Ron Paul brings his message to the University of Texas

With the 2012 election around the corner, Ron Paul and his supporters won’t go down without a fight no matter how much the mainstream media attempts to black them out from the news. If you had been at the LBJ Lawn at 7PM you would have witnessed that his campaign has a youthful following. The founder of the Tea Party drew over 6,000 supporters, liberty-inclined students, and area residents to hear his message of smaller government, peace, free-market economics, and the protection of civil liberties. Ron Paul’s visit to the University of Texas at Austin couldn’t be described as anything but EPIC. Prior to Ron Paul’s arrival, local Austin activists and founders of the Ron Paul Marches chanted, “What do we want? PEACE! When do we want it?” The audience would follow immediately with, “NOW!!!”

As supporters gazed on with bated breath, Ron Paul walked up the stairs to the podium the crowd’s energy was tangible, his supporters emphatically cheered “PRESIDENT PAUL”! For activists in the movement, it is truly a beautiful thing to see so many people inspired by the message of liberty and freedom. We are winning the fight of ideas and we have Ron Paul to thank for being the gateway drug to freedom.

If you have ever been to a venue where Ron Paul is speaking you can expect nothing but a lively, enthusiastic crowd of supporters chanting in unison “END THE FED!!!” As someone who has seen Ron Paul speak on numerous occasions, I still get goosebumps when he educates the audience on the moral and ethical issues of America’s flawed foreign policy. He speaks the truth, and, given the failed two-party system we have in place, for those who are apathetic or disillusioned with the left/right paradigm, Paul’s message is refreshing.

Ron Paul draws thousands to LBJ Lawn

Speak out for peace on April 14th!

There is a great misconception in our society concerning what the current government, like the past administration, is doing in the Middle East. The majority of Americans have been deceived into believing that our military campaigns overseas involve combating terrorism, but once the conduct of the operations and the details of the fighting are examined, it becomes clear that the war that we are prosecuting is the real terrorism. Indeed, U.S. foreign policy actually tends to perpetuate so-called terrorism in the countries that we audaciously invade and subsequently occupy.

The very phrase “War on Terror” is a euphemism used to conceal the fact that it is instead a war against the Muslim world. Escalating employment of “drones,” man-less aerial craft remotely controlled from hundreds or even thousands of miles away, has resulted in a substantial increase in “collateral damage” (another euphemism) as targeted air strikes against so-called “insurgents” (yet another) cause unacceptably numerous, innocent civilian deaths. With all of this in mind, current U.S. foreign policy seems more likely predicated on scaring the American people into submissive compliance to the state rather than on genuine “security” or “defense” in what can only be nakedly described as a blatant government power grab domestically and a further imperialist push for American hegemonic ambitions abroad. The effects of racial and cultural tensions fomented by the Federal propaganda machine are increasingly being felt here at home. Last week, Shaima Alwadi was murdered in what was undoubtedly a racially motivated hate crime, a victim of collective guilt unfairly attached to an innocent woman.

While the government’s imperialistic endeavors grow, the government manipulates the people at home under the guise of protecting our freedoms by encroaching on our civil liberties. More and more we are seeing the effects of these never-ending wars here at home. The Transportation Security Agency (TSA) is feeling us up and taking nude pictures of us, our local police forces are investing in tanks, helicopters, heavy armor, and other war-like materials while at the same time it seems that more and more people are being arrested and/or brutality attacked by the police for such peaceful, nonviolent activities as filming them in public areas. The fact that those who are supposed to be serving and protecting us seem to be increasingly arresting and attacking us is an extremely unsettling one that we are now forced to live with.

Despite all of this, there is hope. A new organization called the Austin Alliance For Peace (AA4P) has been founded. We are a trans-partisan organization that seeks to promote peaceful solutions in an era where violence and threats are too often employed. By educating the public on the violations of peace, mobilizing them to bring peace wherever it is absent, pursuing the redress of grievances in alignment with the tradition of nonviolent resistance, and building a constituency whose main priority is to practice diplomacy and to strive to solve problems without the use of violence, AA4P hopes to create a more peaceful, loving world now and for future generations.

The first event that AA4P is putting on will be Saturday, April 14 at noon at the south steps of the Texas Capitol and is the first annual AA4P Peace Rally. There will be speakers discussing the various forms of violence in our society, including the multiple wars that our nation is engaged in and the growing militarization of our local police forces. Keynote talks will be delivered by Iraqi-American medical doctor turned full-time peace activist Dahlia Wasfi, and host of Antiwar Radio Scott Horton. Other speakers scheduled to appear include local Austin activists such as Iraq War veteran and victim of police abuse Antonio Buehler, and Texans for Accountable Government Executive Director Heather Fazio.

The rally is rapidly growing as more and more people are getting excited about attending and standing up for peace. Students from over ten universities from across the state have committed to attend, from such diverse groups as Libertarian Longhorns, the Israeli-Palestinian Alliance, and Amnesty International. In addition to the large amounts of students that are going to be in attendance, many people from throughout the state and from all different walks of life will also be there. Organizations from Code Pink to Texans for Accountable Government to Texans for Peace will also be in attendance, making this event as large as it is diverse.

Peace is a popular message that everyone can get behind. The Austin Alliance For Peace is the first truly trans-partisan peace organization in the state that is determined to build bridges and form a diverse alliance of people dedicated to bringing peace to a violent world and it begins in Austin on April 14! Please, stand in solidarity as we spread the message of peace and compassion for those who have suffered from violence.

Remember to mark your calendars for 1/26 for the first Libertarian Longhorns meeting of the semester, featuring a presentation by our own Andy called “Libertarianism is Beautiful.” For more information, check out the Facebook event page.

Also, we have been able to reserve a room for the UT Mises Circle. Meetings will be held on Monday nights from 7-8:30 PM in Waggener Hall (WAG) 308 (WAG is the building just south of Welch on Speedway behind Garrison where the LL meetings are). Our first meeting will be on 1/30. Be there or be Keynesian/monetarist/historical school….

The weekly meetings for Libertarian Longhorns will be held on Thursday evenings from 7 – 8:30 PM in Garrison Hall (GAR) 2.112. They will start on January 26th. But, if you want more liberty, I encourage you to come at 6 PM in the same place for Youth for Ron Paul meetings and stay late for after meeting socials (most likely at Austin’s Pizza).

Upcoming topics for lecture and discussion at Libertarian Longhorns:
1/26 – “Libertarianism is Beautiful”
2/2 – Social Cooperation
2/9 – Corporatism vs. Capitalism
2/16 – For-Profit Charity

If economics is your game and praxeology is your method of choice because you know we can know a priori, come join the UT Mises Circle! We will focus on more in-depth economics topics and analysis with that Austrian perspective. I will update you as soon as possible when more information about meetings for the UT Mises Circle has been determined.

Get ready to Paul out, everyone!

In light of events in Arizona and even in our own campus, Suzanna’s story shows us why it is important to protect people’s right to self-defense from being legislated away by reactionary politicians.

She will be speaking at UT-Austin Tuesday, February 15 from 7:00pm – 9:30pm.

Location: GEA 105
24th Street and University
Austin, TX

Here’s the link to the Facebook Event.

The “More Guns, Less Crime” Event received massive press coverage and had a huge impact in Austin, so we are very proud to be on this esteemed list. Many thanks to all those who made it possible (especially Jose Nino, the main organizer of the event), to the great John Lott, and of course to Students for Liberty as well.

Click here to see the original SFL blog post with all of the nominees.

Thanks to Rob Love of Texans for Accountable Government, we have video of the event. It has officially been posted on Youtube, and we hope you will assist us in making this go viral. We need people to understand the gravity of this kind of restriction upon our individual property rights. It’s not just about students needing to protect themselves, it’s about grasping the limits of government power.

Here’s the Youtube playlist, I know it’s a long series (8 parts!) but at least try to catch some of it. Know the facts!

It was reported that the gunman, later identified as UT student Colton Tooley was armed and seen walking down 21^st street, shooting his weapon into the air and ground while yelling and screaming. He then entered into the Perry-Casteneda Library and proceeded up to the sixth floor where he ultimately took his own life. Fortunately, no one else was injured in the process, and it appears that the Tooley had no intention of hurting anyone but himself.

Coincidentally, the Libertarian Longhorns and UT Students for Concealed Carry on Campus had invited Dr. John Lott, famed writer of the book More Guns, Less Crime, to speak on campus that same day. The date had been set since early this past summer, but the campus shooting obviously put Dr. Lott’s talk in jeopardy. However, the organization’s student leaders decided that, out of respect for the speaker who had traveled all the way from Maryland and the importance of the issues at hand, the event should not be canceled.

The two student organizations quickly reorganized the event. Local bookstore Brave New Books generously agreed to host the talk and extended their normal business hours to accommodate. The Libertarian Party of Texas assisted students notifying media outlets and local groups that the event would continue at the new location.

The result was nothing short of phenomenal. At least 125 students and Austinites crammed into Brave New Books to hear John Lott speak about his research on the effects of gun control laws on violent crime. Television, radio, and newspaper outlets from Austin, San Antonio, and Dallas interviewed people and recorded footage of the event. Their response to the presentation was very positive.

UT students Jeff Shi, Kory Zipperer, Justo Montoya, Jose Nino, and Andy Fernandez were interviewed on Austin area news stations and quoted in newspapers across Texas. More news coverage will certainly be released in the coming days.

Despite the sensitive nature of the issue, the Libertarian Longhorns and UT Students for Concealed Carry on Campus acted in a professional manner and provided a solution in a difficult time for the UT campus and Austin community. Their actions are consistent with their firm belief that by educating the community these volatile situations may be reduced.

Media Coverage to date:

• The Austin-American Statesman
• KVUE Local ABC
• The Daily Texan
• KXAN Local NBC

Andy Fernandez is a leader of the Libertarian Longhorns at UT-Austin and an SFL Campus Coordinator. Originally posted on the Students for Liberty Blog.

Barry Cooper spoke to us last year and it was LL’s biggest event ever! Come help us make this one even bigger! Oh, there will also be free brownies for anyone that wishes to attend!

This event will take place this Tuesday (March 2) at 8:00PM in CPE 2.214. The facebook event can be found here: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=305721117033&index=1

Hope to see you there!

The event will be on Tuesday, Feb. 16 in ETC 2.114 at 8:00. As always, we will be going to the Posse afterwards for some more fun! Hope to see you there!