LPM OnlineNovember 24, 1998 |
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How would you like to help the LPM increase its membership and earn a few bucks while doing so? You can do this by just making a few phone calls a day. We have a long list of members whose dues have lapsed in recent months. We have an even longer list of people who have expressed interest in the Libertarian Party for the first time during this past election cycle. We need to contact these people and invite them to renew their membership or join the party for the first time. This is where we need you and your phone calls. We'll send you instructions and a calling list of names and phone numbers and to cover your costs and time we are offering to pay $5 for every renewal or new member you sign up from your calling list. If you'd like to participate, please contact Ben Bachrach at ben45@aol.com or 313-563-1558 to get your calling lists. When making your calls, you should be prepared to answer a few basic questions about the Libertarian Party and be able to referr tougher questions to people who can answer them.
[[
As I was thinking about Thanksgiving, I remembered that
the reason it was such a big celebration was because the
first year after the Pilgrims landed they almost starved
after trying socialism. Thanksgiving is a celebration of
the bounty they experienced after switching to a
free-market and private property system. Below is an
excerpt from an article which originally appeared in the
Freeman. The full text of the article may be found at:
http://www.self-gov.org/freeman/8811petr.html
]]
When the Pilgrims finally landed in America, Separatists and Anglicans joined together to form America's first written constitution -- the Mayflower Compact. It was a crucial precedent for self-government in America. Despite their experience in Holland's free economy, the Pilgrims tried a brief experiment in agricultural socialism when they arrived in America. This experiment, based on a false reading of the Book of Acts, caused widespread starvation. Fortunately, before it was too late, the Pilgrims saw their error and abandoned their "common course" in favor of private property. As Bradford later explained, "This had very good success, for it made all hands very industrious, so as much corn was planted than otherwise would have been by any means the Governor or any other could use, and saved him a great deal of trouble, and gave far better content....The experience that was had in this common course and condition, tried sundry years and that amongst godly and sober men, may well evince the vanity of that conceit of Plato's and other ancients applauded by some of later times; that the taking away of property and bringing in community into a commonwealth would make them happy and flourishing; as if they were wiser than God."14 Some present-day historians believe that the Pilgrims have been overrated, that this little band of 100 or so English farmers don't deserve such an exalted position in the popular American imagination. Such an attitude is understandable, since most of these same writers disagree with everything for which the Pilgrims stood. Our forefathers knew better. Even before the Revolutionary War, they were celebrating "Old Comers Day" and "Forefathers Day" to honor the coming of the Pilgrims, and more importantly, the values they represented -- including religious, civil, and economic liberty. This Thanksgiving, let's remember that the material blessings most of us will enjoy this season were made possible by the principles of self-government under God that served the Dutch and the Pilgrims so well in the 17th century. Within the space of 20 years, the Pilgrims moved from a static, medieval society to laying of the "cornerstone of a nation." We may still profit from their example. |
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