Why Just America?

Freedom isn't just for Americans, and the rights of Americans are just the same rights inherent in all humans. So why limit the workshop topic to creating a free America? Why not a free North America? Why not a free world?

It all boils down to the need to have a sharp focus and avoid spreading ourselves too thin. Aiming for a free North America means we have three large, powerful opponents to deal with. Aiming for a free world means nearly 200 separate governments to struggle against. By limiting our attention to America, we can focus on one major opponent: the United States. We can concentrate on understanding its particular strengths, weaknesses, pillars of support, organizational dynamics, etc., and use this information to inform our strategy and tactics.

Of course, this argument could be taken one step further: focus on just one particular state within the United States. But you can't deal with just one state in isolation, because the Federal Government exercises a great deal of power within each state; you still have to find a way to neutralize the Federal Government's power within that state. Yet I think the approach is worth exploring, and I applaud the efforts of groups such as the Free State Project, in New Hampshire, and Free State Wyoming, to the extent that they employ nonelectoral, nonviolent methods.

One could also question the choice of focus. Even one free country, somewhere in the world, would be a wonderful thing. Why not choose a weaker opponent? How about, say, aiming for a free New Zealand or a free Costa Rica? The governments there are not nearly as rich and powerful as the United States.

My only answer is that America is my home. I know America and the American people; I do not know these other places well enough to be an effective freedom fighter there. And most of the people I know and care about call America their home too. So this is where I will fight for freedom.