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Liberator Online, Volume 9, Number 9
May 25, 2004
In This Issue:
Shocking new revelations about the MATRIX
government spy program (where's Keanu Reeves when you need him?).….
Controversial radio talk host is a libertarian.…. Ninth state decriminalizes
medical marijuana (sort of).…. Brand-new Advocates book provides great
soundbites for libertarian activists.…. The Advocates welcomes aboard an
acclaimed libertarian writer, editor, graphic artist and speaker.…. Oops, I
was wrong about the Iraq war, says conservative "Crossfire" host.….
Advocates representatives at the national Libertarian Party convention.….
"Art of Political Persuasion" seminar coming to Indianapolis.…. Mary
Ruwart answers concerns about unsubsidized farmers and unleashed
corporations...... Michael Cloud tells you about Conversation Judo -- and shows
you some holds, throws, and pins.....
All this and *much much more* in the world’s
largest-circulation libertarian publication...
THE LIBERATOR ONLINE
May 25, 2004
Vol. 9, No. 9
Circulation: 63,529 subscribers in over 100 countries
Published by the Advocates for Self-Government
Edited by James W. Harris, mailto:james@TheAdvocates.org
Created by Paul Schmidt and James W. Harris
___________________________________________
"The Advocates is for real. Libertarians who
want to get real should put into action what the Advocates teaches."
-- Russell Means, American Indian activist, actor
("Last of the Mohicans"), author ("Where White Men Fear to
Tread").
___________________________________________
CONTENTS
PRESIDENT’S CORNER
* Welcome aboard Bill Winter!
* Advocates busy at upcoming Libertarian Party national convention
* Exciting new Advocates book by Harry Browne now available
* Acclaimed seminar comes to Indianapolis
WHAT’S HAPPENING WITH THE ADVOCATES
* Advocates at national Libertarian Party
presidential convention
* "The Art of Libertarian Persuasion," June 12-13, Indianapolis
...and more news and exciting opportunities for libertarians!
GOOD NEWS, BAD NEWS, UNBELIEVABLE NEWS
* Award-Winning Controversial Radio Talk Show
Host Is a Libertarian
* Crossfire's Tucker Carlson Recants on Iraq
* Vermont Becomes Ninth State to Legalize Medical Marijuana
* Americans Are Snared in the MATRIX
* Privacy and Civilization...
ASK DR. RUWART
* What will libertarians do about corporate
power?
* What happens to troubled farmers if government subsidies are ended?
PERSUASION POWER POINT #163
* Conversation Judo
by Michael Cloud
PRODUCT REVIEW
* "Liberty A-Z: 872 Libertarian Soundbites
You Can Use Right Now" by Harry Browne. Fantastic new book published by the
Advocates!
_____________________________________
PRESIDENT’S CORNER
Dear friends,
I am proud and excited to welcome Bill Winter to
the Advocates team! Bill joins us as our new Director of Communications.
Many of you will know Bill as the former editor
of Libertarian Party News, and as former Director of Communications for the
Libertarian Party. His work in those positions received rave reviews.
Bill brings extraordinary expertise, experience
and talents to the Advocates. These include writing, editing, graphic design,
publishing, marketing, public relations, public speaking and more. He's a
longtime friend of the Advocates, and deeply committed to the Advocates mission.
Look for exciting new projects, and dramatic
improvements in our existing services, in the months ahead, thanks to Bill!
* * *
Advocates at Libertarian Party National
Convention
If you're attending the Libertarian Party
Presidential nominating convention May 27-31, be sure to seek us out.
You won't have to look hard. The Advocates will
have a high profile at this event:
* We'll have two booths in the vendor room.
* We'll also have a table in the main lobby.
* We'll be unveiling SEVERAL major new products -- three new books, a CD, and
more.
* We'll be hosting book signings and other events.
* Mary Ruwart and Bill Winter have been nominated for the LP's Thomas Paine
award for Best Libertarian Communicator, and Advocates Board member James Lark
has been nominated for the Samuel Adams award for outstanding activism.
Advocates people speaking at the event include,
in alphabetical order:
* Advocates Board of Directors member Ken Bisson,
who will be speaking about Temperament Types;
* Advocates Board of Directors member Jim Lark, who'll be speaking about college
outreach;
* David Nolan, creator of the chart that is the basis for the World's Smallest
Political Quiz, who will be speaking at the banquet;
* Mary Ruwart, who will be delivering the keynote address, leading discussion
groups, and conducting a "Short Answers to the Tough Questions"
workshop;
* Bill Winter, our new Director of Communications, who'll be speaking about
creating effective newsletters;
* ...and me! I'll be doing a communication workshop and also speaking at the
banquet.
Hope to see many of you there! (And for those who
won't be attending, C-SPAN will be covering part of this several-days-long
event. Check C-SPAN's listings for more details.)
* * *
Mark you calendar!
Our acclaimed "The Art of Libertarian
Persuasion" seminar is coming to Indianapolis, Indiana, June 12-13.
This seminar -- which has received rave reviews
from attendees -- will be led again by the stellar team of communication expert
Michael Cloud & 1996 and 2000 Libertarian Presidential candidate Harry
Browne. I'll be assisting.
You'll learn the very best ways to communicate
the ideas of liberty from experts who have spent decades learning and teaching
exactly that. Great for candidates, campaign workers, and anyone else who wants
to dramatically improve their ability to convince family, friends and the public
to understand and embrace libertarian ideas.
And if you sign up right now, you can save a
whopping $55 off the regular price!
To learn more about this great seminar -- and to
get the $55 Early Bird savings - see:
http://www.theadvocates.org/indianapolis-seminar.htm
Seats are limited. I hope to see you there!
* * *
IMPORTANT NEW BOOK BY HARRY BROWNE!
I am proud to announce a new Advocates product: a
brand-new book by former Libertarian Party Presidential candidate Harry Browne!
"Liberty A-Z: 872 Libertarian Soundbites You
Can Use Right Now" is the title. And I think it is, quite simply, one of
the most useful books for libertarians ever written.
During his 1996 and 2000 campaigns, Browne
composed nearly 1,000 "soundbites" -- short, thought-provoking,
memorable and highly quotable remarks -- on virtually every question
libertarians are commonly asked.
He collected them in a file and committed them to
memory. This was one of the major reasons Browne became famous as one of the
finest -- and most quotable -- libertarian communicators ever.
When we learned of the existence of this file, we
knew we wanted to share it with all libertarians. We are proud to make this
available at a very low cost.
Harry spent ten years assembling these soundbites.
Now you can put them to work for you -- in your conversations, letters to
editors, speeches, with the press, or on the campaign trail. Anywhere you want
to open minds and hearts to the ideas of liberty!
You can get it now at:
http://www.theadvocates.org/liberator-online-special.html
Or see "Product Review" at the end of
this issue to learn more.
* * *
I am pleased to welcome 274 new Liberator Online
subscribers this issue. Thanks for joining our subscription "family"
of over 60,000 liberty-loving readers in over 100 countries!
Enjoy this issue of the Liberator Online.
-- Sharon Harris, President mailto:sharon@TheAdvocates.org
PS: I mentioned our brand-new book by Harry
Browne. Here are some sources to learn more about it:
* For an INTERVIEW with Harry Browne about the
book, please go here:
http://www.theadvocates.org/liberty-a-z-interview.html
* To read what Congressman Ron Paul says about this book, check here:
http://www.theadvocates.org/liberty-a-z-ron-paul.html
* To read a REVIEW of the book by former LP News editor Bill Winter, see:
http://www.theadvocates.org/liberty-a-z-review.html
To PURCHASE, please go here:
http://www.theadvocates.org/liberator-online-special.html
Thank you!
_____________________________________
WHAT’S HAPPENING WITH THE
ADVOCATES
* May 27-31: Advocates at Libertarian Party
National Convention. Advocates President Sharon Harris will join an outstanding
line-up of speakers at the presidential nominating convention of the Libertarian
Party. Liberator Online columnist Dr. Mary Ruwart will deliver the keynote
address. Advocates and Advocates friends Ken Bisson, Jim Lark, David Nolan and
Bill Winter will be speaking as well. And the Advocates will have a booth there,
too -- come by and say hello! It will be held in Atlanta, Georgia, on Memorial
Day weekend, May 27-31. For more information, see:
http://www.lp.org
* June 12 and 13, Indianapolis, Indiana: The
Advocates will again present the acclaimed seminar "The Art of Libertarian
Persuasion." Led by two renowned masters of libertarian communication:
Michael Cloud and two-time Libertarian presidential candidate Harry Browne, with
Advocates President Sharon Harris. This incredible seminar is guaranteed to
dramatically improve your ability to convince family, friends and the public to
understand and embrace libertarian ideas. Space is limited. Learn all about it
-- and for a limited time, save $55 by registering early -- here:
http://www.theadvocates.org/indianapolis-seminar.htm
ONGOING OPPORTUNITIES
* Want to quickly learn the basics of
libertarianism -- from some of the best minds in the liberty movement? Want to
help a friend quickly learn about libertarianism? Check out Libertarianism.com,
from the Advocates:
http://www.Libertarianism.com
* FREE Year 2004 Lights of Liberty Awards: You
can win certificates, public recognition, prizes and more for your vital
activism for liberty. Awards are given for: 3 libertarian letters to the editor;
OR 3 sessions working at an OPH booth; OR 3 libertarian-oriented public
speeches. Click here to learn more:
http://www.TheAdvocates.org/lights.html
* The Advocates offers you libertarian sources
for breaking news and commentary on the situation in Iraq and related matters:
www.theAdvocates.org/foreign-policy-resources.html
* Communication Bargain of the Century: You can
get the great 3-tape audio course "The Essence of Political
Persuasion" from us at the GIVE-AWAY price of only $7.50 - that price
includes handling and First Class mail so you’ll get it right away! We’ve
put over 6,000 sets into the hands of libertarian activists in the past few
years! To order, call us or see:
http://www.theadvocates.org/epp-redirect.html
* Quiz FAQ: Who created the World’s Smallest
Political Quiz? When and where? What does your Quiz score mean? The Advocates
has created a huge FAQ ("Frequently Answered Questions") to answer
many of the most common questions about the history and theory of the Quiz. You
can get to the FAQ by clicking here:
http://www.TheAdvocates.org/quiz-faq-contents.html
_____________________________________
GOOD NEWS, BAD NEWS,
UNBELIEVABLE NEWS
by James W. Harris
Controversial Radio Talk Show Host Is a
Libertarian
Award-winning Phoenix, Arizona talk show host
Charles Goyette changed his voter registration from Republican to Libertarian on
his show this week. The vast majority of callers that day congratulated him on
his decision.
Goyette had been a self-described “Goldwater
conservative” Republican for decades -- he was a Goldwater campaign volunteer
in 1964 at age 14 -- and was named "Man of the Year" by his county
Republican party in 1988. Strongly inclined towards the libertarian philosophy
for years, Goyette had become a harsh critic of the Bush administration.
In a recent article in The American Conservative
magazine entitled "How to Lose Your Job in Talk Radio: Clear Channel Gags
an Anti-War Conservative," Goyette told how his criticism of the Bush
administration, and particularly his heartfelt opposition to the Iraq war, cost
him his job at the wildly pro-Bush station. First he was removed from his
drive-time slot at KFYI in Phoenix and banished to a far less desirable slot he
describes as "radio Outer Darkness." The other radio hosts at KFYI
attacked him savagely during their shows. Then, when his contract expired, he
was dropped entirely. Goyette says that the KFYI station manager told him: “With
you, I feel like I’m managing the Dixie Chicks.” (The station management now
says they dropped Goyette because of ratings, something they earlier denied.
Goyette says that, just prior to being moved out of his slot, he had actually
been given a bonus because of his ratings performance for the quarter. The
pro-war hosts who replaced Goyette have had significantly lower ratings.)
Happily, Goyette is now at KFNX News Radio 1100,
a larger station, which describes him as "Arizona's best-known talk host of
all time." His show currently airs Monday-Friday 1-3 PM Pacific Time, and,
as listeners can attest, he has not softened his stance one bit.
Goyette grew up in Flagstaff and started in radio
at Northern Arizona University's campus station. Of those college radio days,
Goyette says that "…we used to leave a window in the back of the radio
station unlocked, then after it signed off the air at night and the building was
locked, we slipped in through the window and fired the station back up. I
suppose the reason we never got caught was that no one was listening!"
Goyette has been interviewed by newspapers and
radio stations around the world, and has appeared on national television shows
on MSNBC and Fox, including The O’Reilly Factor. A dynamic and popular public
speaker, he has addressed conferences, seminar and civic audiences across the
country on economic and national policy issues.
Goyette was named “Best Talk Show Host of 2003”
by the Phoenix New Times.
(Source: CharlesGoyette.com
http://www.charlesgoyette.com
The American Conservative article:
http://www.amconmag.com/2_2_04/article3.html
Special thanks to Ernest Hancock)
* * *
Tucker Carlson Recants on Iraq
"I supported the war and now I feel foolish.
I'm just struck by how many people like me who were instinctively distrustful of
government forgot to be humble in our expectations."
-- conservative CNN commentator Tucker Carlson,
of "Crossfire"
(Source: New York Times:
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/05/16/weekinreview/16tier.html?pagewanted=2&ei=1&en=36948dc7d36dd963&ex=1085753170&adxnnl=0&adxnnlx=1084755634-duB4NPwSL6P4hzUhgP3%2BZg
)
* * *
Vermont Becomes Ninth State to Legalize Medical
Marijuana
The use of marijuana for medical reasons is now
legal in Vermont -- for some patients, in some circumstances, anyway.
Senate Bill 76, which enacts legal protections
for people using marijuana to treat AIDS, cancer or multiple sclerosis, passed
Vermont's senate May 19 by a vote of 20-7.
The bill passed despite strong lobbying from the
Bush administration and a personal visit to the Vermont legislature by Andrea
Barthwell, deputy director of the federal Drug Czar's office. (Your tax dollars
at work -- a federal agent lobbying against proposed state legislation.)
Governor James Douglas has refused to sign the bill, but will let it become law
without his signature.
Unfortunately the bill, while a vast improvement
over the previous prohibition, passed in a watered-down form, and is tepid and
quite statist.
Only AIDS, cancer or multiple sclerosis patients
are protected. With their doctor's permission, they will be allowed to grow up
to three marijuana plants in a locked room and possess two ounces of
"usable pot." And users will be under the supervision of the
Department of Public Safety.
That's a far cry from a libertarian position,
which would simply be to leave adults who want to use marijuana -- whether for
medical purposes or other purposes -- alone. Still, it nonetheless is a huge
victory, and sparks hopes for further future reform.
Noteworthy:
* Vermont now becomes the ninth state to let
patients grow, possess and use marijuana for medical use.
* Vermont is the second state to do so through the legislative process, as
opposed to citizen ballot initiative. (Hawaii was the first.)
* Vermont joins Maine as the second medical marijuana states on the East Coast.
Medical marijuana activists believe this victory
in Vermont will help pave the way for other nearby state legislatures to pass
medical marijuana bills without fear of political repercussions.
Marijuana reform groups NORML and the Marijuana
Policy Project (MPP) played major roles in the effort, working with local
activists. Both organizations stressed the importance of local citizen input in
the victory. MPP notes this was the culmination of a three-year effort that
faced major political opposition, including former governor Howard Dean, a
Democrat, as well as the current governor, a Republican.
"This legislation undoubtedly would not have
passed were it not for the thousands of letters of support that state
legislators received from concerned citizens," NORML said in a letter to
supporters. "Because of your help and support, hundreds of seriously ill
patients no longer have to use their medicine in fear."
Sources: Marijuana Policy Project
http://www.mpp.org/releases/nr052004.html
NORML: http://www.norml.org/
* * *
Americans Are Snared in the MATRIX
MATRIX, a creepy federally-funded
"data-mining" program operated by a private company, sent federal law
enforcement authorities a list of 120,000 names of individuals who the program
had scored as having a high potential "terrorism quotient." And
Seisint, the private company that operates MATRIX under federal supervision,
claims that scores of arrests have come from that list.
These charges were made by the ACLU at a May 20
news conference in Miami. The ACLU based the charges on documents obtained from
public records requests filed in several states and with the Justice Department.
MATRIX stands for "Multistate Anti-Terrorist
Information Exchange." MATRIX enables law enforcement agencies to instantly
share information and rapidly sort through billions of computerized records to
search for "anomalies" that may be indicative of terrorist or other
criminal activity.
MATRIX snoops through a vast and disturbing
collection of government and private records, including firearms and hunting
licenses, motor vehicle and driver record information, criminal history records,
bankruptcy filings, professional licenses, voter registration information,
credit histories and -- particularly alarming -- raw (and often inaccurate) data
from police investigators. Billions of records on millions of Americans are
being stored and controlled by a private company, Seisint, Inc.
The ACLU points out that these records contain
errors that could lead to false accusations, creating nightmares for untold
numbers of innocent Americans.
MATRIX has been controversial since it was
launched in 2002. At that time 13 states that included more than half of the
U.S. population participated. Since then, all but five have dropped out, citing
privacy concerns as well as costs.
The five states remaining -- Florida,
Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Michigan and Ohio -- contain about 19 percent of the
U.S. population.
The ACLU also announced they have uncovered
evidence that MATRIX may actually be controlled by the federal Department of
Homeland Security (DHS). DHS gave MATRIX at least $8 million last year, and a
July 2003 document discovered and released by the ACLU indicates that this
funding gave DHS "managerial oversight and control" of MATRIX.
Critics from across the political spectrum have
noted that MATRIX bears disturbing resemblances to the Pentagon's notorious
Total Information Awareness (TIA) program. TIA's mission, as we've described it
in past issues, was to build a worldwide data-mining program that would pore
through computer records on individuals and build profiles. TIA was officially
dropped last year when Congress, responding to public outcry, halted funding of
it. However, reports indicate that many TIA programs may be continuing in other
guises.
"Congress shut down TIA, and it should shut
down the Matrix as well,"said Barry Steinhardt, Director of the ACLU’s
Technology and Liberty Program.
(Sources: ACLU media release:
http://www.aclu.org/Privacy/Privacy.cfm?ID=15834&c=130
Reuters news service:
http://news.com.com/Datamining+for+terrorists+sparks+U.S.+privacy+fears/2100-1028_3-5217440.html?tag=nefd.hed
)
* * *
Privacy and Civilization...
"Civilization is the progress toward a
society of privacy."
-- Ayn Rand, The Fountainhead, 1943.
* * *
"Good News, Bad News, Unbelievable
News" writer James W. Harris is editor of the Liberator Online. His
articles have appeared in numerous magazines and newspapers, including The
Nation, Reason, The Freeman, the National Taxpayers Union’s Dollars and Sense,
the Atlanta Constitution, and many more. He has been a Finalist in the Mencken
Awards, given by the Free Press Association for "Outstanding Journalism in
Support of Liberty."
_____________________________________
ASK DR. RUWART
How can you answer difficult questions about
libertarianism -- in short, positive, persuasive soundbite-sized responses? It’s
a challenge every libertarian communicator faces.
Dr. Mary Ruwart is a leading expert in
libertarian communication, and author of the international bestseller Healing
Our World. In this column she gives readers "short answers to the tough
questions" that libertarians are frequently asked.
If you’d like Dr. Ruwart to craft effective
answers to YOUR "tough questions" on libertarian issues, just email
the questions to her at:
mailto:ruwart@TheAdvocates.org
Due to volume, Dr. Ruwart can’t personally
answer or acknowledge all email queries. But we’ll run the best questions --
and Dr. Ruwart’s answers -- in upcoming issues.
Dr. Ruwart’s past Liberator Online answers are
archived in searchable form at:
http://www.TheAdvocates.org/ruwart/categories_list.php
* * *
What will libertarians do about corporate power?
Question:
"Corporations receive billions in government
subsidies, use the government tolegislate their profits and stomp on their
competition, and their internal policies toward their employees are often the
least generous of any institution in our society. Opening up a free market to
this powerful lobby sounds scary. Any suggestions?"
My short answer:
"A free market is the only way to control
corporations! As long as government has the power to regulate business, business
will control government by funding the candidate that legislates in their favor.
A free market thwarts lobbying by taking the power that corporations seek away
from government!
"For example, in a libertarian society,
government could not give subsidies, legislate profits, or introduce legislation
designed to favor big business as it does today. When regulations are proposed,
big business cries, 'Don't throw me in the briar patch!' More regulation means
that their smaller competitors are forced out of business.
"Free markets, by encouraging competition,
expand the economy and create more jobs. Employees would have more choice and
flexibility to move if they weren't treated well. Without the regulation that
big business wants, employees could much more easily become their own bosses.
Employers who didn't treat employees well might find themselves creating
competitors!"
* * *
What happens to troubled farmers if government
subsidies are ended?
Question:
"If you remove all farm subsidies, what
happens to the farmer whendrought or flood hits and he losses his crop for a
year?"
My short answer:
"Like other business people, farmers plan
for bad years through savings, insurance, etc. If they fail to make such plans,
they suffer the same fate as other businesses operating on the edge -- they go
under in tough times. They are bought out by someone who manages better. The
displaced farmers find an occupation more suited to their particular talents.
"Subsidies discourage good management and
encourage inefficiency. As a result, consumers pay more for less."
* * *
Dr. Ruwart’s acclaimed book "Healing Our
World" presents persuasive arguments for liberty, backed with over 1,000
references showing how liberty works.
Dr. Ruwart is also the author of "Short
Answers to the Tough Questions" -- an essential guide for anyone wanting to
become a better libertarian communicator.
Both Mary Ruwart books are available from the
Advocates:
http://www.theadvocates.org/Merchant2/merchant.mv
_____________________________________
PERSUASION POWER POINT #163
Conversation Judo
by Michael Cloud
"Your libertarian society might work if
people were angels. But they're not. There are murderers, rapists, muggers, and
thieves. There are con artists, dishonest businessmen, and unprincipled people
who skirt the furry fringes of the law. Without a strong and vigilant
government, they'd trample us underfoot. If it weren't for the Big Government
you despise so much, we'd be at the mercy of every stray criminal who comes down
the pike," charges the critic.
The libertarian responds, "Do you really
believe that people are evil? That fear of the law is the only thing that stands
between most people and criminal behavior? Most individuals are peaceful and
honest. Sure, there are some criminals. And they would be held accountable by
small government police forces and courts. Since libertarian police and courts
wouldn't be wasting time on victimless crimes, they'd be able to crack down on
the thugs who violate the life, liberty, or property of decent people."
Sound familiar? This exchange follows the pattern
of a formal debate. The first speaker makes an assertion, gives evidence, and
provides a conclusion.
The second speaker denies the assertion, refutes
the evidence or argument, and draws new conclusions. Then they move to Round
Two.
The debate format is an adversarial relationship.
A combative, competitive ego-heavy encounter. In a debate, the participants are
geared toward winning, not discovering the truth. They act like lawyers, not
scientists.
A debate may enlighten and persuade listeners.
But it rarely changes the minds of the participants.
If we want to persuade the person who raised this
argument against freedom, we need a different approach.
Re-read the first paragraph, and then try this
Conversation Judo move:
"I agree. There are evil people. And there's
one thing even more dangerous than evil people. That's evil people with power.
Evil people with the power to pass and enforce laws, the power to raise taxes,
the power to start wars. A Charles Manson is frightening. But an Adolph Hitler
is terrifying. Power doesn't just corrupt; it attracts the corrupt in spirit,
the criminal personalities. As long as criminals exist, as long as evil people
dwell among us, Big Government will be an irresistible temptation. Big
Government is too tantalizing and too destructive a weapon to leave around. For
our safety and well-being, we must make government small."
In martial arts, judo is called "the gentle
way." Judo uses the force of the attacker to attain the goals of the
defender.
Judo does not resist the attack. When they push,
you pull. When they pull, you push.
Like an attack, an argument possesses both
strengths and weakness. The assertions, evidence, or reasoning may imply
conclusions that shatter the attack. They contain their own direction and
momentum. Logically. Rhetorically. Psychologically.
Conversation Judo turns the force of the argument
toward the conclusions of liberty.
Not all arguments are vulnerable to Conversation
Judo. Preliminary analysis is necessary. Isolate the key assertions, arguments,
and evidence. Then ask whether they might presuppose or entail pro-liberty
positions. If even one of the key assertions, arguments, or facts has
pro-freedom implications, you have a candidate for this technique. Be certain to
verify your reasoning before using it in an encounter.
There are four steps in the Conversation Judo
Format:
1. Accept and embrace the thrust of the key
assertion or argument you isolated. As in judo, blend with the attack -- do not
resist it.
2. Add your information and insights to the key
claim. Use the style and rhetoric of the original argument. This builds
momentum.
3. Direct the argument toward your libertarian
conclusions. Use the reasoning from your preliminary analysis. Use the other
person's language.
4. Remain silent. Let him consider what has
happened. Your goal is to allow the critic to see the error of his attack.
Noblesse oblige. Add no insult to injury. Give him no reason to renew his
attack, and he may stop and think.
With this format in mind, let's take on another
objection to liberty.
The critic says, "Laissez-faire capitalism
caters to selfishness. It appeals to greed, rewards the most materialistic, and
panders to man's basest desires. Who could condone an economic system that
proposes to make a virtue of selfishness?"
Conversation Judo response, "I agree. An
economic system that teaches and encourages individuals to think only of
themselves, to say `To hell with other people and what they want!', would be a
bleak and barren way of life. That's what's great about the free market. It
forces businesses to satisfy the wants and needs of consumers just to survive.
To prosper, a business must find ways to serve consumers better and more
cheaply. To cater to their
budgets and desires. The free market rewards empathy and service."
Try your hand at Conversation Judo with these
candidates:
* "I'm opposed to free enterprise. It leads
to Big Business. Big Business squeezes out the little guy and then takes us all
for a ride."
* "Freedom sounds fine. Eat, drink, and be
merry. Sleep with whoever you want. Use drugs. Let the rest of the world go to
hell in a handbasket. You're talking about license. I can't support the kind of
irresponsibility you're condoning."
* "Sounds nice for the middle class and the
rich. But what about the poor? You're just giving them 'freedom to
starve.'"
Conversation Judo has a number of virtues. It's
unexpected. It surprises people with new alternatives and insights. It doesn't
threaten or damage the attacker. Though it does puzzle and disorient him. It's
effective. And it changes many people's minds.
But it also has limits. It can't always be used.
And it must be practiced. As with all martial arts.
******************
Michael Cloud is Persuasion columnist for the
Liberator Online and The Libertarian Communicator. In July 2000, at the
Libertarian Party national convention, Cloud was voted the Most Persuasive
Libertarian Communicator in America and honored with the Thomas Paine Award.
Michael Cloud is creator of "The Essence of
Political Persuasion," the classic 3-tape libertarian communication course,
available exclusively from the Advocates at the give-away price of only $7.50
postpaid (includes shipping and postage!). For more information, or to order,
click here:
http://www.theadvocates.org/epp-redirect.html
Michael Cloud created the acclaimed "Art of
Libertarian Persuasion" communication seminars. Watch upcoming issues of
the Liberator Online to learn when this Advocates seminar will be held near you.
_____________________________________
PRODUCT REVIEW:
Great new libertarian outreach book!
"Liberty A-Z: 872 Libertarian Soundbites You
Can Use Right Now" by Harry Browne. Foreword by Congressman Ron Paul.
Quality paperback. 192 pages. $13.95 (plus shipping).
"Harry Browne's new book will prove very
useful to those interested in advancing the freedom philosophy. Harry provides
libertarians with direct, thought-provoking, and often humorous responses to the
questions advocates of the freedom philosophy face."
-- from the foreword by U.S. Congressman Ron Paul (R-TX).
This brand-new book is published by the Advocates
for Self-Government. And we believe it is, quite simply, one of the most useful
books for libertarians ever written.
During his 1996 and 2000 campaigns as Libertarian
Party candidate for President, Harry Browne quickly became famous as one of the
finest -- and most quotable -- libertarian communicators ever.
Now, with this book, Harry lets you in on one of
his big secrets -- and gives you the chance to achieve libertarian communication
excellence.
During his campaigns, Browne created a file of
nearly 1,000 "soundbites" -- short, thought-provoking, highly quotable
remarks -- on virtually every question libertarians are commonly asked.
He then committed them to memory. When reporters
asked, he was ready.
This book contains the best of those tested,
proven soundbites. Ready for you to adapt to your own style and put to use for
liberty.
Harry covers just about every political topic
imaginable: Affirmative Action, Balanced Budget, Campaign Finance, Defense,
Education, Federal Spending, Gun Control, Health Care, Immigration, Jobs,
Libertarianism, Morality, National Interest, Oil, Pornography, Quotas,
Republicans, Social Security, Terrorism, Utopian Thinking, Victimless Crimes,
Welfare, Young People, Zero (a Flat Tax Rate of) -- and hundreds of other
issues. It's organized alphabetically by topic for quick and easy reference.
This is simply essential for anyone interested in
spreading libertarian ideas, to anyone, in any forum.
ORDERING
Via Web: To learn more about this book, and to
order it, you can go to this address on the Web:
http://www.theadvocates.org/liberator-online-special.html
This will take you to a special page at our
online store where this offer is featured. You can order via credit card from
there if you wish. Our site is credit card secure -- you canorder with the same
confidence you'd feel at your local department store. While there, you can
browse our other libertarian products and order any you wish.
You can also, of course, order by phone, mail or
fax, from the address below.
Your order helps support the essential work of
the Advocates -- thank you!
As with all Advocates products, we guarantee your
satisfaction. Try it at no risk -- if you're not completely satisfied, simply
return for a full refund.
_____________________________________
See you in two weeks! You can contact the
Advocates at:
Snail Mail:
Advocates for Self Government
213 S Erwin St
Cartersville, GA 30120-3513
Phone: 770-386-8372; for orders, 800-932-1776
Fax: 770-386-8373
Email: mailto:info@TheAdvocates.org
WWW: http://www.TheAdvocates.org/
If you wish to subscribe, unsubscribe, or change
your address for receiving the Liberator Online, visit:
http://www.TheAdvocates.org/publications/liberator-online.html
The Advocates for Self-Government is a non-profit
educational organization. Our purpose is to: (1) present the freedom philosophy
honestly and persuasively to opinion-makers and the public so that they can
encounter, evaluate, and when ready, embrace the ideals of self-government; (2)
help libertarians become effective and powerful communicators of the ideas of
liberty; and (3) change the political map from the inaccurate and exclusionary
‘left-right/liberal conservative’ line to a more accurate and inclusive
model (like that on our World’s Smallest Political Quiz) that includes
libertarians and others.
PLEASE NOTE: Contributions to the Advocates are
tax-deductible under Section 501©(3) of the IRS code. If you would like to
support the vital, world-changing work of the Advocates, we *welcome* your
donation. To support the Advocates’ work -- and get as our "Thank
you!" some great gifts -- please see :
http://www.theadvocates.org/message-from-sharon-dec03.html
or give us a call at 1-800-932-1776. Thank you!
"May it be to the world... to assume the
blessings and security of self-government." -- Thomas Jefferson, 1821.
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