Document:The Libertarian Volume 1 Number 2 (October 1972)
Dr. John Hospers, the Liber tarian Party presidential candidate, arrived at the Los Angeles Inter national Airport on September 15, after a successful national tour across the country. A large crowd of excited Libertarians greeted him and he answered their questions about his tour and the response to his tour. Dr. Hospers started his tour on September 5 and visited Dallas, Houston, Oklahoma City, Chicago, Boston, Philadelphia, Des Moines, and Denver. In Los Angeles he gave a three hour interview to the area Associa ted Press representative, to· be syndicated in the near future. The response following his appearances was indicated best by the flood of mail to the National and State Headquarters. In terms of generating interest, the tour was highly successful and the re• sults have exceeded our most opti mistic expectations. Perhaps more important though, are the deeper effects of Dr. Hospers' trip. Over 1000 copies of his paperback "Libertarianism" were sold. Libertarian ideas were pre sented by ,m eloquent spokesman who clearly stated and defended his stance in principle. The long term effects are yet to be felt in our society, and judging from the initial response, those effects should be far reach ino. And still•••it's just the beginning. Since the national convention in Denver in June, I have been the California State Chairman, Pro-Tern, in addition to acting as Dr. H0 ners' campaign manager. When I assumed this position there was no California party, al though there were approximately 40 party members. We now have several hundred ,: state and national L.P. members in addition to a mailing list numbering in the thousands. We have c;t State Chairman, State Vice-Chairrnan,State Finance Chairman, a working staff and several county chairmen. A slate of u s, electors has been sub mitted to the Secretary of State so Dr. Hospers' votes will be counted. The Libertarian Party is here to stay.
a rapidly crrowing ·Bay Area organization under the leadership of P.lan Coon. He assumed the position of California State Chairman. Since Alan's appointment, he has shown a high degree of leader..;· ship a.nd ability. Under his direc tion the Party has more than doubled in membership. I will continue as Dr. Hosper's ca paign manager, a full time posi tion in itself.· ?'!any thanks to those who worked alonq side me and provided the es sential support during the early rough stages. Without their valu able contributions of tiree and money, the CLP would never have survived. Vith Alan's continued support I run sure the rarty will survive and rr0'·7. Our local library requested Lib ertarian Party literature for their document department. I took them a September copy of "Reason" which cov ered the Libertarina Party conven tion, and which had special articles Dr. Hospers, had written, and other pieces by that regular on KGO Jim Eason'sf S how, Bill Susel, and a three page printing of the LP Platform. I also included in the packet three copies of the platform, some gold fliers, and important informa tion pertaining to the Santa Cruz Chapter of the L.P. The. librarians asked where they could purchase a copy of "Libertar ianism" by John Hospers and "Radical Libertarianism" by Jerome Tuccille. I directed them to our local book stores. Then I proceeded to the bookstores to tell them the li brary would be asking for copies of books. They immediately ordered five copies each from the California Headquarters. They were particular ly interested in getting the books for their store when I gave them a copy of Dr. Hospers' tentative itin ary for the week-end of October 13, 14, 15. I have a once a week mailing which goes out to everyone who shows some interest in the countv. Ernest Stradley of sc;tts Val ley, a member of the party, donated a mimeograph achine to Headquarters which will help immeasurably to get our forms duplicated. On Friday, September 22 I spoke to a gathering of Y.A.F. people. I was able to pick out individuals in terested in the Libertarian movement, and I think we are goin to hear some Libertarian rhetoric froffi the college and university campuses this year. In fact, I am sure of it. I think the most important thing I've accomplished however, has been a banner I put over My bathroom mirror that says: GET IT DONE ! ! ! The Libertarian is the newsletter of the California Libertarian party, 1290 Bayshore Blvd. Burlingame, Cal. 94010
Edmund G. Brown Jr., Secretary of State, has informed the Libertarian party that votes for Dr. Hospers and Tonie Nathan will be counted as an official write-in candidate and they will be published as such. Brown, has also notified all county registrars of voters that people wish ing to register as Libertarian are properly exercising their rights to do so and that•it is a violation of the election code by the state!to be refused such a right, Anyone may register Libertarian through any county office, agency or deputy registrar leoally entitled to perform such services. Anyone may write-in a vote for Dr. Hospers and Tonie Nathan. The easiest method, is to request an absentee ballot from your county election office fill it out (be sure to spell all names correctly), and mail it back. . Another .method; is to obtain a write in vote application where you vote on election d ay ; (they are not always available however) , fi11 it out a.nd hand it in.
One of the most important areas in which Libertarian poli ticking should be done is on the college campus. There an intel lectually oriented {supposedly) segment of the population is selectively gathered and readily available to a relatively
erally been having a grand old' hell raising time with a minimum of effort. If you are a student and are interested in campus Libertarian activities, contact me {David Morrison) at the California head quarters, and I'll send you some pointers and whatever literature or even funds you may need to get going. If you need a speaker, or anythinq,from the main party in California, I'm the man to contact. So get in touch with me and we'll coordinate our activities, exchange ideas and methods, and offer one another moral support. I'll keep you informed as to what is happenin in the· overal l college scene and who is in your area and who mav be visitinq it. Let's get it goinq!
David Morrison
CAMPAIGN TOURS Campaign Manager Bill Susel has announced the following tour schedules for Dr. Hospers and Tonie j Nathan as this election year nears to an end. Hospers Tour Hospers in San Francisco
Oct. 13-arrives, speaks on several college campuses Oct. 14-rally at the Hyatt House in Burlinggame, 8:00 PM $2 at the door Oct. 15-fund raising dinner at Villa Hotel, San Mateo,8:00 PM $15 per plate Oct. 16-live on the Jim Dunbar Show, Channel 7, 7:00 AM
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA OPGANIZATIONAL MEETING
Dr. Hospers and Ed Crane, (Southern California Vice-Chairman), will areet r.embers and other interesteds at an organization meeting slated for October 12, 1972, 7:30 PM. to 9:00 PM. It will be held in the Roosevelt Room of the Alexandria Hotel, 5th and Spring Ave.,. Los l,ngeles, California. Liberature will be available•
For these past several years I have watched the tragic progression of the young movement that began as a thing called Objectivism. At first dominated by the genius and eloquence of Ayn Rand, I·w atched it break apart into a thousand warring factions that were more vehement in their attacks upon one another than on the totalitarianists they were all against. I saw Rand become a target for anyone claiming
I watched the emergence of the acquiescent Objectivist, who tried to adapt to an unlivable and intol erable system, and the armchair revolutionary , and the nit-picking dogmatic, intellectual masturbator, and the dreamer of economic collapse and Galt's Gulches, the patient ones who wait for the Objectivist Judge ment Day.
I saw that I was one and alone while my enemies were many. I could only talk, while they could dictate. And of what good are my· words when my income, my property and my very life are legally at the disposal of my enemies. I thought that I could expect no help, for those that should have been my allies were too busy bickering, dreaming or giving up in bitterness and frustration.
Then I was introduced to the Libertarian Party. My first reac tion was my usual one, that politics were for those with stronger sto machs and more flexible principles than mine. But I considered it, for I was beginning to glimpse what lay at the end of the way I was taking, and well should I consider any other alternative than revolution.
I began to see political acti vism not as a means of having a small say in choosing who rules my life, but as a call to arms for all those who are one and alone, who want to put an end to rule. I be gan to see it as a ve icle of getting
out the truth, of doing the crucial thing that needs to be done, to ig nore the differences and concen trate on the one thing we all have in common; a love of freedom. Let we demand our rights. Let us come out of our aJTichairs and coffee shops and ivory towers and get on with what we've been hashing over for years.
These issues are not matters
of convenience or academic prin-ciple, they are C'oncerned with life ann death, achievement o:r agony. For
me they mean five years in Prison, exile, or death in a senseless
.another, years in jail for indulging personal pleasures in no '";ay harrn ful to others, to anothe r, watching his life savings disappe ar with inflation; the list goes on for ever. There can be no doubt that the time to act is now, the red coats are not corning, they are here. Let us put an end to our irrpo tence of arrogance in the supposed purity of our idealogies, and draw to us our allies in spirit; the freak on the street who wants to do his own trip, the small business man being crushed by big government and their partners in crime, big business, who vaguely and inarticu lately wants only to make his pro duct and earn his living, the work er who watches in silent anger his earnings dribble away into the pockets of bureaucrats. If, as we think, we know the answers,- know the words, then let us stop patting each other on the back for it while the world col lapses into slavery about us. Let's get it out where it's needed and start doing instead of talking. Patrick Henry stated a false alternative 200 years ago that lies heavily upon the minds of freedom lovers today. We should end the feelin of personal impotence by leading the way and presenting the true alternative. "Our job is not to die for our cause, but to ma · that dumb bastard over there die for his."l