Calendar

[main]

Welcome to the August 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 Kimberly Moore
chair@michiganlp.org

“Conservative, n. A statesman enamored of existing evils, as opposed to a Liberal, who wants to replace them with others. — Ambrose Bierce

Happy August, Everyone!

July has been busy. I’ve attended 2 more affiliate meetings (Washtenaw & Macomb), and 2 Let Liberty Live Rallies. Along with contacting MiLegalize and still planning my wedding for the beginning of August.

We have information for anyone wanting to help with the MiLegalize Petition so please send inquiries to chair@michiganlp.org and we will get you to the local coordinator in your area. Though this bill doesn’t simply decriminalize marijuana and taxes it, we still see this as a move in the right direction. There is supposed to be another petition coming out this year that is supposed to be more in line of what we are seeking, and there is no problem working with both. Giving the people of the state of Michigan a choice let’s them have a say in what it is they actually want. As Libertarians we believe it is your choice to do with your own body what you wish, and highly support the petition action as each voting Michiganian will have a voice in the matter.

Our new affiliates are coming along, and one is even looking into hosting a table at the Flint Stop the Violence Rally in September.

Because of all the events the affiliates have been having and the amount of work the teams have to do, the LEC has approved of the Chair’s new scheduling suggestion of having even months focus on team meetings and odd months being the main LEC meetings. This gives us more time to accomplish goals and have more events without over exhausting everyone by having team meetings and LEC meetings every month along with affiliate meetings and affiliate events. It gives us the opportunity to do more with the communities around us.

Talking about the teams many will be holding meetings next month. If you are interested in helping out send the team leaders an e-mail at the following addresses.

• Vice Chair - vicechair@michiganlp.org Are you interested in helping start an affiliate in your area?
• Secretary – secretary@michiganlp.org Are you interested in helping promote the party via marketing & media? Also, send any liberty minded articles to newsletter@michiganlp.org by the 25th of each month.
• Treasurer – treasurer@michiganlp.org How are you at coming up with fundraising ideas? This may be the place for you.
• Political Team – politicaldirector@michiganlp.org Do you like following the bills that are at the state or federal level? What about wanting to run for office? Just send our Political Director and e-mail.
• Membership Team – membership@michiganlp.org Do you just want to help get members in touch with each other and help the party grow. We could use some people on the phones.

We also had two team members step down due to illness this month. One was Christopher Mabie the Political Director. Scotty Boman has stepped up to the position with the assistance of Jim Fulner as his Campaign Assistant. As they both have run for Senator on the Libertarian Ticket they have experience in running campaigns and as a member of several groups Scotty is able to keep up on the bills that we should be focusing on as a party. In addition Arnis Davidsons has stepped down from the LEC. He has been a key factor in working with the Northeast Lower Peninsula Group as well as the Kalamazoo group last year. We will be looking to replace him at the September meeting on the board, but the certain type of conciliation will be missed on the board. The good news is he does intend to continue the Vice Chair in the New Affiliate area. We wish the best to both Chris & Arnie in their health.

Thank you for your time and efforts and I look forward to meeting as many of you as possible.

Kimberly Moore
LPM, Chair

Note:

Notice from Arnis appears here:

Greetings,

 

During the time I've been involved with the LPM, I have met many of you personally, and consider you friends. I have enjoyed my travels, met many good people, and generally enjoyed what I was doing. 

 

Those who know me best are aware that I have some serious health issues. After my surgery this spring, I was feeling better, and actually believed that I could handle the extra responsibilities I took on. Unfortunately, some of my other health issues have gotten worse in recent weeks. While I've enjoyed travelling around the state meeting with you all, the schedule has become more than I can handle.

 

I no longer feel that I can represent the membership at the level you deserve. After much thought, and with sadness, on July 19th I announced my resignation to the LEC. I want to thank those who gave me strong support in my bid to be elected to the LEC. I apologize for disappointing you, and hope you find a worthy replacement. I also want to thank those who helped me the times I needed help, while far from home. 

 

To be clear, I am resigning from the LEC, not the LPM. I will remain involved, but at a much reduced level of activity, responsibility, and travel. My resignation is strictly for health issues, and no other reason. I will still help with various projects to the best of my ability, as health permits.

 

Thank you all for your support and understanding.

 

Arnie Davidsons

 

Special Meeting date:

Agenda is Genessee Affiliate Discussion at 5PM
Webmaster Interviews starting at 530PM
Call in Number will be provided as soon as we have Go to Meeting set up, state in Newsletter "To be Announced".

To all members,

For better communication and transparency within the LPM the following information will be included in the monthly newsletter (beginning in September) and posted to the website:

1. Minutes along with reports of monthly LEC meetings.

2. The date, time and place of team meetings. If the meeting is a teleconference the call-in number along with the code will be provided. Note: Newsletter deadline is 25th of the month.

Agenda and reports for future LEC meetings will be available on the website for all members by the Thursday preceding the LEC meeting.

Any member can request copies of past minutes or documentation by sending an email request to the Secretary secretary@michiganlp.org or mary.buzuma@att.net

Mary Buzuma

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Kimberly Moore,
Chair Libertarian Party of Michigan
989.593.1000
chair@michiganlp.org
July 7, 2015

Libertarians “Just Say No to Senate Gas Tax Hike” On May 5, 2015 the people of Michigan voted overwhelmingly not to raise sales taxes to fix the roads in Michigan. The 4:1 margin should have told our State Legislators and Governor that the people of Michigan in essence told them we did not want taxes raised at all. That however, is what is happening.

On July 1, 2015 the State Senate passed a bill that would raise gas taxes by 15 cents per gallon. This tax will hit the working class of Michigan the hardest, as many already have to drive long distances just to have any type of job.

Senators did this just prior to a holiday weekend when the people of Michigan would be distracted with planning and celebrating with family and friends. This was done under the leadership of the Republicans who call themselves “fiscally conservative”, by a vote count of 19:19 (18 Republicans and 1 Democrat in favor) with Lieutenant Gov. Brian Calley breaking the tie. They did this following a State House plan that would not raise taxes on regular gasoline, but it would on diesel fuel – and it raises taxes on hybrids.

(For bill information: Click Here -http://michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169618- and Here -http://michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169617) (For voting information, follow Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No" for the House and Senate.)

Democrats are just as culpable when it comes to taxes. Under the leadership of Governor Granholm, our State Representatives proposed a similar tax hike in 2009 -http://www.mlive.com/opinion/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2009/03/editorial_gov_jennifer_granhol_2.html- and in the same year, there was a huge percentage increase in our income tax. http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052748704322004574477363965641226-

What part of "No" do our elected officials not understand? Michigan is still in recovery, and with inflation, the people cannot afford to give more money to the government when they have to trim back on expenses themselves. The State should look at other options!

We can look at decriminalizing victimless offenses that put people in jail/prison that cost several thousand dollars a year per person. We can look at turning a few roads into toll roads in order to pay for their upkeep. We can look at the warranties which should have come with the roads and have any that fall under these warranties fixed before those warranties expire. We can end subsidies to businesses that send their money out of state.

As Libertarians, we believe in minimal government and looking at alternative solutions. If government has to be involved, it has a responsibility to look into doing what it can do reduce and offset costs. The point is there are other options than taking more money from people who already have to make so many financial adjustments to their lives; and Libertarians would look at these other choices.

This week, we encourage you to call both your State Representatives and State Senators and tell them "No" once again. You can reach the Senate at 517.373.2400 and the House at 517.373.6339. Tell them you will NOT vote for them in 2016 if they vote yes, and then follow through!

It’s time we tell government officials they have to stop taking advantage of people, because we are the ones with the power of choice! These votes will not be forgotten in 2016. If you need to find out who your senator or representative are follow these links for the Michigan Senate http://www.senate.michigan.gov/fysbyaddress.html- and the Michigan House. http://house.michigan.gov/MHRPublic/ The Libertarian Party founded in 1971, is the third-largest political party in America. It is the only political party consistently calling for smaller government, lower taxes, and individual rights. # 30 #

A bill to place the plaque on Michigan Capital grounds (to be paid for by private contributions), is still trapped in a Committee that rarely meets. This display is one of a couple efforts to raise public awareness of this treasure and get it out of committee.

The four by six foot brass monument was cast from brass casings that were collected at a gun rally organized by the Jon Coon Libertarian United States Senate Campaign in 1994. The rally was attended by 10,000 people and Coon earned about 4.2% of the vote... a record still not broken for minor party statewide candidates in Michigan.

The Brass Roots rally gave birth to a non-partisan organization by the same name who pushed lawmakers to make Michigan a "shall issue" state for concealed carry permits (now called CPL's). While the plaque is not a partisan item, it proudly displays a Statue of Liberty, and Libertarians know they had a roll to play in this.

For more information about the plaque, and who you can contact to make this happen, visit: https://brassrootsplaque.wordpress.com/about

Scotty Boman

1. Public Service Announcements needed.  The Libertarian Party of Michigan is Seeking Public Service Announcement videos to be used on television.  Videos must be approved by the LEC before being used.  If you would like to create a video, please email scottyboman@hotmail.com for specifications.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

2. Our America Initiative.

OUR AMERICA INITIATIVE LAUNCHES FAIRDEBATES.COM June 24, 2015, Salt Lake City, UT – Ramping up the fight to insure that the 2016 general election presidential debates include all qualified candidates, the Our America Initiative has launched a new website, FairDebates.com, to provide up-to-date information about the debates and opportunities to become engaged in the effort.'

Learn more about this effort at: http://ouramericainitiative.tumblr.com/post/122349874109/our-america-initiative-launches-fairdebates-com

Scotty Boman

Transracial People Define Themselves

Define yourself, or be defined
-Cass Corridor sidewalk graffiti-

I am deeply disturbed by lack of sensitivity people have shown toward Rachel Dolezal. For those unfamiliar with her plight, Rachel Dolezal was a Spokane Washington NAACP President who considered herself to be “African-American” or “black.” Recently, it became apparent that her biological parents considered themselves to be “White,” and using reasoning derived from Public Enemy’s“Fear of a Black Planet” lyrics, “White man, white woman, white baby” journalists concluded that if she was born “white” she must still be “white.” Next came accusations that she was lying about her race, and that her “True race” was “white.”

The implication here is that a person can’t change his, her, or its demographic. Put another way, the paradigm at work here dictates that you’re personality must adapt to the body you were born with, and any attempt to modify your body to externalize one’s inner sense of identity is somehow phony or dishonest. Most people are comfortable in their own skin and don’t wish to change it, but that isn’t any reason to be so harsh on people who are not so fortunate.

To some extent, changing the way one looks, in ways that bypass heredity, is common and accepted. Genetics determines hair color, but people who feel they are more blond, brunet, or red head can chose to be that. Even then there is a bit of snobbishness. Ever see a blond rolling her eyes as another one passes and remark “She’s not a natural blond.” When I was first asked to fill out an application for my drivers permit I was confused, because it asked for eye color. Knowing that my eyes changed color (normally based on what I was wearing), I asked nearby people what color my eyes were. After receiving multiple answers I was tempted to write “rainbow” in on the form, but was later urged to call them “hazel” Since then I have seen people with purple and yellow eyes. There are contact lenses for that.

Switching other traits is much more controversial. This may be because they are groups that politicians like to pander to; the divide and conquer strategy of the establishment depends on a lack of mobility between demographic groups. In these united states of America collectivist politicians love the categories of “race” and sex.

Mobility between sexes has achieved an unprecedented level of acceptance. Lately there has been a lot of buzz about Decathlon gold medalist Bruce Jenner having sex reassignment surgery and changing her name to “Kaitlyn,” but Jenner walks a path that has been blazed and cleared by a variety of other individuals. One of those people was, the tennis player Richard Raskind. While he was successful as a man, he chose to become a woman. She went on to be the Tennis player Rene’e Richards. When Richards was first outed as being born a male, she faced criticism that was very similar in content to the rhetoric used against Rachel Dolezal now. Richards was accused of pretending to be a woman in order to get an advantage by playing against male rather than female athletes. They would say she lied about her sex. Athletic organizations banned Richards from playing her favorite game because the United States Tennis Association, established an unprecedented women-born-women policy.

Of course Richards laughed off the notion that men would be lining up for the emasculating surgery so they could play professional tennis against men. Of course transsexual and transgender people face different challenges then transracial people. [Side note: Gender is not the same thing as sex. “Masculine” and “feminine” are genders, “male” and “female” are sexes.]

One distinction is that there are structural, functional andchromosomal differences that delineate sexes (though many people are born as hermaphrodites with intermediate or combined sexual traits). Race, on the other hand is a social construct, or a look. The belief in distinct races is a myth largely promoted by the likes of eugenicists and slavery apologists, to serve their particular agendas. Modern humans don’t exist as distinct subspecies, like say wolves and coyotes. So it would seem that changing races is even easier than changing sexes. From a medical perspective this is certainly the case, but social acceptance has ironically proven more difficult.

While Richards scoffed at the idea that someone would have a sex-change simply to gain some advantage, it is possible that someone would, but so what? As a libertarian I believe in peoples right to do as they wish with their property, and the most valuable piece of physical property individuals can own is their own bodies. As a matter of enlightened self-interest, I would hope that anyone choosing to change ones physical identity to such a degree, would be doing so to be true to one’s self. However, that’s not up to me. There are other cases where people have “passed as” members of another race in order to gain an advantage. Examples include Carol Channing, and reputedly Dinah Shore. By “passing” they were able to perform in venues that were off limits to those who held onto the look that was then called “negro” or “colored.” While this is less ideal then people taking on a look that matches their sense of self, such pragmatic “passing” is still morally defensible. If it is to ones advantage to change one’s sex or race, then it seems to me the fault is in the society that makes these changes advantageous, not in the character of the person who is trying to better one’s self.

I don’t know Ms. Dolezal personally, but it is my distinct impression that she is transracial. That is to say, that she has chosen a racial identity that differs from the one that she was supposedly born with. If this is the case, then she can’t be said to have lied about her race. She simply changed her public identity to harmonize with her inner self. I have often been confused when looking at Federal forms that ask people to categorize themselves into narrow racial categories. This is probably more confusing to an educated person who knows that race is mythical then it is to a person who has been duped by racialist politicians. There it definesblack as follows, “A person having origins in any of the black racial groups of Africa.” These forms also ask what one considers oneself, rather than what one is. By the aforementioned definition, any human could honestly answer “yes,” based on currentpaleontological and mitochondrial evidence, which shows modern humans to have a common ancestry in sub-Saharan Africa.

Dolezal’s parents showed an attitude similar to the attitudes people used to have toward members of the LGBT community.  They said, “We hope she gets the help she needs.”  The implication was that she was sick, and needed professional “help.”

There is one thing I have put on the back burner: She lied about her father. Lying is wrong and I don’t wish to defend it, but it is understandable. In an age of discrimination against transracialpeople, as is evidenced by the harsh rhetoric she has faced, she may have felt compelled to lie about her past. I suspect many transsexuals may hesitate to tell people they used to be a different sex, often as a matter of self-preservation. Perhaps unintentionally, Ms. Dolezal has opened the way for another wave of diversity acceptance. People who have been labeled “Oreos,” “wanabees,” and “wiggers” for instance, may soon be recognized as transracial. At least, that is, until we move past this categorical mentality altogether, and see people as individuals, and not members of politically defined categories.

Brian Wright

In the interests of growing party participation toward the ultimate goal of a free society worldwide, I'm forming the 'Good Neighbor Truth and Justice (GNT&J) Caucus' to persuade LP and LPM supporters to take a new political strategy along the lines advocated in my books, Leaving the Sandbox and After 9/11 Truth (and other sources). Specifically, the caucus will:

1. advocate globally for truth per the Thrive Movement model—to address what I have identified as the Old World Order (OWO) Threat Matrix, which needs to be further refined. [My recent Toto Worldwide Foundation launch is directly pertinent.]
2. advocate amiably at city hall to defy, resist, and nullify Threat Matrix high-crime assaults of OWO functionaries.
3. in terms of practical immediate legal strategy, advocate (according to Appendix C of After 9/11 Truth) fully empowered grand and petit juries of our peers (to bring the people's justice to particular government criminals and their associates) as well as to spread the 'Hendrickson Discovery' for legally, prudentially defunding the federal Leviathan

Note: Recognizing that the official story of the 9/11 attacks is a ludicrous lie and insult to human intelligence—the following one-page list of 15 Official Story contradictions will help you draw the obvious conclusion (in case you're one of the few remaining consciousnesses who believes the 9/11 Emperor is somehow still splendidly attired)—is probably the highest-priority linchpin truth for the caucus. The Party needs to take the lead in pushing for a fully empowered special grand jury to begin a true investigation bringing indictments of legitimate suspects in the 9/11 crime... ASAP. The other high-crime assaults will rapidly be resolved following the 9/11 prosecutions.

Please contact me at brian@brianrwright.com if this caucus approach is something that interests you and you may actively support.

James Hudler and Jonathan Osment Hold the Fort at the Ann Arbor Art Fair

 

[main]

"He who passively accepts evil is as much involved in it as he who helps to perpetrate it.  He who accepts evil without protesting against it is really cooperating with it." — Martin Luther King

 

---

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).

[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://old.michiganlp.org/Past%20Newsletters/
Michigan%20Libertarian%2038.2%20summer%202009.pdf

 

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):
201508_ML.html

###