My Story of Liberty Activism And How to Start Yours Joshua Jackson
T
he founding of any organization can be hectic, but it is surely more so when it involves organizing young college students with classes, significant others, and freshly budding philosophies about the way the world should work. My own experience in starting the Auburn University chapter of Young Americans for Liberty has been incredible, not only for the chance it has given me to experiment with liberty activism and leadership ideas, but also for the enduring friendships and opportunities to learn and grow with some of the leading activists and intellectuals in the movement. The now one-year old Auburn YAL chapter’s story is one which I hope to offer a number of instructive tips to aid other chapters in more firmly grounding their leadership, expanding membership, and ultimately creating a greater impact for liberty. I first became involved in politics during the summer of 2004 as I drove my ‘97 Toyota Camry with both Kerry/Edwards and Bush/Cheney bumper stickers on the back. I claimed to be independent. Mostly I was cynical—deriving amusement from being a contrarian and the confusion that caused. Of course, how much political principle should a recent high-school graduate be expected to hold? As the 2008 campaign season rolled around, I found myself
engrossed by both presidential primaries in early 2007. As is the story of many people, the primary debates first introduced me to Congressman Ron Paul. I was not immediately sold on all of his message—but his warnings about the precarious nature of the United States’ economy aligned with my own suspicions. Shortly thereafter, however, I found myself consumed in graduate studies at Auburn. Fortunately, while I was busy confusing myself with classes in advanced thermodynamics, incredible effort was being invested in the youth liberty movement, first with Students for Ron Paul, and later with Young Americans for Liberty. By my second year of grad school in the fall of 2009, YAL had already formed nearly 150 chapters from coast to coast. Now with some extra time on my hands, I decided to jump into liberty activism. Although there were remnants of Facebook groups called “Auburn University libertarians” and a “Students for Ron Paul at AU,” their activity on campus was nonexistent. I received an alert that there would be an organized meeting of the Auburn University libertarians at a local pizza parlor, but I discovered that these gatherings were merely opportunities for vitriolic rants against the government, abstract discussions regarding the abolition of the state, and consumption of copious quantities of intoxicating beverages.
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