The following story is part of Walter Block's Autobiography Archive.

Being Libertarian –
I Only Seek the Truth

by Ernest Hancock

By the time I was 28 years of age in 1989 I had been lied to far too many times by representatives of the government for me to put any faith in what they had to say.

As will most libertarian activists, I had personal experiences with government that made it clear that they were not the defenders of freedom but its enemy. I was young and naive and wanted to help my father's company help himself and the USA by exporting his already domestically successful product overseas. What I was exposed to at every level of government made it very clear to me that the world was not as it was being reported on the nightly news. Soon after, I realized that the media was part of the deception. Everywhere I turned there was another layer of red tape and lies that provided nothing more than jobs for those who produced nothing in return. With my 4th child just born in 1989, I was heavily invested in the future of this country and keenly aware that our government had gone over to the dark side. Just this last year we have been first hand witnesses to the passing of laws that I didn't expect for another 10–15 years, and many thought that I was exaggerating even then.

The only people that I came into contact with that had a full understanding of what was going on without having to embellish it were libertarians. They were clear minded for the most part and had the understanding of the need for a clear message that wasn't cluttered up with details of what people should do with their freedom once they got it. A good libertarian friend, Kent Van Cleave, made it very clear that libertarianism is a means to an end. Libertarianism is the process principled people advocate to regain their liberty in order to deserve the freedom that they seek. The “goals” are left up to the individual. The idea that you can force freedom on someone else is stink'n think'n from the beginning.

I found what I was looking for. I was free to do as I wished as long as I didn't initiate force upon another thus violating their rights,... cool. My first contacts were Gary Fallon, Mike Dugger, Kathy Harrer and Rick Tompkins. These people answered all of my questions (first time that had ever happened) and I would later come back with more. They were all principled, articulate; and I strove to be as consistent. A copy of L. Neil Smith's speech to the Salt Lake City Libertarian Party National Convention in 1992 was given to Mike Dugger by Rick & Kathy. They saw it presented in person and knew we would like it. Our favorite part was the quote, "Those Nerf Libertarians with their Foam Core Platform..." We knew exactly what he meant and we immediately became friends with him and his family and fans of his books. Arizona activism was greatly influenced by this no-compromise, call 'em as you see 'em, in the face of the enemy style of L. Neil Smith tempered with the easy-going demeanor of Rick Tompkins. Each of us added our own special energy to what quickly became the most voter supported libertarian group in the world. Decentralization was the key,... "Freedom baby, yeah!"

I quickly understood the difference between large and small "L" libertarians all too well. To me electoral politics was nothing more than a free soap box for the advocacy of libertarianism while others saw it as a path to their own seats of power. While many of my mentors were students of Spooner, Rothbard, Mises, Hazlitt, and Rand I was more in search of a "bumper sticker" philosophy. I did a lot of reading but found that Atlas Shrugged covered most of the philosophical bases and I was far more interested in Hogan, Heinlien and L. Neil Smith's Science Fiction for the activist in me to be entertained and stimulated.

I would read much of what was "assigned" me by my new libertarian friends and found that the common theme was the same, "voluntary association at all levels" was the key. Almost all of the words were in support of this doctrine.

I came to the realization that the world was broken down into two major types. Those that wish to be left alone and those that will not leave them alone. Activism is nothing more than making certain that there are consequences for unprincipled behavior by individuals and/or groups that would otherwise know no end to what they can do to satisfy their lust for control over others.

I am very happy that so many of us have taken this journey together over the years and that so many like-minded people have become our new friends. I no longer feel that I am the most radical and sometimes am considered one of the calm activists,... just not often.

Soon after my "awakening" I was constantly told that only after I contacted my lawmakers, ran for office and used the court system would I truly be able to say that the system was broken. Well, I have stood for at least 6 elections, campaign chaired several, been a party officer several times, filed at least 4 federal lawsuits Pro Se and argued one before the 9th Circuit. I have filed over 6 State lawsuits with 2 being argued before the State Supreme Court in Arizona. I have championed several initiatives and have caused the passage of more "Ernie Laws" than I can count (most of them bad laws in response to my activities). I have the attention and often even the respect of many politicos and the media for my advocacy of no-compromise libertarian activism while helping to drive the issues in many campaign seasons. Soooo, I think that I am very qualified to say that the system is very broken.

My partner and friend Marc Victor and I have focused a great deal of our attention on making sure that each year our friends and supporters are updated at the annual Freedom Summit www.freedomsummit.com that takes place each October here in Phoenix, Arizona. We are of the opinion that there is no centralized plan for freedom and encourage liberty lovers to contribute their talents and observations each year at the Freedom Summit so that we are all fully armed with the information and contacts important to libertarians.

So how did I become a libertarian? It was a natural evolution of my desire to "Live Free and Prosper."

December 26, 2002

Ernest Hancock [send him mail] has been a libertarian activist in Arizona for over a decade informing the masses via campaigns, court challenges and general rabble rousing as a method to use mass media for the greatest benefit.

Copyright © 2002 LewRockwell.com