oOo Starchild oOo

Introduce Yourself
#1

Greetings Freedom Lovers,

This is Starchild, from San Francisco. I actually introduced myself here way back in 2010, but I don’t know that the account is still valid; I never really got into posting here. In fact when I found that old introduction post, I found a bunch of replies to it that I hadn’t seen. (If you responded and never heard back from me, sorry about that!)

Anyway, I’d like to get more active here – as a longtime (L)ibertarian activist (anarchist, 6 time candidate for public office, former Libertarian National Committee At-Large Representative), I’ve thought the Free State Project was a good idea from the beginning, and continue to support it. Was excited to hear about the introduction of secession legislation in the NH legislature, and didn’t even mind losing our former chair (Aubrey Freedman) and current vice-chair (Jeff Yunes) here in the LPSF to the free(r) state. While I haven’t moved and no immediate plans to do so, I suspect I’ll wind up in the Shire at some point.

In the meantime, I’d like to participate more in the forums from afar, and do what I can to support local efforts on the ground. I think I first heard about the forums on Free Talk Live. I love the activism around FTL and what people have done in Keene; was dismayed (though not surprised, given everything we know) about the March raid on the studios and related persons. Have sent a donation to support the “Crypto Six” (FreeTheCrypto6.com).

I also have a question regarding the Shire Free Church, which I’ve joined and consider myself a member – has anyone with the church done anything regarding issuing religious exemptions to Covid vaccination mandates?

Love & Liberty,

((( starchild )))

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#2

Welcome back. Glad to hear you have moving in mind. It seems San Francisco is worse than ever with the vax passports now. Not surprised that we’re siphoning off activists- that’s great news for NH!

Regarding the Church, it’s a decentralized ministry, so it would be up to each minister to issue such a thing. PM me.

1 Like
#3

Thanks, Ian. All you do continues to be inspirational. Yeah, places in SF “carding” for “proof” of vaccination bites, though fortunately it’s not consistently enforced.

I wouldn’t describe the Free State Project as “siphoning off” activists – that’s characterizing it too negatively. People largely make personal decisions without anyone pressuring them. Jeff is still participating with the LPSF from the Shire, and I think people moving there is a form of activism in and of itself, which is good for the overall cause of freedom.

If I can figure out how to send a personal communication here, I’ll message you about the church.

Love & LIberty,

((( starchild )))

#4

Hi SC and welcome back ! I remember meeting you at porcfest a long time ago.
Really appreciate your interest in backing us from “the near abroad.”

During the 2 years before I moved to NH in 04 I found it was easy to do activism that would help the FSP from outside NH…and in fact it was already the most efficient type of activism I could do.

What kinds of things are you interested in doing from out there? talk radio calls, posts on other web forums or new social media, letters to the editor in your area, press releases… were the options that worked well for me before I moved and also after. Let me know what you want to do and I may have resources to throw your way that will make it easier. …when Biden shows up at SF someday maybe you can wave a “US out of NH” sign for us!

It seems like the main thing we need in this age of deplatforming and presstitutes…is media coverage of some kind, even if it’s just social media.

1 Like
#5

Hi Dave!

Thanks for your message – I think we did indeed meet briefly in 2009. Since then I’ve done some Shire activism from afar – telling people about the Free State Project, encouraging more focus on New Hampshire within the Libertarian Party, occasional posting on FreeKeene.com, calls to FreeTalkLive, even a bit of lobbying of state legislators (for marriage equality, and gun rights, iirc).

I’m always interested in hearing about online comment fora that attract people from different perspectives, especially ones that don’t require registering and creating accounts, or if they do, at least not requiring you to use Facebook (which I’m no longer on) or Google.

I do use Twitter (@StarchildSF) and the Disqus platform (Disqus.com/by/Starchild) – the latter is used as the comment interface by numerous sites, the one I currently use the most being the local San Francisco news site SFist.com – you can see a lot of comments I posted in the last few days on this story, for instance: New Analysis Shows Almost 900 Bay Area Neighborhoods Are Inside 'Food Deserts'.

By the way, I heard on FTL about your “Bitcoin Gandhi” activism – brilliant! I also appreciate your post about China, and how libertarians can help the cause of freedom there without contributing to U.S. government militarism or warmongering.

I have a project idea that could relate to the latter. Would love to chat with you by phone sometime if you’re up for it.

Love & Liberty,

((( starchild )))

1 Like
#6

Not really intending to be negative, but I have done zero for the Florida libertarians since leaving in 2006. It would be a waste of time. I don’t know anyone who talks about keeping up with what is happening back where they are from, so Jeff might be pretty unusual.

Reality is, FSP is a brain-drain on other libertarian groups. Top activists leave other areas and never look back. There’s just too much happening here to care about elsewhere, IMO.

The brain-drain of activists is likely why the LP pretends like the FSP doesn’t exist. It threatens their support and funding. Why send money and spend time on LP national when focusing in one state is actually working?

Just my $0.02

#7

ian has done a great deal for the florida LP , by moving to NH… where his activism counts.

Building (hopefully) the “shining city on a hill” here and setting an example… is the best way to move liberty forward everywhere else.

#8

If it’s reaching eyes, ears and minds, I don’t think any pro-freedom activism is a waste of time.

While some forms of activism are clearly more effective than others, it’s also important to remember that it’s like working out – the most effective forms are the ones you actually do.

People will naturally have activist opportunities and inclinations where they live and work and among people they know, which may not necessarily be in the Shire.

Then there is the sobering thought that if the United States is on the whole too anti-freedom, the U.S. government will be unlikely to let New Hampshire peacefully go its own way. The FSP will assuredly need friends without as well as within.

Not that I’m discouraging people from moving; I welcome it. I just think there are people doing important things for freedom in other places too, and their efforts should be applauded, not discouraged.

I wouldn’t want to see libertarians achieve freedom in one place and then draw up the gates or act like what happens to people in the rest of the world doesn’t matter. That would be a terrible mistake and only reinforce the negative stereotypes that many anti-libertarians have about us. In communist terms, we should emulate Trotskyists, not Stalinists (I trust folks reading this message will understand that remark and not think I’m endorsing any form of state socialism or communism!)

The struggle for freedom has always been worldwide. Given the universal nature of the principles of liberty it could hardly be otherwise.

Love & Liberty,

((( starchild )))

#9

I see the impulses that cause some in the LP to ignore the FSP, as similar to the impulses that cause some in the FSP to ignore, dismiss, or even dis the LP (I’m glad to say I’ve heard very little outright dismissal or negativity in the LP about the FSP). All of this is regrettable, in my view.

While there are legitimate criticisms to be made of both groups (admittedly probably more of the LP, on the whole, as it is larger, older, and more established and thus has had more opportunity to acquire bad habits!), as I see it both are broadly working for freedom and doing more good than harm. I’d like to see all libertarians/voluntaryists/anarchists/minarchists respect, appreciate, and value each other as comrades.

I think people in groups of all kinds – especially the leaders of groups, and those whose identities are particularly invested in them – are susceptible to placing more value on in-group efforts than those outside the group, even when the outside efforts reflect the group’s values.

The more established (institutionalized) a group is, the more this tends to come into play. It’s one of the reasons why I can listen sympathetically when someone like Larken Rose says he doesn’t join groups! Unfortunately, for all their problems, we can sometimes get more done, achieve more visibility, etc., working together in organized groups than simply as disparate individuals.

But it’s good to be wary of becoming too ego-invested in groups (including countries, ethnicities, etc.!), and not let group loyalty, tribalism, “fiduciary duty”, etc., interfere with the underlying purpose a group was intended to advance, or let one’s allegiance to the group interfere with one’s universal benevolence and seeking liberty and justice for all.

Love & Liberty,

((( starchild )))