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I still vividly remember being at work on 9/11/01 and watching the news feeds from my computer in my office as they replayed the planes crashing into the World Trade Center towers and thinking of the horror that must be going on within those structures. I, like most people across America, sat and felt utterly helpless as those towers fell to the ground. I was nearly reduced to tears thinking of the possible staggering loss of life and of the family’s of those affected by this attack. Ten years later I still have a feeling of great sympathy for those family’s and all the family’s since that have suffered through this deep grief as the nation went to war. It was, truly, one of those moments in the history of this country that we can all look back on and say, precisely, “This was the day it all changed.”
I consider myself an “amateur” historian so I rarely, if ever, look at anything as a singular instance. So as we mark the tenth anniversary of that day, we all need to reflect upon those tragic events, some of the reasons for the attacks and all that has transpired from that day to this. For nothing exists in an historical vacuum and this is usually where I end up being the “odd man out” of any discussion in such matters.
Recently, I’ve read several opinion pieces and letters to the editor which called these attacks “unprovoked”. Nothing could be further from the truth. It was our meddling in the affairs of the nations of the Middle East, it was our propping up of despots and then “throwing them under the bus” when they no longer served our needs, it was the fact Continue reading My thoughts 10 years later
A couple of months ago, the LPAR Executive Committee approved a motion to create a Promotions Committee that will be responsible for finding ways to promote the Libertarian Party of Arkansas through advertising, direct mail or other ways. As we move into the election season with Libertarian candidates on the ballot, it will be important for people to know who Libertarians are and what we stand for.
The Chairman of this committee was selected to be Dr. Thomas Carpenter of Hot Springs. If you are interested in joining this committee, you can email either Dr. Carpenter at fourth@lpar.org or Rodger Paxton at chair@lpar.org.
In discussing the possibility of this committee to various people, an LPAR member made an anonymous donation of $2000.00 to be used specifically by the Promotions Committee! This is an incredible start, but we certainly could use even more. Please consider giving to this special committee so we can spread the message of liberty to Arkansas! If you would like to give, go to the LPAR Donations Page. After you make a donation selection, please make sure you choose “LPAR Promotions Fund” under Fund Information so we know this money should be earmarked specifically for the promotions department.
Thank you all for your support of the Libertarian Party of Arkansas!
by R. Lee Wrights
 “Let each citizen remember at the moment he is offering his vote that he is not making a present or a compliment to please an individual – or at least that he ought not so to do; but that he is executing one of the most solemn trusts in human society for which he is accountable to God and his country.”
- Samuel Adams, in the Boston Gazette, 1781
Every election Libertarians are invariably confronted with the charge that a vote for a Libertarian candidate is a wasted vote. The accuser claims that if you really wanted limited government you should vote for the candidate who has a chance of winning – the Republican. In some rare cases, the assertion may be that if you really wanted to protect civil liberties you’d vote for the candidate who has a chance of winning – the Democrat. And yet, our liberty goes unprotected as government grows unimpeded.
To my utter astonishment, this bogus argument invariably causes some genuine freedom-loving people to betray their stated beliefs. Why do they leap from the Ship of Principle into the stormy Sea of Compromise at the very moment their strength, courage and resolve are needed the most? Only one thing makes a person abandon everything they’ve ever believed in and fought for – desperation, the feeling that all is lost and the best one can do is choose the lesser of two evils. Even telling them that voting for the lesser of two evils is still voting for evil doesn’t seem to dissuade them from their decision.
Little do they realize that they have once again been duped by the Wasted Vote Lie. It is a deliberate, carefully crafted fable concocted and perpetrated by the Democratic and Republican duopoly to maintain their stranglehold on power. They cleverly employ the propaganda trick of tyrants throughout the ages; if you repeat a lie loud enough and often enough eventually people will believe it.
The worst thing about voting for the “lesser of two evils” is that it actually has the opposite effect of what it’s intended to do. Winning candidates don’t know, they don’t want to know – and frankly don’t care – why people vote for them. They certainly don’t know and don’t care how many of the votes they got were so-called protest votes. All they want is enough votes to win. They’ll consider all the Continue reading The Wasted Vote Lie
The Executive Committee last night authorized the creation of an Elections Committee. This committee is much needed and will have many responsibilities that have the potential to make big changes in the LPAR and in the State of Arkansas.
The main responsibilities of this committee will be to help find, coordinate and train candidates . . . → Read More: Do you want to help shape the State of Arkansas and the LPAR?
The LPAR has been in the news a lot recently, and here are a couple of places.
NWAHomepage.com with a two-minute video that ran on the local Fox News station. Click the link to watch the video!
KUAF 91.3 Ozarks At Large public radio program. Once on the Ozarks at Large page, search for . . . → Read More: LPAR in the News
For Immediate Release: Thursday, June 16, 2011
The Libertarian Party of Arkansas is Official
(Little Rock, AR) The Libertarian Party of Arkansas (LPAR) is officially a recognized political party for the first time in history and will now be able to run candidates for office in 2012.
Last month the party submitted signatures to the Secretary of State’s office in order to fulfill the requirement of collecting at least 10,000 valid signatures from registered voters in the state. According to Martha Adcock at the Secretary of State’s office, more than 12,000 of the 16,000 submitted signatures were valid. This count was confirmed by an independent auditor.
The party placed presidential candidates on the ballot for more than 30 years but never met the more difficult requirement to run candidates for other offices. The LPAR’s success marks the first time in recent history that a third party has been able to run a partisan candidate for office in all 50 states for offices other than the president.
“This achievement is monumental for Arkansans who want more choice on their ballot,” said LPAR Chairman Rodger Paxton of Marion. “Now we won’t have to choose between big government and bigger government, but can vote for minimum government and maximum freedom.”
Libertarians advocate lower taxes, more personal freedom and less government intervention.
Prepared remarks by Casey D. Copeland, Treasurer, Libertarian Party of Arkansas
Ballot Petition Signature Turn-In Press Conference, May 18th, 2011
The Libertarian Party of Arkansas will be the party for those Arkansans who believe in “Minimum Government, Maximum Freedom.” Arkansans will see that slogan when they visit our web-page, and they will hear it whenever they speak with us about the issues of today, yesterday, or tomorrow.
Many Arkansans may ask, “What is libertarianism?” or “What is a Libertarian?” Only to find, after a little study and self-examination, that they are a libertarians; or at least they live their lives like libertarians. And, they will find that America was founded as a libertarian country.
In his book Libertarianism in One Lesson, Mr. David Bergland says, “Libertarianism is grounded in the ‘natural rights’ tradition in western culture.” That tradition was known and espoused by our Founding Father, and expressed to the world and handed down to us through the Declaration of Independence, The Constitution of the United Continue reading Press Conference Prepared Remarks by Casey D. Copeland
KARK out of Little Rock ran a news story on the LPAR Ballot Access petition today on their nightly news at 5pm.
It was also pointed out to me that KATV Channel 7 had a short segment on their 6pm news. KUAR FM 89.1 ran short segments on their radio station at 4 and . . . → Read More: KARK Television Coverage of LPAR Press Conference
Today we held a press conference at the Arkansas Capitol Rotunda. Casey Copeland, Treasurer of the LPAR and Rodger Paxton, Chairman both made remarks to the media and the people in attendance. There were several news agencies there from print, video and wire news services. Paxton was also interviewed by some radio stations in . . . → Read More: LPAR Press Conference at Arkansas Capitol
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