Porcupine (symbol)

This article is about the symbol. For other uses, see Porcupine.

The Porcupine has been a symbol used by Libertarians since at least the 1970s. The popular explanation has been that it is an animal that has weapons used only in defense (i.e., its quills) rather than in aggression as emblematic of the Non-Aggression Principle. The national Libertarian Party officially adopted the porcupine as its campaign emblem to be used similarly to the elephant and donkey on September 13, 2020 in a motion put forward by the National Secretary Caryn Ann Harlos. See also George Quillies.

An icon was designed by Kevin Breen in March 2006 and inspired by the logo of the Free State Project.

Origins in New York

The porcupine symbol originated with the Libertarian Party of New York in 1975.

During the New York Convention 1975, there was a proposal to adopt the porcupine symbol after much discussion.

Andrea Millen Rich wrote in Free Libertarian issue April/May 1975:

“Marty Nixon proposed we have a party animal and suggested the skunk. Someone amended the motion to make it “with tail raised.” Someone else proposed the rattlesnake and, of course some wiseguy amended to, “with tail raised.” Then someone else proposed the porcupine and naturally, it was amended to “with quills raised.” Certain that I had completely lost control of the entire Convention, I recognized Fran Youngstein to explain why we needed a party animal. With her usual perspicacity, Fran told us it was for “the annual football game between the FLP and SWP.” On the strength of that logic, the porcupine swept the field and I was finally able to gavel the convention back to order, just in time to adjourn.”

Carolyn Keelan wrote:

“Well, we did it, and here (s)he is – the Official FLP Animal – porcupine, with quills raised. And we picked well, thanks to Mickey Zweig’s excellent suggestion and exposition. Porcupines really are natural libertarians – unaggressive, good natured and incapable of being domesticated. If attacked, they first rattle their quills in warning, producing a sound similar to a rattlesnake. If the aggressor ignores the warning and continues to initiate force, porcupines turn their backs, erect their quills, and charge ass-backwards! (I told you they were libertarians.) The fifteen-pound porcupine has killed mountain lions who wouldn’t heed that “Leave me alone!” warning! But (s)he never starts a fight – the old quill throwing legend is a calumny. The porcupine is even vegetarian, eating green vegetables, grains and bark. And (s)he’s surely the cutest party animal going – just look at the competition: a jackass, a buck-toothed rodent and a Durante-nosed mammal with weight problems.

Also written that month:

Newsletter staff's favorite "Personal Vignette" item: At the height of the "party animal" hilarity, in the midst of the bedlam that greeted Fran Youngstein's remark about the annual football game with the SWP, Charlie Blood, having stood up, was asked by a incredulous Chair if he had anything serious to say on the subject. he paused thoughtfully for a moment, then sat down.

In response, David Nolan wrote on May 11, 1975:

We can adopt an animal symbol. If we go this route, I would favor following the lead of New York, and adopting the porcupine--which conveys much the same message as the rattlesnake, but without the bad vibes many people get from snakes.

Either of the two latter approaches would be fine with me, although I favor keeping the Libersign. But I would hope we can make a final decision at this year's national convention; hopefully, our delegates can choose between the Libersign and the porcupine without too much deliberation.

As for slogans, I would say that our choice in this area cannot help but be influenced by our choice of symbol. If we go with the Libersign, I would suggest that we add the words TOWARD LIBERTY, as a sort of explanation of its significance--and a succinct statement of our political stand.

If we go with the porcupine, I would favor the slogan LIVE AND LET LIVE, to take the "sting" out of the emblem; a porcupine is a semi-hostile symbol, so a beneficent slogan would be in order.

Other symbols and slogans are possible, of course, but I believe that our two best choices are the Libersign with TOWARD LIBERTY and the Porcupine with LIVE AND LET LIVE. Your observations on this subject are welcome.

In LP News for May/June 1975, it was announced:

"The state party is also exploring ways to increase internal and external educational activities. The selection of the porcupine as the party mascot was explained by Greenberg in a statement to the press. After observing that political writers and cartoonists enjoy using a symbolic animal to represent a political party, he said "The porcupine is a non-aggressive animal that minds its own business. Its quills are used solely as a defensive weapon. Contrary to popular belief, porcupines do not shoot their quills... Only an attacker can be harmed by the porcupine."

Gary Greenberg announced the new party animal in the June/July 1975 issue of Free Libertarian:

"Running an animated campaign, the porcupine was selected over the skunk on the second ballot when most supporters of the rattlesnake threw their support behind the porcupine ... The porcupine is an excellent symbol. .. We are telling the government to get off our backs and leave us alone ... Unlike the politician (homo politicus) the porcupine is not a predatory animal ... The present parties are well represented by their chosen animals. The Democrats, naturally, choose the braying jackass. The Republicans, of Watergate fame, have given us the very 'nosy' elephant. And the Free Libertarian Party has selected the porcupine to symbolize its opposition to the initiation of force and its support for individual rights ... " Reactions have been sharp: The Poughkeepsie Journal ran a story with the headline "Libertarians Pick a Symbol the Needle Foes;" Reason magazine headed it "IMPORTANT NEWS"; Caliber, The Illinois Libertarian, and LP News have all noted the event; and LP founder David Nolan has proposed, in a memo to Execom members, that the Presidential Convention choose between the Llbersign with the slogan "TOWARD LIBERTY" and the Porcupine with "LIVE AND LET LIVE," as the National LP symbol. And in a letter to Gary Greenberg, Nolan urges the FLP to make the rodent its official logo, and "get rid of that Godawful 'black claw."'

Attempts to Adopt by National

Date	Motion	Result
May 24, 1975	Martin Jahn made a motion"THAT THE PARTY FORI,IALLY ADOPT THE PORCUPINE AS ITS NATIONAL MASCOT."	Westmiller made a motion to table and it passed.
January 31, 1976	"Nolan, commenting that the party should adopt some logo, moved, AND JAHN Seconded THAT THE PARTY ADOPT THE IMAGE OF THE PORCUPINE WITH THE MOTTO DON'T TREAD ON MEII AS ITS LOGO."	The motion was defeated by voice vote.

Future Adoptions

In 1978, the Fairbanks Libertarian Party had a float in a local parade in which they used a Libertarian porcupine while the local Democratic Party and Republican Party had a donkey and an elephant, respectively.

In March 1983, the Montana Libertarian Party's publication was called the Porcupine. In a December 1987 article in the Arkansas Gazette, the porcupine was referred to as the Libertarian Party's mascot.

References

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