The Program

Lights of Liberty is an Advocates program to recognize and reward outstanding libertarian grassroots volunteer work -- and to stimulate much more such vital work.

The Lights of Liberty awards program has been endorsed and applauded by local, state and national libertarian leaders. Lights of Liberty winners are helping to change the face of politics in America. Beginning in 1998, they took libertarian ideas to literally millions of Americans -- and met many thousands of people face-to-face.

We’re hoping this year will bring forth a record number of winners. And we hope you’ll be one of them!

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Libertarian Leaders Endorse Lights of Liberty

Lights of Liberty Winners Speak

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The Rules: Three Vital Activities

The Lights of Liberty awards offer awards and special gifts to libertarians who achieve any one of the following three simple -- yet enormously important and effective -- libertarian outreach efforts in a calendar year:

Letters to the Editor

Get three letters that mention the words "libertarian" or "libertarianism" ("Libertarian Party" also counts) published in any non-libertarian newspaper or magazine.

One of our major goals is to greatly increase the public's positive encounters with the words "libertarian" and "libertarianism," until these become as familiar in America as liberal and conservative. Letters to the editor are a tremendously effective way to do this. Letters are like a free ad for libertarianism -- in the most widely-read section of the newspaper.

A single letter can take a hard-hitting, positive libertarian message to thousands or hundreds of thousands of people. For example, 1999 Lights of Liberty winner Adrian Hinton had three letters published in Cincinnati papers that reached a total audience of 1.1 million readers!

Multiple submissions are fine -- the same letter published in two newspapers counts as two letters for the purpose of the awards. (Make sure the newspapers you send to don't have a policy against multiple submissions.)

Operation Politically Homeless (OPH)

Work at three OPH booths, for a minimum of two hours per daily session.

OPH is an Advocates outreach tool that transforms a dull literature table into a crowd-attracting, fun and successful event. Libertarians across the country use OPH to discover dozens or even hundreds of libertarian-leaning folks in their own community -- in a single day. OPH works anywhere people are gathered -- political rallies, gun shows, county fairs, college campuses… the possibilities are endless. It’s a great activity for beginning volunteers or seasoned pros.

Your OPH shifts can be at a single event (for example, three different days at a single county fair) or at three different events. Each shift must be at least two hours, and the three qualifying shifts must be on three different days (example: six hours in one day counts as one shift, not three.)

Public Speaking

Deliver three more speeches to predominately non-libertarian groups such as service clubs, high schools, colleges, political rallies, Toastmasters, and the like.

Speeches are a great way to take libertarianism one-on-one to some of the most important and influential members of your community -- and the leaders of tomorrow. Your speeches should be on libertarian-related topics and must use the words "libertarian" or "libertarianism" in a positive way. ("Libertarian Party" counts.)

And incidentally -- you don't even have to write a speech! You can use one of our audience-tested pre-written speaker kits, designed to help anyone make a dynamic presentation. See the Liberty Store for more info on these.)

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The Awards

Upon accomplishing any of the three outreach activities above, contact the Advocates. In recognition of your outstanding work for liberty, you'll receive the following:

• A handsome Lights of Liberty certificate on quality parchment paper, suitable for framing. Your certificate, signed by Advocates President Sharon Harris, recognizes your outstanding contribution to spreading the ideas of freedom in this key year.
  
• Your name will be printed with those of other award winners in our magazine The Libertarian Communicator and in a special advertisement in Libertarian Party News.
  
• Your name will be placed in our Lights of Liberty honor roll here on our Web site
  
• The Advocates will send a press release to local, state, and national libertarian organizations, notifying them of your accomplishment
  
• A coupon worth 20% off your next order -- of any size -- from our catalog of books, tapes, and other libertarian items
  
• A free year's subscription (or extension for existing subscribers) to The Libertarian Communicator
  
• Place your name in our "Lights of Liberty Lottery" - at the end of the year we'll draw twenty names and give some great gifts to the winners. Top prize -- the Libertarian Presidential Library, an autographed collection of every campaign book by every Libertarian Party presidential candidate, beginning with the LP’s very first presidential candidate, 1972’s John Hospers! Most are out-of-print -- this is a $250-plus value!

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Frequently Asked Questions:

Do campaign speeches count?
Yes, but just participating in candidate forums or interviews does not, unless the event includes a stand-alone speech. We define a speech as a solo talk to a predominately non-libertarian group for several minutes or more.

What if I do this more than once -- say I deliver six speeches, or get eight letters printed?
That's great! We’ll give you another set of discount coupons, and we will put your name in the lottery a second time -- greatly increasing your chances of winning the Libertarian Library or other prizes. If you qualify in a second category, we’ll also give you a second certificate and put two stars by your name at our Web Honor Roll. Go for it!

What if I qualify in all three areas?
We hope you do! That will put you in an elite class of outstanding libertarian communicators -- only a handful of libertarians have done this so far. You'll get a special "Libertarian Triathlon" certificate, you’ll be entered extra times in our drawing, you’ll get extra discount coupons, and you’ll be one of the rare people to have three stars by your name at our Web Honor Roll. You’ll be mentioned prominently in our press releases and other coverage of the event. Again -- go for it!

When does this start?
It’s already underway! In fact, it's retroactive to January 1st, so any qualifying activism you've done since the first of the year counts. The awards are given for the calendar year.

Other Lights of Liberty Questions?
Please contact us at lights@theadvocates.org .

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