Liberty Forum 2011

[Russell Kanning]

I recently heard that the Liberty Forum 2011 dates have been scheduled, but they have not had a head organizer step up yet. So I offered my services if no one better comes forward this month. I am sure the Liberty Forum can be quite a success next year if I or someone else heads it up. But it did bring up a interesting question of methods inside our freedom movement on the fsp-doers email list.


> Staying out of jail is one important qualification.  I haven't kept perfect
> track, but I gather that's still be problematic for ya on occasion???
>
> V-

As a fellow stakeholder in the Liberty Forum, I don't find that to be an important qualifier at all. We can look at this both from a utilitarian, moral, and historic viewpoint.

If the next person who heads up the Liberty Forum is jailed during the next year, what will happen? Obviously the next person in leadership would take a much larger role, if not completely take over. That person might be just as good a leader, or may turn out to be much better. The jailed liberty activist might also be able to communicate well with the outside (and slightly more free) world and coordinate the activities of many wonderful activists. Throughout this entire process there could be unique and interesting media attention brought to our freedom movement and the players that make up the Free State Project. And lastly there will be an intensification of the liberty activist spotlight on the Liberty Forum, and I would guess that many more people would want to attend to stand alongside their comrade in the struggle against tyranny.

Now the moral point is even more important. For if our friend and colleague is jailed for hurting others, and/or if the regime that jails him/her is righteous, than the damage done to the movement and to the event is severe. But what is the likelihood of that? So far our fellow activists have been jailed by an oppressive police state for victimless "crimes", crimes against the state, and various nanny state infractions.

So when you see these 2 factors combined in history, you can gain some perspective on what might occur in our present situation. A long time ago the Apostle Paul was jailed when he tried to join a Jewish feast. He wanted to join a celebration and to help poor Christian in Jerusalem, even though he was warned by many others to avoid the politically connected religious rulers there. He then spent the rest of his life unable to visit churches, but instead had to write them and sometimes have visitors. Was he much less effective afterwards? It is hard to tell, but there are some nice letters he left behind for us to read. Likewise, was Martin Luther King less effective as a freedom activist when he was in jail? I think not. In fact, at least once, he felt it important that he join his fellow workers in jail, lest he be a lesser leader for it. He also was often counseled by his fellows that he was more effective outside of jails, but the movement flourished anyhow.

Aha ... but then you say "what do those examples have to do with us?" Indeed that is the question. I believe we live in a society not unlike early Nazi Germany, although I think this current facist regime will collapse more like the Soviet Union did. Now here we have a growing freedom movement trying desperately to fight against this government system and along the way some of our leaders fall victim to it and are jailed. How should we react to this, especially in light of them heading up our Liberty Forum?

I guess my answer is very different from yours right now Varrin. I, like Thoreau after his night in jail, look at you and the rest of society very differently after having brushed up closely to the police state. I do not think it in necessary, or even desired, that our leaders in this movement (even the coordinators of our parties), be free from jail. Since the tactics of our enemies are often to jail those of us Quixotic enough to attack them. I think it likely and indeed helpful that a future lead organizer of the Liberty Forum be sitting in a Birmingham (I mean Manchester) jail.

[Tom Sawyer]

Well said Russell. (You even used capital letters  lol  )

I'll say it again... the only reason I got involved with the FSP was because you went to the airport, Lauren didn't leave the meeting etc.
After having been involved with the LP and other liberty oriented groups I had lost faith in the talkers, the academics, the political players... the action of the CD folks stood out in stark contrast to me.

[Sovereign Curtis]

Great post, Russel. I agree very much.

As I responded to the email, I think we could take it one step further and enlist those who find they have some free time on their hands.

[Russell Kanning]

maybe some agorist will have to head up the next liberty forum .... to complete the takeover

[Pat K]

Perhaps the Liberty Forum could have a jail theme.

Folks could were orange jumpers.................