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[TJames]

I know, we are off topic.

[Steven Douglas]

I don't want to show up someplace and start to try and tell everyone (anyone) around me what to do (which is kind of the definition of being an activist, is it not?)

No, it is not.

Want to make a real difference, significant progress toward on liberty in your lifetime?

1. Volunteer in the community. Find something you can get behind, and do it. For me it was the recycling committee. For some people it's the food bank, animal shelter, volunteering at the library, or the old folks' center, maybe even volunteer firefighter or EMT. Make sure you are there just to volunteer, just to help the community, and keep your personal politics the hell out of it.

2. Write letters to the editor and/or get involved in community media (community TV, radio, etc). Here, put your politics front and center. Be courteous, NEVER confrontational or personal, but get those libertarian points out there.

3. Contact your State Reps and Senator -- regularly! -- on bills they are voting on, that you care about. The NH Liberty Alliance has a page that makes it easy to see what they'll be voting on. Call up yours and tell them your opinion.

4. Help out with local issues campaigns that you care about. Freedom to marry, marijuana policy, tax reduction, etc, etc. All need help!

5. Help out with (re-)election campaigns of the people in NH that you like. You may find that 1 or 2 of your Reps are quite libertarian and worth your support. If not, there are FSPers in nearby districts that will need help!

6. Run for local office. This is actually not too different from volunteering. Trustee of the trust funds, selectman, alderman, many local offices go uncontested. The NHLA can help guide you in how to run a campaign. Don't pull stupid stunts, just meet the neighbors and talk about the local issues. Once elected, keep focused on the specific duties of the role, be respectful, and put those libertarian ideas out calmly, clearly, and respectfully.

7. If you have the ability, run for state office (eg, State Rep). Same principles as #6, above, but more work, and generally more time investment.

Very very important: it all starts with volunteering in the community.
Do that first, and put the Good Work front and center before your personal political preferences.

Wow, I'm glad I read this thread.

Very very important: it all starts with trading value for value and also volunteering, even with no expectation of a direct return in value, in the community.
Do that first, and put the Good Work front and center before your personal political preferences.

Fixed.

Fixed again. I took the liberty of taking the either/or out of it. Late comer to the thread, sorry, but I do like the thought of helping to build someone else's personal barn sometimes, for no other reason than to know that another barn exists.  There's nothing political about that.  Value for value, value for no immediate and apparent value -- what's the difference, so long as it's all truly voluntary, and there's no committee deciding everything for everyone.  

[lildog]

2. Write letters to the editor and/or get involved in community media (community TV, radio, etc). Here, put your politics front and center. Be courteous, NEVER confrontational or personal, but get those libertarian points out there.

I can't stress the importance of this point.

So many people I've meet and talked with over the years have political views based on what they know and far too often what they know is based on the facts they were given from bias sources.  When presented with facts that disagree with their views some people will become angry and/ or defensive.  They will sometimes deny anything the doesn't fit their view.  This is where, as Dennis points out, it's better to be courteous and never confrontational or personal.  Stick to facts and arguments you can back up.  You wont win everyone over but you might win a couple.

Letters to the editor, public access TV shows, blogs etc are all great ways to get your message out there.  In my personal opinion, media that isn't typically followed by people who agree with you is the best medium to use otherwise you'd be just preaching to the choir.

Has anyone begun taking advantage of the patch online newspaper?

[Louis Eklund]

I agree with Denis Goddard's original post!

Each One
Teach One
Louis H. Eklund