1]. Do you really mean to tell me that you'll never ask for money?
It is important that the Liberty Round Table as such never receives any income. It is not our strategy to come into direct conflict with the law, but it would be against our principles to pay taxes, so the LRT will not do anything or own anything that can be taxed. Consequently, there will never be LRT dues, an LRT office, or LRT paid staff. You'll never get a fund-raising letter from the LRT and wonder how much of it is going to a professional fundraiser, nor how much is paying for fancy office space.
This doesn't mean LRT can pull off big stunts without money, though. We can coordinate the spending of money by individuals so that it has the same effect (but without the middle man) as if we had collected the money and spent it from a single account. Our essay contest is an example of this. On simpler projects, each person who decides to participate can simply pay for whatever materials or other costs are involved in the part they want to do. On more complex projects, an individual might volunteer to find a vendor for necessary services who will accept payment from multiple sources. This way the vendor can decide how they will deal with the IRS, and LRT never touches the money. Our strategy on this is clear and unyielding.
2]. How will you stop people who don't agree with you from joining LRT?
Disagreeable people can't "join" LRT because no one "joins". We will make no attempts to keep anyone from participating in our projects. This is one of the great advantages of this kind of non-organization: there is no danger of "hostile takeover" because there is nothing to take over!
3]. What if I don't want to take the Knight of Non-Aggression oath, or sign the Individual Declaration of Independence?
It cannot be overstated: oath-taking and declaration-signing are NOT mandatory! Not only do we lack any kind of enforcement mechanism, it would be in complete contradiction of what we stand for to try to make people do things they don't want to do. The oath and declaration are there to provide an intellectual anchor, standards against which we can judge whether or not a proposed project is consistent with LRT principles.
4]. Can I really make my own oath, or write my own IDOI?
If my oath and my declaration work for you, great, I'd love to add your name to the proud lists of uncompromising individuals who have already taken such a stand! If not, that's fine too; it would be worse than useless to sign on for something you could not get fully and enthusiastically behind. If you agree with what we are doing, but my wording doesn't work for you, I encourage you to make up your own oath and your own declaration. Making such firm commitments is very motivating.
5]. Communism/socialism sounded nice on paper, but wasn't so practical. How are you guys different?
Liberty Round Table strategy is not utopian. The most radical thing about the LRT vision is that it doesn't condemn mankind for perceived "baseness", nor does it depend on the sudden appearance of superhuman wisdom and benevolence. LRT does not claim that all evil and sadness will disappear if people would but follow us. All we are saying is that things will be better if we try to align human institutions so that they are consistent with human nature. Personally, I am an optimist. Even though I do not think aggression can be eliminated from the human condition, I see no reason why it must be legitimized and given the sanction of accepted social institutions. I think things would be so much better in a world without institutionalized aggression, in terms of individuals' well-being and general prosperity, that my vision may seem utopian, but it isn't. If there is a foolish and unreal belief, it must be that our race can endure perpetual poverty and desolation of the soul.
6]. Why not focus on winning elections?
The first answer that comes to mind is that there are already many groups trying to do just this. Why reinvent the wheel? The second answer that comes to mind is that it doesn't work.The status quo always defends itself vehemently (and at times violently), and in this case, entrenched powers have contrived to make use of the machinery of the state to make sure their positions are not disturbed.
For me, the real answer is that it's not right. If we take up the power of the state for our own, no matter how good our intentions might be, we become agents of coercion. To participate in the state's charade of legitimacy only plays into the hands of the statists. To actually take office, no matter how much good you think you can do, is to become part of the institutions of aggression. I won't do it; I refuse to become my own enemy.
But, here again, I don't require anyone to agree with me. How could I? LRT already has friends who believe in the electoral strategy, even members of political parties. They are here because we do not administer purity tests and they know that the greater our success with LRT, the more acceptance the ideas of their candidates will have. This is a happy coincidence of interests.
7]. How will we know our strategy is working?
Remember that part of our strategy is for people to start exercising their freedom now. This will start working the moment a person internalizes these concepts and assumes greater control over their life. You will know it because of the greater feelings of purposefulness and well-being that you experience.
As to the "big picture", it is sometimes hard to tell if one's actions are doing any good, especially when things seem to be going generally in the wrong direction. But who knows if they wouldn't have been worse had you not acted? And eventually, we will see coercive institutions being replaced with voluntary ones... or, more accurately, we will create voluntary systems and we will see the coercive ones fall into decay.
8]. What if I don't want to wait for society to wake up?
We don't have to wait for society to "wake up" before we can reap the benefits of our freedom. I, for one, do
not propose to wait for permission. I am taking action, and I am confident that my efforts will have a cumulative effect I can be proud of. I am:
A). Maximizing my personal freedom now;
B). Building voluntary institutions [coming soon];
C). Teaching the freedom philosophy [coming soon].
Don L. Tiggre
"I am only one, but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something. I will not refuse to do the something I can do."--Helen Keller
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tiggre@free-market.net
URL: http://www.LibertyRoundTable.org/faq.strategy.html