1994 Freedom Fighter Plaque
Dick Jacobs (posthumous)
1994 Freedom Fighter Plaque. Preceded “Defender of Liberty Awards.” Jacobs had been a Libertarian Candidate for Governor.
DICK JACOBS HONORED AT BANQUET
from the April-May-June 1994 Michigan Libertarian
The Libertarian Party of Michigan presented its Freedom Fighter Award in honor of the late Dick Jacobs at its Convention Banquet April 23. Chair Keith Edwards presented the plaque to Carol Jacobs for Dick’s long service to the Party as its most visible candidate and his battle for liberty which was as courageous as his long struggle against cancer. Dick died in June, 1993. Edwards praised Dick’s positive attitude, innovation, hard work and persistence as a model for all future Libertarian candidates and activists. The Award read, “Dick Jacobs, Lifetime Freedom Fighter Award. In honor of his articulate, principled leadership in spreading the ideas of Liberty. Libertarian Party of Michigan, April 23, 1994”.
After Carol’s gracious acceptance, Kary Love, who succeeded Dick as head of the Michigan Taxpayers Association, recounted Dick’s achievements in fighting taxes and his leadership in the successful movement for term limits.
Attorney Ralph Musilli, who defended Scott Scarborough, spoke next. He stressed the virtue of personal responsibility as a component of liberty and chided government for treating people as members of groups rather that as individuals. His three point program for improvement was (1) Get Control of the Throttle by concentrating on the Executive Branch rather than the Legislative, (2) never allow unbalanced budgets and (3) include sunset laws in all legislation. When voting for judges, his advice is to vote out the incumbents. He criticized the Presidential practice of appointing young, inexperienced federal judges in order to perpetuate party power.
The Banquet was followed by an auction of libertarian memorabilia, including the ever-present “Rabbit”, conducted by the irrepressible Barb Goushaw. That’s as far as I dare go with adjectives after last year!
The Sunday Brunch featured Aaron Zelman, founder of Jews for the Preservation of Firearms Ownership. He pointed out how gun control is a precondition Of genocide, citing as historical examples The Ottoman Empire disarming the Armenians, the Soviet Union, Nazi Germany, Red China, Guatemala, Uganda and Cambodia. The latter countries’ gun laws inherited gun laws from the British and French colonies which preceded them. Zelman was especially harsh on the Democrats for their long pursuit of gun laws and their World War II policy of interning Japanese-Americans.
(Editor’s note: Although the Democrats did intern the Japanese-Americans, one of the major agitators for such action was Republican Earl Warren, the Attorney General of California, later Governor. His later con- version to civil liberties for blacks only confirms his typically Republican hypocrisy. )
Friday night’s entertainment featured some “sinful” behavior such as gambling and exotic dancing, complete with BATF, FBI and postal inspector “agents” pling their (ugh) trade. Tim Clampit was especially scary as the PO person. Thanks to the Washtenaw group for a fun time.
This convention was one of the smoothest in memory with no glitches. The Airport Ramada was efficient and helpful. Thanks go to Dennis and Miki Ertzbischoff, Karen Scarborough, Pat Baker, Dave Nagy, Ed and Joann Karpinski, Tim O’Brien, Jon Coon, Barb Goushaw, Ben Bachrach, Scott Boman, Barb Vozenilek, Gary Bradley and the Washtenaw group. Above all, muchas gracias to NANCY GERAGOSIAN who did a super job organizing the whole thing.
