Libertarians seek a place in the New Hampshire sun

[devilgrrl]

Jul 25th, 2009 | LANCASTER, N.H. -- He fled the "People's Republic of Massachusetts" to escape tyranny. Now he strides the campground in a plaid kilt and mirror shades, an AR-15 semiautomatic rifle across his torso, an immense Scottish sword sheathed between his shoulders.

Out here, though, the only signs of danger are the ones warning drivers to watch out for moose. Could it be he senses a threat we're not seeing?

"Not expecting," says the swordsman, who calls himself Doobie, grinning broadly. "Just ready."

There's no escaping the long arm of big government -- even here at the far edge of a state whose license plate decrees that without freedom from oppressive authority you might as well choose death. But for Doobie and 500 others, this tent colony on this particular weekend is about as close to Libertarian Nirvana as they're likely to get.

They've come for the Porcupine Freedom Festival, four days of beer, burgers and bonfires. But more importantly, they are here to carve out an enclave of less government and more liberty to do as they wish.

They are here to show a lost nation the way back to its political roots.

It hasn't been an easy message to sell these past few years. Their group, the Free State Project, has struggled to attract followers. But now, with Americans thinking anew about the reach and role of government, Free Staters see at least the hint of an opening.


:eyes: :puke:


more: http://www.salon.com/wires/ap/us/2009/07/25/D99LL66G0_us_camping_for_freedom/index.html

[LAGC]

1. I'm all for them.

The more libertarian-leaning Republicans they can suck out of the Republican Party the better. Besides, they are by and large social liberals -- only economic conservatives. They have a lot of decent ideas. Let them advocate and promote their third party. I think their presence adds to a healthy political debate.