free and democratic society is not supposed to be governed by secret laws…”

 
Free Book: Libertarian Solutions to Local Political Problems
 
Having trouble finding libertarian solutions to local political problems? Here’s a free short online book that offers a treasury of useful information.
 
Local Problems, Libertarian Solutions by William D. Burt was published by the Libertarian Party in the late 1970s.
 
The book demonstrates how to apply libertarian principles to solve the most vexing problems faced by communities. The author drew upon leading experts in libertarian and free-market solutions in crafting his answers.
 
Chapters deal with the following issues: crime, education, land use and housing, water and sewers, emergency services, solid waste disposal, transportation, and a final chapter on translating libertarian principles into action.
 
Some of the examples and figures may be dated, but the issues, principles and arguments are as fresh as the front page of your local paper.
 
Local Problems, Libertarian Solutions is an invaluable resource for candidates for local office, community activists, and for anyone who wants to be able to provide answers to common questions about libertarianism and local issues. To paraphrase a common slogan: Think libertarian, act locally!
 
Thanks to Russ Nordeen for putting this excellent resource online!

* * * * * * * *
Intellectual Ammunition is written by Liberator Online editor James W. Harris. His articles have appeared in numerous magazines and newspapers, and he has been a Finalist for the Mencken Awards, given by the Free Press Association for "Outstanding Journalism in Support of Liberty."


They Said It...

* RAND PAUL IS THE NEW FACE OF THE FOURTH AMENDMENT: “Rand Paul has emerged as our country's face of Fourth Amendment advocacy. The First Amendment has the ACLU. The Second Amendment has the NRA. And the Fourth Amendment has Rand Paul.” – journalist Luke Broadwater, Baltimore Sun, May 24, 2011, writing about Sen. Rand Paul’s heroic battle against the renewal of the PATRIOT Act.

EMPEROR OBAMA: “In taking the country into a war with Libya, Barack Obama's administration is breaking new ground in its construction of an imperial presidency -- an executive who increasingly acts independently of Congress at home and abroad. … If Congress fails to respond, we have moved one large step further down the path to a truly imperial presidency.” -- Bruce Ackerman, professor of law and political science at Yale, “Obama's Unconstitutional War,” Foreign Policy, March 24, 2011.

LETTUCE SEE: "The Supreme Court has upheld Arizona's law which penalizes employers for hiring workers who are in the country illegally. And in a related story, in Phoenix a head of lettuce now costs 137 dollars." -- Jay Leno, May 26, 2011.

WHY POLITICIANS CREATE DEPENDENCY: “The goal [of welfare programs] is not to keep the poor from starving but to create dependency, because dependency translates into votes for politicians who play Santa Claus. We have all heard the old saying about how giving a man a fish feeds him for a day, while teaching him to fish feeds him for a lifetime. Independence makes for a healthier society, but dependency is what gets votes for politicians. For politicians, giving a man a fish every day of his life is the way to keep getting his vote.” -- economist and syndicated columnist Thomas Sowell, “Dependency and Votes,” May 24, 2011.

* * * * * * * * * *
"They Said It..." is compiled by Liberator Online editor James W. Harris.


Persuasion
Power Point
#309

by Michael Cloud

No One Is Coming to the Rescue
 
No one is coming to set you free.
 
No one is on the way to restore your liberty.
 
No one is coming to rescue your life, liberty, and property.
 
That's great news, says psychologist Nathaniel Branden.
 
Dr. Branden was intensely interested in what triggered the stunning progress he saw in successful psychotherapy clients.
 
“I often see that the most radical transformation occurs after the client’s realization that no one is coming to the rescue," observed Nathaniel Branden in his book The Power of Self-Esteem.
 
Brandon said some of his clients told him: "When I finally allowed myself to face fully my own responsibility for my life, I began to grow. I began to change."
 
Dr. Branden discovered that you empower yourself when you say and mean and act upon these declarations:
 
"I am responsible for the attainment of my desires and goals."
 
"I am responsible for my choices and actions."
 
Nathaniel Branden is right. You are the Prime Mover of your choices and actions. You are the Dominant Cause of your decisions and behavior. And even when life deals you a bad hand, how you play it -- how you respond -- is up to you.
 
"No one is coming to the rescue," says Dr. Branden.
 
This tough-love truth pulses with power and energy.
 
No one is standing in your way.
 
Photo: zoetnet
No one is holding you back.
 
Your libertarian activism is in your hands. You can start where you are. You can start now. You don't have to wait for anyone.
 
Your libertarian conversations and discussions are in your hands. You can start with people you know. Or with people you don't.
 
Your libertarian education and skills are in your power. You can expand what you know about libertarian politics and free market economics. You can self-navigate the web and go to quality libertarian sites to become more knowledgeable and better informed. You can read the Liberator Online, explore Advocates communication books and audios and videos, or come to Advocates workshops to further develop your communication skills.
 
You can operate alone - or - co-operate with other libertarians. It's up to you.
 
You are the driver of your choices and actions. You are the navigator of your direction and destination. Your actions will produce your consequences.
 
Have you ever said, "Someone ought to do something about this or that"? Well, you're someone.
 
If you want more libertarians, no one is coming to the rescue. No one is going to do it for you. It's up to you.
 
No one is holding you back. No one is standing in your way. You can initiate libertarian conversations and discussions. You can find more libertarians. Or persuade others to become libertarians.
 
If you want more libertarian activism in your community or state, no one is coming to save you. It's up to you.
 
You can get active. Yes, you. You can invite and enroll others. You can ask for advice or guidance from effective libertarian activists. You can begin. And begin again. You can continue. Your activism will attract supporters and more activists.
 
"No one is coming to the rescue."
 
Helplessness won't get you rescued.
 
Waiting won't.
 
Dependency won't get you bailed out.
 
Rescue yourself. Rescue your life, liberty, and property.
 
Your life is in your hands. You control your choices and actions. You fuel and aim your behavior. Your make your own personal future with what you say and do. So, too, with your libertarian future.
 
"No one is coming to the rescue" is NOT the end of hope.
 
It is the beginning of personal responsibility. And the sunlit possibility of liberty.
 
*  *  *

Note: For a short and enjoyable introduction to the work of Nathaniel Branden, I recommend his book The Power of Self-Esteem.

* * * * * * * *
Michael Cloud is author of the acclaimed book Secrets of Libertarian Persuasion, available exclusively from the Advocates.
 
In 2000, Michael was honored with the Thomas Paine Award as the Most Persuasive Libertarian Communicator in America.




Ask Dr. Ruwart


Dr. Mary Ruwart is a leading expert in libertarian communication. In this column she offers short answers to real questions about libertarianism. To submit questions to Dr. Ruwart, see end of column.
 
What is the libertarian alternative to zoning?

Question: I am a homeowner in a low-income neighborhood. I work hard to keep my property up, and my yard is beautiful.

I am enraged by people who leave tires and garbage cans in front of their houses, don't cut the grass, and scatter their garbage all over the street. They do not have the right to denigrate my quality of life.
 
How do I reconcile my libertarianism with the fact that I call the city on these offenders and advocate stricter laws regarding how one keeps the outside appearance of his property?

My Short Answer: In a libertarian nation, when builders created a subdivision, they might put deed restrictions on the homes. Prospective owners would need to accept these as a condition of purchase. Alternatively, property owners’ associations might be put in place with a starting set of restrictions, to be modified in time by the buyers into the subdivision. Such restrictions could include standards of upkeep. People who desired a well-kept neighborhood would likely buy in such communities.
 
People who would rather not be restricted would buy in communities where such standards were minimal or non-existent. In this way, everyone’s preference would be honored. Everyone wins!
 
Today, however, standards -- even zoning -- can fluctuate with changes in city councils, zoning boards, or inspectors. Sometimes these standards are selectively enforced (e.g., a neighbor has to complain before action is taken). Buyers don’t always know what they are getting into and understandably become resentful when their neighbors use government to restrict them. In today’s scenario, a win-win solution is rare.

Learn More: Liberator Online editor James W. Harris suggests the following articles for further reading on this topic:

* How Zoning Rules Would Work in a Free Society by Ben O'Neill, Mises Institute, June 17, 2009. This short article shows what’s wrong with zoning, and why market alternatives are better and more just.
 
Excerpt: “Contrary to the alleged necessity of zoning laws, there is ample scope for noncoercive solutions to zoning issues in the context of a free society of private-property ownership and nonaggression. In particular, private ownership of property allows for restrictive covenants to be agreed between the property owner and another party so that the allowable uses of land are limited according to the wishes of the parties. It follows that property owners within a given neighborhood may contractually agree to impose restrictions on themselves with respect to the allowable developments on their land or the allowable uses of their property.”
 
* Local Problems, Libertarian Solutions: Land Use and Housing
This is a chapter from an excellent book published by the Libertarian Party in the 1970s. The principles described are still very applicable today, and the entire book is well worth reading.
 
Excerpt: “Government has intervened so long and so thoroughly in land use and housing that one can hardly blame observers for their inability to identify the causes of the malaise which afflicts our living environments today. But a clear pattern emerges from the history of government land use and housing policy:
 
* Government ‘solutions’ to land use and housing problems have served the interest of government first and responded to actual community needs only secondarily -- often causing the problems to become worse.
* Such pseudo-solutions have imposed large costs upon society.
* These impositions have struck at poor and middle class people who could least afford such burdens, often at the same time that land use and housing policies claimed to help them.”
 
* Zoning Laws Destroy Communities by Troy Camplin, Mises Institute, April 30, 2010. This short article discusses problems with zoning, including huge unintentional consequences that subvert zoning’s alleged goals of fostering and preserving communities.
 
Excerpt: “Zoning laws are a violation of property rights. They destroy the sense of community in neighborhoods, increase crime, increase traffic congestion, contribute to urban and suburban air pollution, contribute to poverty, contribute to reliance in government -- and, thus, reduce self-reliance -- and contribute to the ruin of our schools. Most of our urban and suburban problems arose with zoning and other antiproperty laws, to which welfare programs and public housing projects have contributed…”

* * * * * * * *

Got questions?  Dr. Ruwart has answers! If you'd like answers to YOUR "tough questions" on libertarian issues, email Dr. Ruwart at: ruwart@theAdvocates.org
 
Due to volume, Dr. Ruwart can't personally acknowledge all emails. But we'll run the best questions and answers in upcoming issues.

Dr. Ruwart's previous Liberator Online answers are archived in searchable form.
 
Dr. Ruwart's outstanding book Healing Our World is available from the Advocates.


One-Minute Liberty Tip 

By Sharon Harris

Writing a Supportive Letter to the Editor
 
Last issue I discussed the great value of letters to the editor, and gave some resources for effective letter writing.
 
I also mentioned that one organization has estimated that a typical published short letter has a value equivalent to over $1,000 in newspaper advertising space. Further, letters are one of the most-read parts of a newspaper.
 
Now I’d like to discuss one kind of letter to the editor that is frequently neglected: a supportive letter.
 
Most letters to publications are opposition letters, written to express disagreement or disapproval of a particular action, public figure, or point of view.
 
That's understandable. And such letters are needed and valuable. 
 
But it's also important to write to express agreement and support.
 
When a newspaper editorial or column takes a pro-liberty position, a supportive letter makes them aware that libertarians are their allies on that issue. This may encourage them to take more such positions, and to have a more favorable view of libertarians.
 
This kind of letter also lets you expand on the topic. "I very much agree with your editorial that the War on Drugs has been a costly failure. In fact, a recent study by the libertarian Cato Institute found that..."
 
When a newspaper gives positive coverage to a libertarian event, or reports a libertarian think-tank's work, a letter expressing agreement, and thanking the paper, further reinforces the original story -- and may encourage the paper to run more such material.
 
Example: “I enjoyed your article on the Institute for Justice’s effort to win freedom for Georgia home decorators to practice their trade without expensive and unnecessary government licensing. I have long admired the work of this libertarian organization…”
 
Similarly, when you see a letter to the editor that takes a pro-liberty position, a letter from you stating your agreement adds strength to that original letter -- and may encourage more readers to agree. The same is true when a candidate for office, or other public figure, makes a bold libertarian statement.
 
It’s especially important to support a local newspaper or local columnist when they take a libertarian position or write approvingly of libertarians.
 
This may seem a simple and obvious idea. But it is so often overlooked. Look at your local newspaper. How many letters do you see of this kind? And how many opportunities for positive, supportive letters are neglected?
 
As always, use the words "libertarian" or "libertarianism" to identify your positions. As we’ve discussed in the past, the constant use of these words is essential “branding" of our libertarian "product.”
 
And don’t forget to let us know about your published libertarian letters! Your letters may qualify for our annual Lights of Liberty awards – and cool prizes!

* * * * * *
Sharon Harris is president of the Advocates for Self-Government. See more One Minute Liberty tips.   


What's Happening with the Advocates

FREE OPH KITS FOR LIBERTARIAN STUDENT GROUPS: Thanks to the generosity of our supporters, we're giving our acclaimed OPH (Operation Political Homeless) outreach kits to libertarian student groups FREE -- if they simply promise to use them a minimum of three times a year and send us photos documenting their OPH activity. OPH -- praised as the best recruiting tool in the libertarian movement -- normally sells for $50.00.


If you're in a student libertarian group, click here for more information on getting your free OPH kit.


JOIN US ON TWITTER:Twitter is the first place to learn about breaking Advocates and liberty movement news, expert communications tips, and exclusive Advocates discounts and specials. (And don't worry -- we won't bombard you with tweets. We're keeping it fun, fast, and useful.)
 
Joining the conversation is easy. If you don't already have a Twitter account, it only takes a few moments to sign up for one.

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Have any of your Facebook friends already joined? Join yourself and find out! There's no cost, no obligation, and your privacy is fully protected. Thank you!

About Us

THE LIBERATOR ONLINE, created by James W. Harris and Paul Schmidt, is the official newsletter of the Advocates for Self-Government.

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