Convincing Others FSW is "OK", or FSW Legitimacy

[Jared]

Y'know, I was re-reading the Statement of Intent, and I realized something - there's nothing in there about how long one "should" stay in Wyoming.
Only your "best effort to legally establish bona fide voting Wyoming residency" is pledged ......... so that takes care of the being stuck in Wyoming fear.  Technically you could move away right after establishing residency, and still have kept your pledge.

So J perhaps that will make them feel better about you being able to leave?

[Boston]

If we sign the SOI in and become members (which states we will make legal residence in WY by 7yrs of that date), are we free to move back out of WY if we have needs to do so, say after 4 or 5,  yrs of living in WY and giving to the FSW (with or without the intent of returning, the answer may be different for each of those). The reason I ask is b/c my parents are scared that if something goes wrong, my career changes, an emergency happens, my life goals change, etc. then I am stuck in WY for the rest of my life.

The SofI pledge regards only making your best effort to
move to Wyoming w/i 7 years...and nothing about having
to stay there.

Really, your folks are reading waaaay too much into all this.

This is hardly any kind of cult, because I am a person who explicitly
does not want followers.   Folks here disagree with me often,
and that's good because I haven't all the answers.

The FSW is just a sort of freedom-oriented Chamber of Commerce
for Wyoming. 

Boston
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[laurel]

J,

I encountered this a little with my mother ("You sound like you're joining a cult!") and she's a freedom-minded person herself. I, speaking from experience, humbly submit that part of your parents hesitation may be a reaction to your own zeal regarding FSW. If you're excitedly talking about signing a statement of intent (which to your parents may look like a contract) and then about how all these like-minded people are congregating in a certain area (sounds like a compound) and there's this cool guy who calls himself Boston T. Party who said this, this and that (cult leader!) then your parents may be misinterpreting the FSW as some sort of super-organization that is sucking their son in.

In reality, it's an effort of like-minded people to live within the bounds of the same state and hang out once in a while, while working on some political activism. It's no more a cult than your parents church is a cult - and even less so, in fact, as there are no religious connotations. (I say that as a Christian!) Are the Boy Scouts a cult? People who have car or motorcycle groups and go on weekend trips to the mountains? Gun clubs? The local Republican Party?

Your parents are certainly concerned that you'll be moving directly from under their wing to what they see as some organization that is going to "take you in." I think what they're failing to realize, and you may try to convey better, is there are few organizations that will encourage you to be as independent as FSW! You're not going to be able to camp out at one of these folks' house indefinitely, not working, not looking for your own place to live, etc. Sure, they'll help you get on your feet when you get there, but they wouldn't be FSW people if they liked freeloaders! If you move to Wyoming you'll be living independently - and freely, hopefully - period.

Anyway, I don't mean any disrespect at all, but after reading your question where you asked "are we free to move back out of WY" I have to admit I kind of shook my head and went "Well no wonder!" Of COURSE you're FREE to move, that's the whole point of coming to WY in the first place! I had a hard time explaining the purpose of the SOI to my mother, since she kept asking what exactly what would happen if we signed it and DIDN'T go, or left soon afterwards. I thought for a minute and said "Well, nothing." Since nothing would happen, she didn't get the point. I explained to her that the point was essentially a verbal committment to the movement, and that it's a matter of keeping your word or not. According to the SOI, you'll have kept up YOUR end of the bargain after establishing voting residence in WY - and that's all it takes! Of course, if you sign the SOI and show up, nobody is coming after you in the first place, but I take it to mean that my committment to the idea of the FSW is fulfilled after I move and vote.

So to sum all that up, you're signing a pledge, not a contract, it carries no repercussions for breaking it other than whatever value you place on breaking your word, and you are free to come or go as you please because the whole thing is, after all, called FREE State Wyoming! If you know all that in advance and explain it to your parents (or whoever else may ask) without hesitation, explain the point of the project, explain that you won't be confined in Boston's basement eating poisoned applesauce, etc., I think you'll run into far fewer problems.

Oh, and for the record, I don't even bother explaining the FSW by name to most people. Maybe that's poor PR of me, but when people ask what I'm intending to do after college, I explain that we're most likely moving to Wyoming. When they ask why, I tell them it's because we're pretty libertarian and the state politics allow far more freedom than anywhere else we've looked into, plus we figure we'll fit in with the western/cowboy/hunting/gun culture. I mention the outdoor recreation, the low taxes, the friendly business climate, the brain drain that creates a pretty ripe place for many college graduates, etc. If the person seems receptive to all that, then I'll mention that I've met a whole lot of similar-minded folks that are either moving there or have moved there, and that it just seems like the place to be... By that point the person is either nodding in tell-me-more agreement, or looks bored and like I'm totally crazy for ever moving to somewhere like WY. The prior sometimes gets the whole FSW story, the latter rarely does. I figure why bother!

Laurel

[Boston]

Laurel, many thanks for your thorough reply to J's concerns, and for
explaining the nature of the unenforceable FSW pledge.

Also, I very much like your initially non-FSW marketing of our concept,
which mentally creates an accurate "file folder" in which to later place the FSW. 
Good psychology there, for both interested folks and not!

...I take it to mean that my committment to the idea of the FSW is fulfilled after I move and vote.

I should clarify/correct this.

Actually, voting is not required of any FSWer, but only that
FSW Members must be eligible to vote in Wyoming as a bona fide resident.
Whether they vote or not (much less for whom) is their choice.

Those who cannot/will not ever vote (for whatever reasons) cannot be
FSW Members (because of the above), but are welcome as FSW Associates.

Boston

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[laurel]

Good clarification, Boston... I should have emphasized that is how I mean my committment to FSW, but the SOI doesn't require something even that thorough.

[koreyej]

The problem with the idea of FSW is that it is so removed from everything we have been taught and indoctrinated with that most people can't accept it at face value. Our church has the same problem frequently. On the 4th, we decided to serve the community by giving away 1300 bottles of water. Free. Really. No donations, no charge, just take it. No one would. They thought there was a catch, they would have to give us money or listen to how they should accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. They wouldn't take it. We had to walk up and down the parade route, practically dropping it in people's laps.

When the parade started, however, I had an idea. Whay don't we give it to those IN the parade? They are hot, thristy, and have been sitting in the sun for a couple of hours now. We got rid of it all. They were reaching out for it, yelling at us to throw it to them. They needed it.

And like that water, some people just won't take liberty until they are starving for it. They think it's a trick, it's not real, that it's a cult, because they are used to being deceived. Honesty is not common in our society, in fact it's unheard of. It's no wonder your parents don't believe it. You can't make them.

You might try a more subtle approach: drop it. Start looking for jobs in Wyoming that would offer you a great opportunity or schools (i.e. Casper College) that would do the same. Remember your goal: you want to get to Wyoming. You can convince your parents later, when you are happy, productive, and not brainwashed.

[Boston]

Beware Greeks bearing gifts...
Don't look a gift horse in the mouth...

Well, which is it?

And like that water, some people just won't take liberty until they are starving for it. They think it's a trick...

Quite right!

You touch on an important concept:  that demand must usually precede supply.
As national conditions worsen, the demand for local/state freedom will grow,
and the FSW will be increasingly ready to offer it.

Meanwhile, J, visit Wyoming and some of people (FSW and not), and
make your own adult conclusion.  If it's not what you expected, then
you can always move back home.

Boston

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