So I'm having my own town hall meeting on December 16th. Yes, you are right, that is the anniversary of the Boston Tea Party and my parent's anniversary (shout out). But the purpose of my town hall meeting is not to raise a ruckus and send people away without having accomplished anything as has been the case with a lot of "tea parties" and town hall meetings and rallies over the past year.
It has been my observation that the growing level of tension in our country has a lot to do with misdirected or undirected frustrations and a lack of understanding of the root causes and solutions to the problems. So my goal is to provide a means whereby people can get more information, truthful news and ways to act before this whole thing culminates in violence.
I have been fortunate to get a few speakers including our mayor, Will Davis as well as candidate for Wyoming governor, Ron Micheli.
I suppose that I believe that if you are going to reserve your right to complain about the government you had better be doing something about it. Everyone here knows that I do my fair share of complaining about the government, and in fairness I have been talking to everyone I know about issues that are timely and timeless. But I have been motivated as of late to take it to this next level and reach out to a broader base of people.
It has been my observation that the growing level of tension in our country has a lot to do with misdirected or undirected frustrations and a lack of understanding of the root causes and solutions to the problems. So my goal is to provide a means whereby people can get more information, truthful news and ways to act before this whole thing culminates in violence.
I have been fortunate to get a few speakers including our mayor, Will Davis as well as candidate for Wyoming governor, Ron Micheli.
I suppose that I believe that if you are going to reserve your right to complain about the government you had better be doing something about it. Everyone here knows that I do my fair share of complaining about the government, and in fairness I have been talking to everyone I know about issues that are timely and timeless. But I have been motivated as of late to take it to this next level and reach out to a broader base of people.
I want people to understand both here and there that I am nothing more than a concerned individual. I have no real credentials for doing this. I am not representing an organization or a program. I don't necessarily even endorse the other speakers. But information is the way to truth and if you don't have the information you cannot make a real decision.
But for those who are concerned that I have no idea about which I speak....well, I do have some idea. While I do not consider myself much of a reader I have been able to get through a few titles this past year. Those are:
The Law - Bastiat
Many are called but few are chosen - Anderson
A foreign policy of freedom - Paul
The Revolution: a manifesto - Paul
End the Fed - Paul
What has government done to our money - Rothbard
The case against the fed - Rothbard
For a new liberty - Rothbard
The creature from Jekyll Island - Griffin
The theory of education in the United States - Nock
Educaction: free and compulsory - Rothbard
5000 year leap - Skousen
All the shah's men - Kinzer
Century of war - Denson
Dumbing us down - Gatto
1776 - McCullough
Economics in one lesson - Hazlitt
Austrian economics: a personal view - Paul
Speaking of liberty - Rockwell
I am currently reading Blowback - Johnson
I'll keep you posted and we'll see where this thing goes.
10 comments:
How was The Revolution: A Manifesto? I've been thinking about reading it.
Also, as a point of discussion, while I don't recognize all of the titles on your list I assume most, if not all, of them are relatively conservative in nature. I'd be interested to see some more liberal titles on there, as well as your thoughtful reaction to them.
Also, have you considered starting a blog specifically for your efforts? I think it would be a great idea and I'd be willing to help if you needed it.
I try not to measure things in terms of "liberal" or "conservative" but rather by the Constitution. To be honest most of the books are anti-establishment, regardless of party. The Revolution is a great place to start learning about the good doctor.
In an effort to provide a rallying point for potential attendees of this meeting I have started a new blog called ticonderogacannon.blogspot.com
its still in embryo.
but I would say that about half of the books on the list would be considered "liberal". I call them constitutional. That's actually one of the major beefs I have and one of the motivations I had for this meeting. We need to stop the bickering between parties and make it a matter of the people versus the government and stop confusing the government with the country. I can be very pro America and very anti government, just like Washington, Adams and Jefferson.
I forgot to ask if you had any book recommendations?
youtube it! I want to see this townhall meeting!
you go Eric! I'm always inspired to get more involved after reading your posts and more inspired to pay attention and question more too. Good luck tonight!
The Jeppsen 5 have a good idea - you should do a live broadcast of the meeting on Ustream or something like that.
As far as books go, I don't have any recommendations. :)
I love what you said, "We need to ... make it a matter of the people versus the government and stop confusing the government with the country." Brilliant.
I am so impressed, with both your long list of books and with your determination to go a step further in your efforts to educate. Good Luck! I am interested to hear how it goes.
Way to go Eric! I'm excited to hear how you feel after the meeting on the 16th! You are not only doing a good service for yourself, (as you learn more and voice your opinion in this open forum and also get to hear how others think - or help them to have something to think about!), but also for others - the more we get involved, the more we think and the more we learn! Like you said, you need the information in order to make an intelligent decision. Good luck - I can't wait to hear about it!
~mom
You are a great example Eric. Thanks for stimulating some thoughts and questions. Anxious to hear how the meeting goes.
"Blowback" is solid. I also enjoyed "Sorrow of Empire" and "Nemesis." The Skousen stuff I am not so sure about . . . when I worked at Pioneer Book, FLDS would pull up in their minivans, wives in tow, and ransack the store for all things Skousen. Guilt by association is the phrase that comes to mind.
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