Blog

Young Americans for Liberty Releases “I Pledge” Video

Jan 9

Posted by Sloane Frost in International, On The Ground, SFL

Our good friends, Young Americans for Liberty, just released their long-awaited “I Pledge” video, and it’s an excellent demonstration of how young people are uniting to bring on voluntary change that respects the principles of liberty.

The video showcases young people pledging to lead lives inspired by freedom and choice, and it’s a great way to show how these ideas can improve society. You can see how the membership of YAL and SFL overlap – featured in the video are Jared Fuller (SFL’s Southern Director) and Alexander McCobin (SFL’s Executive Director), as well as a host of other students dedicated to liberty involved with both YAL and SFL projects.

SFL's Southern Director, Jared Fuller of Wake Forest University

YAL is doing excellent work, and we’re excited to have them at the Liberty Fair and speaking at the International Students For Liberty Conference!  If you would like to join these leaders of liberty, it’s not too late to register for the ISFLC.  Check out information at www.PoliticalConferences.org and register by January 31st!  The ISFLC is the largest gathering of pro-liberty students in the world with over 200 students already registered.  We are almost at our maximum number, so make sure to register ASAP while there is still space.

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Cars on a Campus?

Sep 22

Posted by Jared Fuller in On The Ground

Students at the URI Young Americans for Liberty chapter pulled their car onto their student quad to show students on their campus how to approach police encounters.

Students who witnessed the activism said that it was good “knowledge to take with them.”

Remember, this is what makes a great event: Something that is “out of the norm” (e.g., a car in the middle of campus!) and makes students want to come over to see what is going on. Great job URI YAL!

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Go Get Those Freshmen!

Aug 31

Posted by Jared Fuller in On The Ground

It’s that time of the year and, no, I’m not talking about books. I’m talking about recruiting those freshmen for your liberty loving group! What is the below label about? Keep reading for more information!

Your Government's Nutrition

Read the rest of this entry »

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Libertarian Party Endorses SFL!

Aug 5

Posted by Alexander McCobin in Blog, SFL

The Libertarian Party, the third largest political party in the United States has now endorsed Students For Liberty as a premiere network for students dedicated to a philosophy of libertarianism. The Libertarian Party’s Campus Organizations webpage has now been changed to urge students interested in libertarianism to become connected with Students For Liberty and utilize our resources. Check it out at http://lp.org/campus-organizations.

While Students For Liberty is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and so does not endorse or oppose any political parties, we are free and glad to receive the endorsement of political parties. It is a tribute the work that every student in Students For Liberty’s network to receive an endorsement like this.  The student movement for liberty has never been stronger and the world is starting to recognize it.

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Philadelphia Happy Hour with FIRE, Reason, and SFL!

Aug 4

Posted by Alexander McCobin in Blog, On The Ground, SFL

Join FIRE and Reason staff, plus the Philadelphia Students For Liberty groups for a happy hour on Friday, August 28th! As the summer winds down, and school starts up, this is an opportunity to hang out with friends new and old as we celebrate Students Rights Week. All supports of students rights far and wide are welcome to attend. Let’s kick of the fight for freedom on campus with a bang this year!

Check out the Facebook event here.

Did we mention free appetizers? Let’s get excited for this year!

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Liberty Summer Seminar Highlighted

Jul 23

Posted by Alexander McCobin in Blog, International, On The Ground, SFL

Some of Students For Liberty’s friends up in Canada run an organization called the Institute for Liberal Studies, a student-run nonprofit organization that promotes the education of classical liberal principles.  Each summer, they hold their annual Liberty Summer Seminar in Ontario to bring individuals of all stripes together to learn about and discuss liberty.  It has been their premiere event for years and has brought stellar individuals out as speakers.  Today, one of Canada’s leading advocates of liberty, Gerry Nichols, wrote an article about the Liberty Summer Seminar in the Ottawa Sun praising the seminar for both the message it promotes and the power of those bringing the message.

Gerry Nichols writes:

But what really makes the Liberty Summer Seminar so special isn’t either the location or the topics, it’s who organizes it. This conference isn’t organized by a political party or by some big think tank or by a corporation — it’s organized by university students.

Now maybe you don’t think that’s so special, but when I was a university student I was more interested in getting a top score on Space Invaders than I was about discussing the finer points of political philosophy.

Yet unlike my younger self, the young people behind the seminar are deeply interested in ideas.

That’s why every year they put together this outdoor conference, which is a lot of work: It means fundraising, inviting speakers, marketing the event and most importantly, making sure there’s lots of mosquito repellent on hand.

What a great article and a great event run by students!  Students For Liberty will be at the Liberty Summer Seminar this weekend, so make sure to say hello to Clark Ruper if you’re going as well!

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The Case Against College Entitlements

Jul 17

Posted by Alexander McCobin in Blog, News, Politics, SFL

The issue of public funding for universities is a prominent one for us as students. Beyond the simple question of public schools, we must also grapple with issues of student loans from the government, and grants for research and other support for private universities. Because of this, some student groups refuse to take university money for their activities because they believe too much of it comes from the public coffers. Reason.TV recently did a video on “The Case Against College Entitlements” with their own perspective. Check it out here:

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Liberty Social Scene

Jul 12

Posted by Clark Ruper in Blog, Events

1.) Cato Policy Forum: What Government-Run Health Care Really Means – Tuesday, July 14 / 12:00noon (luncheon to follow)

  • Featuring Sally Pipes, President and CEO, Pacific Research Institute; Michael Cannon, Director of Health Policy Studies, Cato Institute; and moderated by Michael Tanner, Senior Fellow, Cato Institute.  Located at The Cato Institute, 1000 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20001.  Seating is limited, you must RSVP to events@cato.org by Tuesday, July 14.

2.) Doublethink Happy Hour – Wednesday, July 15 / 6-8 p.m.

  • Hosted by America’s Future Foundation.  Join Doublethink Online’s writers, editors and bloggers at Science Club (1136 19th Street NW) to celebrate the publication of Doublethink Online’s spring and summer issues.  Look for signs posted at the bar’s entrance to find what floor we’re on. As always, there is no cover, and food and drink specials will be available.

3.) AEI Free Lecture Series: Competition as an Ethical and Political Value – Thursday, July 16 / 5-7 p.m.

  • In its inaugural 2009 Free Enterprise Lecture Series, AEI hopes to foster a discussion of the merits of free enterprise through a series of provocative and engaging seminars in a relaxed setting with some of AEI’s most renowned scholars.  All lectures will be held in AEI’s Wohlstetter Conference Center on the 12th floor at 1150 Seventeenth Street, N.W., Washington, DC 20036. Lectures will begin promptly at 5:00 p.m. Light dinner and refreshments will be served.  Please RSVP by email to Mary Campbell (mary.campbell@aei.org).

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John Stossel Praises Students For Liberty

Jun 30

Posted by Alexander McCobin in Blog, SFL

http://l.yimg.com/img.tv.yahoo.com/tv/us/img/site/57/02/0000035702_20061110160331.jpgLast week, John Stossel held a live chat on The Agitator, a blog run by Reason writer Radley Balko (who spoke at the 2009 International Students For Liberty Conference this past February).  You can read the full chat here.  During the chat, someone asked Stossel whether he thinks college students are becoming more libertarian, to which Stossel cited Students For Liberty as evidence of the strength of the pro-liberty student movement.  Here’s the exchange:

7:40
 [Comment From Matthew]
Some reports I’ve heard indicate that younger people are more libertarian. Yet, the college age people I speak with don’t seem to be very libertarian. What are your thoughts on that? Is there a growing libertarian majority or is that just wishful thinking?
7:41
 John Stossel:  not a majority certainly!

But there is a Students for Liberty group that had David Boaz and me speak in Phili.   That was new, and exciting.

Maybe these things happen suddenly.   A tipping point?

The specific event that Stossel refers to was called the Liberty Forum held at Drexel University by the Drexel Student Liberty Front, one of Students For Liberty’s affiliate groups.  I showed up there to sign up new members and promote Students For Liberty.  My favorite part of the night was in the opening of Stossel’s speech where he said something to the effect of: “Students For Liberty… who are you?  No one believes in liberty today.”

I think Stossel is right.  We are at a tipping point.  The student movement for liberty is taking off and Students For Liberty is at the head of that movement.

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Lessons From History We Dare Not Ignore

Jun 30

Posted by Alexander McCobin in Blog, Economics

Northwood University recently held its 31st annual Freedom Seminar, which is just what it sounds like: a 3 day seminar that covers all issues related to liberty including history, economics, politics, and everything in between.  The Freedom Seminar was begun by Lawrence W. Reed, the current President of the Foundation for Economic Education, when he was a professor of economics at Northwood.  31 years later, Mr. Reed was invited to deliver the Keynote Address at the start of the seminar.  His speech, Lessons From History We Dare Not Ignore, presents an insightful analysis of past social dilemas, their similarity with contemporary problems, and solutions we should have learned.  (In addition to his many prestigious roles with Northwood, FEE, and the Mackinac Center, Mr. Reed is on Students For Liberty’s Board of Advisors.)

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