—Michigan Libertarian
April 2015, Volume 44:04
(To view this newsletter in your browser, click here)
Online newsletter for the Libertarian Party of Michigan

Subscribe/Unsubscribe Instructions


 

In This Issue

 

Greeting
From the Chair




Let's Grow Liberty, Convention in Kzoo May 9
Run for a Local Office
Scotty Boman's Case
Create a Firestorm for Liberty
Website Handover

Image of the Month
Quote of the Month
Past Blast

Contacts
Calendar

 


 

 

Welcome

[main]


Welcome to the April 2015 issue of the online newsletter of the Libertarian Party of Michigan, the Michigan Libertarian. The newsletter is our main vehicle for sharing what's happening for Libertarians in Michigan. You may manage your subscription by going here or visiting our Website www.michiganlp.org).

 


 

From the Chair(s)

From Mary Buzuma
chair@michiganlp.org

 

Buzuma"The notion that all children could and should be inventors of their own theories, critics of other people’s ideas, analyzers of evidence, and makers of their own personal marks on this most complex of worlds… is an idea with revolutionary implications.’ [Deborah Meier] " — quoted in Democracy Reaches the Kids, by George Meegan.

 

Coming Up Fast

 

Let's get those registrations in and memberships up to date for attending what promises to be one of the more important 'off-year' state conventions in quite a while. Jason Brandenburg is leading the Kalamazoo-area Libertarians in hosting this year's event, complete with a pub crawl in world renowned craft beer town and t-shirt design contest. Check out the article below and let's see everyone there. The convention page is here: http://michiganlp.org/?page_id=4013

 

I also ask you to join me in welcoming our new Webmaster and soon-to-be newsletter editor, Mr. Jonathan Osment from the Wayne County affiliate... and of course to thank Brian Wright for the wonderful job he's done over the past six years keeping the cyberspace reality in some semblance of order. Bless you, boys!

 

In Liberty,

 

Mary

 


 

8Let's Grow Liberty, LPM Convention in Kalamazoo, May 9

 

We have an exciting convention in the works for LPMers and guests this year, in the original home of Gibson guitars and major player in founding the modern American craft beer movement: Kalamazoo. In fact, Friday night (5/8) plans are to host a pub crawl! [For $20 you get a snazzy LPM t-shirt, august company, and transportation to downtown and back to the hotel... which is the Holiday Inn West.]

Convention speakers are:

  • C. Michael Pickens—keynote
  • Darryl W. Perry—banquet
  • Brian R. Wright—breakout

 

This is the 'in between' convention year, with officers and bylaws/platform up for reconfiguration. Please don't miss what promises to be an auspicious and fertile event... one for the books. We're trying to keep costs down in these trying times on the threshold of 'rEvolution.' So come one, come all. Details here.
[http://michiganlp.org/?page_id=4013]

 

T-Shirt Design Contest

 

You can win a FREE t-shirt!

 

What we're looking for:
We need a tagline for both our yearly convention t-shirt and for our more general event t-shirts. We're looking for either funny or liberty inspiring quotes/taglines.

 

Details here: http://michiganlp.org/?p=3996

 


 

8Run for a Nonpartisan City Office

 

By Leonard Schwartz, LPM Political Director

 

Libertarians' greatest success is in nonpartisan elections. There are 92 LP members currently serving in nonpartisan elected positions; four in Michigan.

 

Nearly all Michigan cities have nonpartisan elections this November. Here is how to get on the ballot:

 

1. Contact your city clerk to learn (a) the deadline for submitting candidate paperwork and (b) the number of valid signatures you need. Also ask if you can get on the ballot by paying a filing fee instead of petitioning and whether the fee is refundable. Your city clerk will provide petition forms and an "Affidavit of Identity."

 

2. Unless you will pay a filing fee, gather signatures from city residents.

 

First ask friends to sign. Some might also help get signatures. Next petition door-to-door in your neighborhood. Petition only in daylight. Saturday and Sunday afternoons are best. Because some persons aren't registered to vote at the address they put on the petition, get at least 20% more signatures than you need. [Read full column here.]

 


 

8 Scotty Boman's Case Update

 

The initial incident occurred July 30, 2014, on the afternoon of a candidates' forum on the Northwest campus of Wayne County Community College District. Scotty, a professor at WCCCD and at that time a candidate for Detroit city clerk, was taking photos of his incumbent opponent's (Janice Winfrey's) questionably placed signage and handing out campaign literature.

 

Campus popos did not like the effrontery and proceeded to body slam and confine him w/o water for three hours in handcuffs in a closet... permanently injuring his right hand. Per US Third World protocols, Scotty was charged with trespassing (at his own school). Judge Roberta Archer ruled against him on March 11.

 

An appeal has been filed, fundraising planned. Sentencing held June 11 if appeal fails.

 

Scotty notes of trial to Webmaster: http://michiganlp.org/?p=4025
Scotty's statement to WCCCD Board: http://michiganlp.org/?p=4029
More info: scottyboman@hotmail.com.

 


 

8Igniting a Firestorm for Liberty


By Karl Jackson, LEC at Large

 

I think there is a great opportunity that libertarians passionate about liberty in Michigan are missing . I see the other parties and groups taking this idea, running with it and having great success with it. Its not a new idea. What they are doing is just consciously utilizing their local party's most fiery people, and then watching them develop into well seasoned activists and sometimes very strong government officials.

 

These parties rally around their own. They work together to heavily promote THEIR OWN. This kind of endorsement allows the activist to then be able to go out to speak to all their party affiliates all around the country, starting these huge motivational fires for all their issues that seem to never stop. Its amazing to watch and see how informative their discussions can be. This is something that I believe the Libertarian Party should be doing as well. I also believe we can be just as successful at doing it.

 

Full article here: http://michiganlp.org/?p=4036.




8Changes to the Website

 

The Party is pleased to announce that effective April 1 (no April Fool's joke) the duties of Webmaster (and 'the keys to the Zion Mainframe') will be handed over from Brian Wright to Mr. Jonathan Osment (jonathanrosment@gmail.com) of the Wayne County affiliate. Jonathan brings a solid understanding of Web design and, particularly, the vagaries of the Wordpress platform our Website uses. Brian says, "No one is more thrilled than I am to hand off the responsibilites—soon to include newsletter operations as well—to enthusiastic young talent like Jonathan. The entire Web and newsletter business cries out for fresh ideas and skilled, young hands."

 

So many thanks to both and best wishes to our new Webmaster.

 

Notes from the Outgoing Guy
by Brian Wright

 

Some notes on how I came to be Webmaster way back in June of 2009. Can it really be that long?!!

 

When I first took the job, about this time in 2009, I inherited a virtually incomprehensible platform (Sharepoint) and agreed to be Webmaster and newsletter editor. Part of the reason they asked me was because the former guy had created a lot of drama and walked away with the site (lpmich.org?); as former chair and newsletter editor and a cofounder of the party, they figured I'd be a safe bet to at least keep things manageable and without the Sturm und Drang.

 

I stumbled along the best I could, then in 2012(?) basically on my own recognizance created the existing Wordpress site and migrated from that wreck I inherited. I know it doesn't look like much, but believe me if you saw one of the old pages or how we had to jump through hoops to do anything simple, you would hurl chunks. I tried to find someone to help me create the new one, but the one professional Web person who promised she would lead that effort backed out at the last minute for no apparent reason.

 

I've never been a Web or geek sort of fellow, I'm a writer and publisher with an engineering degree with quite a bit of LP institutional knowledge. Further, I have a new set of ideas that I'm proposing for the LP/LPM (http://brianrwright.com/satlib.pdf) and now I'll be better able to shepherd these through... if the time is right and they make sense to the rank and file. My new book coming out in a few months is called Satyagraha Liberty, which is the implementation component I envision for the liberty movement in general... and a followon from my book on LP grand strategy: Leaving the Sandbox. I'll be presenting on the key concepts of both books at the Kalamazoo convention in a breakout session.

 

Thank you everyone for making my Webmaster tenure a joy and an adventure.

 



Image of the Month

 

 


 

Quote of the Month

[main]

 

“The cults in charge of selling false realities try to bypass the rational mind and instead covertly appeal to automatic reflex functions. The most important of these reflex functions is: investing emotions in presented images. This is the primary strategy of informational mind control on the planet." — Jon Rappoport, Power Outside the Matrix

 


Michigan Libertarian Blast from the Past
[main]

 

Take a stroll down memory lane with this excerpt from one of the longest-running state Libertarian newsletters. Click on this link for the full online version of this newsletter.

 

 

Former editor and LPM archivist Greg Stempfle has compiled the entire body of available Michigan Libertarian newsletters up on this page of the LPM Website (most if not all of the newsletters have been transferred over to the new site if you have a particular issue you're interested in and it doesn't show up on the page, please contact Webmaster@michiganlp.org).

 


 

Libertarian Party of Michigan Contacts

 


LPM Leadership
State Chair – Mary Buzuma, chair@michiganlp.org
Vice Chair – Scotty Boman,  vicechair@michiganlp.org
Secretary – Jim Fulner, secretary@michiganlp.org*
Treasurer – Kim Moore, treasurer@michiganlp.or
Webmaster – Brian Wright - webmaster@michiganlp.org
Political Director – Leonard Schwartz – leonard@leonardschwartz.us



Libertarian Executive Committee At-large Directors:
Karl Jackson - brokarl@msn.com
Jeff Wood -
James Weeks II - uscw168s@gmail.com
Ron Taylor -
Kipp Welch II - kippwelch@yahoo.com



Judicial Committee
:
Bill Hall - whall@michiganlp.org
Larry Johnson - michlibertarian@gmail.com
Rodger Young – Chair@LivingstonLibertarians.org



Affiliate Contacts (counties served)

 

Capital Area LP (Clinton, Eaton, Ingham, Shiawassee)
Bob Broda, Chair, bob_broda@att.net 
(contact Will White: whitewi5@msu.edu )
Website: www.calparty.org

 

Southwest Michigan LP
Starting up officially May 6 contact: Jason Brandenburg at: swmi4liberty@be-innovative.net
The new Kzoo group will be handling the former Calhoun County and Southwest Michigan LP for counties: Calhoun, Berrien, Kalamazoo, St. Joseph, Branch, Cass, and Van Buren. Location of first meeting on May 6 at 5:30: Gallagher's Eatery and Pub, 4210 Stadium Drive, Kalamazoo.

Affiliate Contacts (counties served, continued)



Lakeshore Libertarians
Mary Buzuma, mary.buzuma@att.net

 

LP of Livingston County (Livingston)
Rodger Young, Chair,
Chair@LivingstonLibertarians.org
Website:
www.livingstonlibertarians.org



Libertarians of Macomb County (Macomb)
Keith Edwards, Chair: keithmarni@wowway.com
Dan Flamand, Vice Chair: daniel.flamand@att.net



LP of Oakland County (Oakland)
Jim Young, Chair lpocmi@lpocmi.org
Website: http://www.lpocmi.org/



Straits Libertarian Party (SLaP)
James Johnson, Chair, minidu@gmail.com



LP of Washtenaw County (Washtenaw)
Larry Johnson michlibertarian@gmail.com
Justin Altman, sec. mczerone@gmail.com
Also contact Paul Giuliano, pgiulian@umich.edu 
Website: http://lpwc.wordpress.com/



LP of Wayne County (Wayne, Monroe)
Ray Warner, Chair, raymondrand@yahoo.com

 

LP of West Michigan (Allegan, Barry, Ionia, Kent, Lake, Mason, Mecosta, Montcalm, Muskegon, Newaygo, Oceana, Osceola, Ottawa)
Arnis Davidsons, Chair: arnisdavidsons2@gmail.com 
Kipp Welch II, Vice Chair:
kippwelch@yahoo.com
Website: www.lpwm.org


Calendar

[main]

 

 

 

More... For all events, see the full online calendar on the Website:
http://michiganlp.org/?page_id=61. Note for those who do not have online access, please contact your local affiliate representative or call the office at 1-888-FREENOW (373-3669) to get a description of events in your area. The Michigan Libertarian ONLINE is distributed on the first of each month. Send calendar events and news articles by the 25th of the prior month to: e-newsletter@michiganlp.org

 

Note: The final print edition of the Michigan Libertarian is available online at http://www.michiganlp.org/Past%20Newsletters/
Michigan%20Libertarian%2038.2%20summer%202009.pdf

 


 

About the Michigan Libertarian
[main]

 

The Michigan Libertarian is published/posted on the first of each month. Send calendar events and news/articles to e-newsletter@michiganlp.org by the 25th of the prior month. The Michigan Libertarian is one of the longest-running Libertarian newsletters in the country, debuting in 1973 shortly after the founding of the Libertarian Party of Michigan. The "new" Michigan Libertarian (a predominantly online version) debuted on August 1, 2009 and replaced the weekly LPMOnline and the printed-and-mailed ML.  We will post the newsletter on the Website and deliver via email on the first of every month. A printed version of the new Michigan Libertarian will be sent free to anyone who signs up, which you may do at the LPM web site www.michiganlp.org (or www.mi.lp.org).

 

LPM members who need a hard copy may request one be mailed to them by contacting
e-newsletter@michiganlp.org or calling the LPM toll-free number 888-Free-Now (888-373-3669).
Subscribe/Unsubscribe to Newsletter [Note: Just send us a message via our Contact page, and we will add you to the list.] We respect all unsubscribe requests.

Newsletter URL (Webpage address for this issue of the ML):
201504_ML.html

###