Document:The Libertarian Volume 1 Number 2 (October 1972)
THE LIBERTARIAN" Newsletter
California Libertarian Party, October 1972, Burlingame, CA. Vol. 1 No. 2
1972 HOSPERS TOUR DEEMED SUCCESSFUL
Dr. John Hospers, the Libertarian 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 Associated 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 results have exceeded our most optimistic 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 presented by an 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-reaching.
And still... it's just the beginning.
AN OVERVIEW
NEW CHAIRMAN, NEW HEADQUARTERS
by Bill Susel
Since the national convention in Denver in June, I have been the California State Chairman, Pro-Tem, in addition to acting as Dr. Hospers' campaign manager.
When I assumed this position there was no California party, although 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 a State Chairman, State Vice-Chairman, State Finance Chairman, a working staff and several county chairmen. A slate of U.S. electors has been submitted to the Secretary of State so Dr. Hospers' votes will be counted. The Libertarian Party is here to stay.
When in early September, I visited the Northern California area, I found a rapidly growing Bay Area organization under the leadership of Alan Coon. He assumed the position of California State Chairman.
Since Alan's appointment, he has shown a high degree of leadership and ability. Under his direction the Party has more than doubled in membership.
I will continue as Dr. Hospers' campaign manager, a full time position in itself.
Many thanks to those who worked alonqside me and provided the essential support during the early rough stages. Without their valuable contributions of time and money, the CLP would never have survived. With Alan's continued support I run sure the Party will survive and grow.
GET IT DONE
POLITICAL ACTION: HOW TO DO IT
News from Santa Cruz, by Donald Atkinson, Coastal Counties Chairman
Our local library requested Libertarian Party literature for their document department. I took them a September copy of "Reason" which covered the Libertarian Party convention, and which had special articles Dr. Hospers, had written, and other pieces by that regular on KGO Jim Eason's show, 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 information pertaining to the Santa Cruz Chapter of the L.P.
The librarians asked where they could purchase a copy of "Libertarianism" 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 library would be asking for copies of books. They immediately ordered five copies each from the California Headquarters. They were particularly interested in getting the books for their store when I gave them a copy of Dr. Hospers' tentative itinerary 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 Scotts Valley, a member of the party, donated a mimeograph machine 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 interested in the Libertarian movement, and I think we are going to hear some Libertarian rhetoric from 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
Editor.......David Morrison
Associate Editor......Alan Coon
Production Manager......Lloyd Taylor
It's Official!
HOW TO REGISTER, HOW TO WRITE IN A VOTE
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 wishing 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 legally 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 day; (they are not always available however) , fill it out and hand it in.
STUDENTS!
One of the most important areas in which Libertarian politicking should be done is on the college campus. There an intellectually oriented (supposedly) segment of the population is selectively gathered and readily available to a relatively inexpensive and non-laborious program. As a student, multitudes of facilities are at your fingertips that your college will be more than glad to let you use.
If you are willing to put some work toward procuring your freedom, you are in a fine place to do it. I am attending the College of San Mateo, and I've been amazed at what a small amount of effort can do. I've published articles in the school newspaper, stated a libertarian club (which makes available to me a rent free room to meet in every week, access to the college printing facilities and publicity avenues, and a part in the student council and activities, and generally 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 headquarters, 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 happening in the overall college scene and who is in your area and who mav be visitinq it.
Let's get it goinq!
EVENTS TOURS
CAMPAIGN TOURS
Campaign Manager Bill Susel has announced the following tour schedules for Dr. Hospers and Tonie Nathan as this election year nears to an end.
HOSPERS TOUR
| Date | Place |
|---|---|
| Oct. 13, 14, 15, 16 | San Francisco, CA |
| Oct. 20 | San Diego, CA |
| Oct. 25 | Monterey, CA |
| Oct. 27 | Portland, Ore |
| Oct. 27 | Seattle, Wn |
Nathan Tour
| Date | Place |
|---|---|
| Oct. 25-27 | Seattle, Wn |
| Nov. 2 | Dallas, Ts |
| Nov. 4 | Houston, Ts |
| Nov. 10-11 | Philadephia, Pa |
| Nov. 12 | Boston, Mass |
| Nov. 15-16 | New York, N.Y. |
| Nov. 17-18 | Detroit, Mich |
| Nov. 19 | Alberquerque, N.M. |
| Nov. 20-21 | Colorado Springs, Colo. |
Hospers in San Francisco
| Oct. 13 | Arrives, speaks on several college campuses |
| Oct. 14 | Rally at the Hyatt House in Burlingame, 8:00 PM, $2 at the door |
| Oct. 15 | Fundraising 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 greet members 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 Angeles, California. Literature will be available.
ADDRESS BY DAVID MORRISON AT THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA LIBERTARIAN PARTY MEETING, SEPTEMBER 2, 1972
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 watched 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 intellectual independence, as if the initiation for independence required slandering her. I saw her indulge in viscious attacks herself and my respect and admiration for her became strained.
I watched the emergence of the acquiescent Objectivist, who tried to adapt to an unlivable and intolerable 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 Judgement 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 reaction was my usual one, that politics were for those with stronger stomachs 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 activism 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 began to see it as a vehicle of getting out the truth, of doing the crucial thing that needs to be done, to ignore the differences and concentrate on the one thing we all have in common; a love of freedom. Let it be known that we exist and that we demand our rights. Let us come out of our armchairs 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 principle, they are concerned with life and death, achievement or agony. For me they mean five years in Prison, exile, or death in a senseless foreign war, to another it means massive fines and perpetual slavery in answer to reluctance to volunteer income tax, to another it means having his life's work restricted, priced, impounded or given away, to another, years of toil devoted to an unwanted child, to another, years in jail for indulging personal pleasures in no way harmful to others, to another, watching his life savings disappear 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 impotence of arrogance in the supposed purity of our ideologies, 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 inarticulately wants only to make his pro duct and earn his living, the worker 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 collapses 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 make that dumb bastard over there die for his."