Hi FreeKeene community,
My name is Ian McCluskey and I am 15 years old from Hopkinton, NH. I have been following you guys for quite some time now and decided to finally start posting a little bit. Watching videos and doing research about the rights that I have (or lack there of) makes me want to try and do something. It is hard to do something when people think that they live in this so called "free country" and everything is just fine. I wish more people my age would wake up to realize that us younger people can also act as a driving force in our fight for liberty.
I also would like to know what options there are for me to help?
Well, What are your hot-button issues?
What pisses you off about what the gov't is doing?
Welcome!
First, I recommend educating yourself about liberty. There are free books in PDF and audiobook form here:
http://book.freekeene.com
Start with "Healing Our World".
Then, get plugged into the activism you find most interesting. You'll find plenty here - just hang around and see what we're doing.
[quote author=teenageliberal link=topic=3843.msg42708#msg42708 date=1282440439]
Hi FreeKeene community,
My name is Ian McCluskey and I am 15 years old from Hopkinton, NH. I have been following you guys for quite some time now and decided to finally start posting a little bit. Watching videos and doing research about the rights that I have (or lack there of) makes me want to try and do something. It is hard to do something when people think that they live in this so called "free country" and everything is just fine. I wish more people my age would wake up to realize that us younger people can also act as a driving force in our fight for liberty.
I also would like to know what options there are for me to help?
[/quote]
I would think about what issues are most important to you, and what changes you'd like to see. Also, think about what kind of activism you'd like to do. If you're interested in politics I definitely recommend you check out www.nhliberty.org – they're an excellent organization that lobbies and educates folks in the NH state house. Ask on the forum there about ways to get plugged in.
The fact that you're so near the state house may getting involved with lobbying efforts there a really good option for you.
If you're not quite so interested in politics, educating average folks is also very important. Check out http://www.theadvocates.org/ – they have some great outreach tools.
Also, you might try educating your friends about real money, if you can buy a little bit of silver, and use it to trade with friends. I'm just brainstorming here ;). US coins (other than nickles and pennies) before '64 were made of 90% silver – which is a great way to buy in small increments. A silver dime, for example, is worth about $1.25.
Educating yourself is indeed important – have you read "The Revolution" by Ron Paul? How about "Meltdown" by Tom Woods? I hear "Healing our World" is a good one, although I must admit I've only read the first couple chapters (I did like them).
I especially recommend that you talk to your parents, make to include them, and get their support before you get involved with any liberty effort. You're still living at home (I presume) and so should honor their wishes. Actually, I people should try to honor their parents anyway, when possible, even if they have moved out.
You may know that many of the people on this particular site do civil disobedience. I would personally recommend that you take great care on that score – I certainly would recommend that you don't do anything to get arrested at your age.
If I were you, I'd recommend talking with friends and family, doing some reading to educate yourself, writing letters to the editor, etc. You can also volunteer to help a good liberty candidate in your area. Here are three candidates in Concord (nearish you, I think), that NHLA endorsed:
Lynne Blankenbeker ®
Pam Ean ®
Garret Ean ®
Just a few ideas :).
[quote author=FTL_Ian link=topic=3843.msg42737#msg42737 date=1282447171]
Welcome!
First, I recommend educating yourself about liberty. There are free books in PDF and audiobook form here:
http://book.freekeene.com
Start with "Healing Our World".
Then, get plugged into the activism you find most interesting. You'll find plenty here - just hang around and see what we're doing.
[/quote]
The Market For Liberty is also a good one. A bit dated (the prices, mostly… easily overlooked), but great writing.
[quote author=Myrkul999 link=topic=3843.msg42757#msg42757 date=1282480637]
The Market For Liberty is also a good one. A bit dated (the prices, mostly… easily overlooked), but great writing.
[/quote]
Yeah, I don't agree with a lot of the pseudo-philosophizing in the first couple chapters, but there is also a lot of good stuff in there.
Then there's Rothbard's work, although most of it is very good, it's not all exactly light reading. "Economics in One Lesson" is a good one too, as is "On Civil Disobedience" by Thoreau, although there are one or two phrases I don't agree with in that essay.