How Do I . . .Do ANYthing? 

By Jan Gerstner

Are you libertarian? Are you pro-freedom? And are you not happy with the direction things are going? Well, what can you do?

The Two-Word Answer is: GET INVOLVED!

Whiners That Drive Me Nuts.

 Let’s start with avoiding the roadblocks.  

• The whiners who talk about “They” - As in “They should do it!”  

Okay, who are “they”? Well, the here is a hint: check the mirror. If you are waiting for a knight on a white horse, you will be waiting for a long time.  

The truth is that you are what you do. Which means: If you don’t, you aren’t. 

• The whiners that do-nothing (the do-nothings). These whiners drive me nuts. How many times have you heard from someone: “Why, if I . . . (finish the sentence).”  

Are you one of these people? Begin by asking yourself: 

• Did you ever go to a city/town council meeting?

Well, maybe you should start. 

• See anybody you knew in the “crowd”?

Become familiar with your neighbors. 

• Quick: Name your city council rep. What ward do you live in? Which school district?

You should know these answers. 

• Who is your representative in the state assembly? The senate? Is their address and phone number in your book? What is their email address?

This information is available. Find it, document it, use it. 

• Guess: On the average legislation, how many letters, calls, e-mails do you think your representative receives?  (A) 10,000 (B) 1,000 (C) 100 (D) 10 or less.

Answer: “D” and that’s pathetic. Make your opinions known. 

• Is ANYTHING intended to become LAW not worth examining?

Know the Constitution. Know your rights. Define your morality. 

·          The whiners that don’t know anything (the Know-nothings). These whiners always seem to be the ones with the have the loudest voices?

·          The One-article experts. These are the whiners that know 100% of one topic and know 0% of anything else. Become informed and diversified.   

·          The Empty Yellers: “It just makes me mad!” These whiners are all bark and no bit.  

·          The intellectually incompetent. This guy can't track a conversation.  

·          The willfully ignorant. They will tell you: “so-and-so said it and that’s that!” Don’t depend on anyone to think for you. Verify everything you hear. 

·          The “I got it off the internet” guy. Anyone can write anything on the internet.  

·          The Johnny-Come-Lately guy. “Well, it USE ‘tah be that way . . .” These guys are a day late and a dollar short.  

Examples: In 1978, the issues were: stop signs in sand barrels, cows on the corner, small government. In 1964, the issues were: no freeway, “Blue collar lake,” pooh-pooh-ed in Milwaukee. In 2005, the issues are things like suburban sprawl.

Today, The Johnny-Come-Lately guy likes to bitch, bitch, bitch. The whiners ask: “where were they ten, twenty, or thirty years ago? Well, where are “they” today? And tell me again, WHO are “they?”  

Getting Involved 

1. When the Big Political Parties Offer You Yard Signs Say “Yes!” and then USE them

2. Make time. Yes, it’s going to take your time- Maybe lots of it.  

3. You absolutely MUST establish credibility. I.E. know you stuff, and remember don’t be a whiner. 

4. Git Edjukaytud. If you appear before knowledgeable people and display your ignorance you will be dismissed. As will your idea. 

·          When applicable, know the law. Don’t guess.  

·          Make notes and use them. (Not off the cuff.) Especially if you address government officials during public meetings.  

·          Talk to the people involved. Call them at home if necessary. In 10 years on the Fire and Police Commission, I have been called once. This is the FIRE AND POLICE department! And sadly, few ever attend our public meetings.  

·          Read more than one newspaper.  

·          Read way more than one internet source.  

·          Always read and listen to the people who do not agree with you. You must know their objections and concerns in order to address them.  

·          Learn to Communicate: Polarization gets you nowhere. 

5. Communicate  

• Start a website. We desperately need media watch websites.
   
• Is it your opinion? Then state it as such, and explain why it’s worth consideration.
   
• Don’t just scream:  “IT’S UNCONSTITUTIONAL!” Ask yourself if it is. How do YOU know?
   
• Keep files, Articles, Letters, References, Addresses, phone numbers, internet addresses.
   
• Know who’s who in government - people and offices.
   
• Write letters – make your viewpoint known.

• Letters to officials.  

• Letters to editors.  

• Don’t write: “How DARE you . . .!”  Hey, they’re the press! “Daring” is what they’re supposed to do.  

• That doesn’t mean you have to pull punches.  

• When writing to The Editor Consider writing the SAME letter to their competitors - Which might even be TV or radio. Put a “CC” in the first letter so he/she knows you’ve done it. 

• Be prepared: You might get a phone call. 

• You’re the editor. The following two letters come in. Which one will you print? 

Letter 1: “Your stupid reporter got it all wrong, you biased SOB! Fire him!”  

Or 

Letter 2: “The article in your Monday edition had an error of fact regarding the application of the Assembly bill. According to the bill sponsor, Assemblyman Hornswoggle, it will actually . . ..”  

• Letters to publishers.

§         Don’t write: “I’M CANCELING MY SUBSCRIPTION!!!”  So? Do you think the publication really cares about losing ONE (or even 100) subscriptions from noisy readers? You just made their day! 

• Letters to columnists.  

Remember, columnists are almost always giving opinion, not reporting. So, they can be wrong. Have your facts. 

Also, note where a columnist actually is. Miami? LA? New York? Be sure to write THAT paper (editor and publisher) too. When you write ONLY to the columnist, he/she will refer to you as evidence that he/she is “balanced” by printing your (carefully edited) raving on his/her website. That’s what one did to me.

The Direct Approach. 

• Run for office. (Think of Michael Magee or the former mayor of Washington, Marion Barry. If they can do it...)
   
• Volunteer. Call the mayor, the head of the commission, your representatives and TELL THEM you’re available and interested.
   
• Show up at the meetings and PARTICIPATE. I was at a town meeting a while back, and watched 30 people just sit there while a commission made policy on an allegedly controversial topic that affected their lives!
   
• When given the opportunity, state loudly: “Mr. Mayor (Commissioner), put ME on this council /commission!” I guarantee at the very least, your name will be in the meeting minutes.
   
• And Remember what Jan sez: “If you appear before knowledgeable people and display your ignorance you will be dismissed. As will your idea.”
  
• Next Election, don’t choose to ignore the ballot box because you are disgusted with the system.  Vote Libertarian.  Let’s end the madness, and put freedom back into our lives again.

Your Soap Box

 • Making clear statements get you published, even by your enemies.  

• Point out glaring contradictions, by example and evidence.  

• Demonstrate how these published inaccuracies/biases makes the publication appear.  

• Give them accurate documented proof. (Rush Limbaugh, Al Franklin, or Alex Jones do not count.)  

• Again, if you’re giving an opinion, say so. That might get you noticed - by the press, by the officials, by their party, by others who are involved (and looking desperately for more), or by decision makers who might ask you to join them. 

• Also, if the decision makers ask you to join them – definitely get involved! Help them do what brought you to their attention, like write letters, or testify, or join a commission or board! 

• When you respond to the decision makers, don’t be a firebrand. People in government don’t like fires. They prefer people who will work for change.  

• The reason they contacted you is to build consensus for their program or (be careful, here) to co-opt you.  

• They want to know what you can do for them. Be clear to them about your feelings. Make them known. Present your position under no false pretenses. If you surprise them, you’ll just make an enemy.  

• What you WILL do WITHIN the system - Get acknowledged agreement about what you can or will do. Follow up with a letter, via certified mail.  

• If you’re afraid to take a stand in public, shut up, go home, take up a hobby. (Push, Pull, or GET OUT OF THE WAY!)  

What About The Black Helicopters 

Are you paranoia, or just ducking your responsibility? Do you think that black helicopters are following you home? 

First, prove it.  I work in aviation and it’s hard to fool me about aircraft. Second, if you really are being monitored, confront the bastards, with witnesses and cameras. Make photos, stop them in traffic, take ONLY hard evidence to the D.A. – but TAKE IT!  And Make a (public) fuss.           

Do you really believe the press wouldn’t gleefully publish real evidence of Government surveillance? 

If you REALLY BELIEVE someone’s peeking in your windows, maybe you should check out what your neighbor’s teenagers are up to first.  

As a government official myself, I know local government, and even most of the press, do not have the resources to monitor you. So relax, and drop this (weak and weird) excuse.  

Define Yourself 

Define Yourself – AKA Know yourself.

• Are you REALLY a “Libertarian?”  

• Are you REALLY a “A believer in freedom of thought.”  

• Are you REALLY a “A believer in free will.”  

Ask yourself these questions for starters: Do you agree or disagree:  

• 1. “You have to be 21 to vote.” If you do not agree, ask yourself why not?

• 2. “Social Security is unconstitutional.” Answer: No, it’s not (And don’t fall for the “promote the general welfare” argument!) Whether is it right/wrong/beneficial/damaging is a different issue. 

• “Right” and “wrong” may be moral issues, and you WILL have to compromise if you wish to achieve political goals. Know yourself…Then, ACT.  

• And remember: Sometimes, you have to punch someone in the nose.

Feb 01, 2005

Jan Gerstner currently lives outside of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.