Anybody else experience this?

[alexspartan]

Besides the much more open discussion of secession, even in the decidedly statist Mainstream Media, has anyone else been meeting more and more people, specifically libertarians, who are open to the free state movements, or just becoming less egghead and more action oriented?

There are about 10 libertarians at my university that I know personally and have talked to, and with all the historical happenings in the last couple years, mostly regarding economic issues, but also in the civil liberties category (although, to be fair, they are intertwined; property rights are individual rights, and vice versa), it seems that more of them are actually willing to go above and beyond just reading mises.org or lewrockwell.com every day.  They're realizing the futility of political action (especially the bailout passed today). 

We've started a Campaign for Liberty group, which is basically the continuation of Ron Paul's presidential campaign.  Truly, an exercise in futility, we know, but, our basic goals are to reach out to other students and try to, well, spread the word.  Really, what I'm getting out of it is a chance to perhaps plant seeds in people's minds that maybe they've been fed BS their entire lives, and also to find others like us, so I can try to convert them to action libertarians, maybe even free staters!

But, I've warmed up my two closest friends to the idea of perhaps the futility of any kind of large political movement, and how moving to a place like NH or WY is the next best alternative.  For instance, when I first met the group about a year ago, when we came together, I asked if any of them were shooters, or were interested in the free state projects, and they sort of avoided my gaze and ignored me.

Now, I'm taking them to their first gun show in November, where maybe I can persuade them to at least buy some cheap rifle (I'm think some $80 Mosin-Nagant might work).

Anybody else notice this?

[MamaLiberty]

Bless your heart, Alex! What a great gift you are giving these folks. I can't say I've noticed any new converts lately, but then I'm already home!

[FreedomFighter101]

I started talking to a civilian contractor here in Iraq a few weeks ago and we started talking about guns and politics and I told him about Boston's gun bible, he said he's heard of it.  So i asked him if he's heard of Molon Labe and the FSW and he said he's heard of the FSW a couple of years ago from someone in Indiana.  He's seemed pretty open to it, so i gave away another one of my copies of ML and gave him the address to the forum.

[peopleforget]

I have noticed that some of the sleepers in my college are starting to stir...but none have yet 'really' awakened of the ones I have met. I am working on a few right now and trying to get them to come out to the range for some education. I too have been trying to spread the seeds, but I haven't had much luck out here. I have gotten a few to start asking questions about the what's and why's though...so that may pan out.

This observation may help some others trying to feel out those with the greatest potential to awaken: I have noticed that the louder the person (politically, socially, egotistically, etc.) the more closed they will be to any ideas but their own. I am having much more significant success by talking with the 'quiet ones' who maintain a low profile and observe more than they speak.

I'm also having decent success with religious individuals...it's becoming...out of vogue... and frowned upon to be religious around here anymore. Many of them are actually drawing strong parallels to the end times and what is happening in the world. Getting them to want to take action is the hard part...but at least they're waking up if for a different reason. I know that when I'm asleep, and something wakes me up...I'm still awake whether it is the train, a pre-ventilated robber , or an alarm clock...the motivator is irrelevant if the end result is the same.

[MamaLiberty]

I've found that it helps a great deal to talk about what a person wants and needs in their own life, and problems they see in their immediate surroundings. It's much harder for people to get real when discussing the whole world, or the whole country for that matter. If it can be kept theoretical and distant, it is much easier to be unrealistic and cling to previous brainwashing.

When the problems and the possible solutions are brought down to the personal level, they have a much better chance of being related to real life and immediate need for change.

For example, instead of trying to talk to "newbies" about the "one world order" and such abstract dangers, I'd choose a local horror story of police state tactics and ask the person how they relate to that story, what they would do if involved, and what they see as the solution.

You often learn more, and even convey more, by listening.   I've never yet found anyone who could answer those questions without admitting (whether or not they accept the admission) that the police state IS already here, and that they don't want any part of it - at least personally.

[alexspartan]

Ditto what ML said.  And remember, to convince anyone of something that goes against their long held beliefs, it takes a long time, with little bits delivered every once and a while.  For you fellow former-statists, think about how long it really took for you to get to about where you are.  Took a while, didn't it?  Took me a couple years.

And, of course, it doesn't always work.  I've seen people who have had their arguments or views virtually destroyed over a period of time.  Do they change?  I've seen them completely ignore everything that they had come to realize and just fall back on what they knew was incorrect, but believed it anyway, because it's familiar.

As Adam once quipped on "Mythbusters", "I reject your reality and substitute it with my own."

[Jack-O]

ONES FIRST GUN SHOULD NEVER BE A MOISIN NAGANT.

try an SKS.  it's cheap, fun to shoot and easy to feed.

[wyomiles]

Great thread. I work on folks at work all the time. Most of the time they think I am nuts so I just play along and we have fun with it. Lately these folks are starting to ask me more questions because they are seeing that maybe I am not so crazy after all.

[socalserf]

Ditto the BTP Gun bible. It's the ticket to turn nerf libertarians into budding action oriented folks.
(Ask me how I know)
I've given away several copies, while it's not cheap to do think of he possible return on your investment.
Christmas is comming up.

Oh yeah, Appleseed works well too.

[archy]

I started talking to a civilian contractor here in Iraq a few weeks ago and we started talking about guns and politics and I told him about Boston's gun bible, he said he's heard of it.  So i asked him if he's heard of Molon Labe and the FSW and he said he's heard of the FSW a couple of years ago from someone in Indiana.  He's seemed pretty open to it, so i gave away another one of my copies of ML and gave him the address to the forum.

If his name was Walt, tell him archy said to say hi.

[alexspartan]

One of my fellow libertarians last night told me that the idea of moving to a freer state seems much more attractive the worse things get.  Now with the just-passed stimulus bill, things can only get worse.  I think he only occasionally reads through this forum, but he is becoming more and more open to the idea.

He asked me why I thought a free state would be a good place to be.  I said that with this coming depression (borrowing from some of the ideas from globalguerrillas.com) it will be small, somewhat self-sufficient communities that will be best able to withstand any economic disasters, crime, terrorism, whatever.  And, Wyoming is, according to some statistics, the most insulated of all the states, so far, from this depression; it's ranked 1st in terms of home foreclosures, unemployment, and state budget deficits (whatever that's supposed to show...).  It's not on the coast, so it's economy is directly influenced by any fall in imports/exports, it has plenty of natural resources that are mined, and are used inside this country, and these resources will be demanded even if things get really bad (though I could be wrong).

Unfortunately, he's the only libertarian I've been able to convince, even remotely, of the value of moving to a free state.