Editor of Backwoods Magazine endorses Ron Paul: the snow ball continues to grow!

Here is a great endorsement! Keep those endorsements coming!

COMMENTARY

Ron Paul: Constitutional Choice
for President of these United States

By Dave Duffy

In the 2008 presidential race, one candidate stands so far above all the others that there's no competition. That man is Dr. Ron Paul, running in the Republican primary.

Paul (known as "Dr. No" in Congress for his votes against big government) has a 30-year track record of saying what he means and doing what he says. He's a man of honor and integrity -- and he's the only candidate in the race who understands that the U.S. Constitution sharply limits federal government powers.

He's the only candidate in the race who believes in the rule of law -- and the only one with a long record of sticking to his principles. He has never voted to raise taxes. Never voted for an unbalanced budget. Has never taken a congressional junket. He voted against the Iraq war and the Patriot Act. He won't even participate in the lucrative congressional pension plan.

But don't take my word for how good this man is. Visit Paul's campaign website and watch him on the video clips below. Then get involved, as thousands of others have. The media tries to ignore him. But the fact is that, in the second quarter of 2007, he raised more money than "major" candidate John McCain. He ranks high in straw polls and online polls, and he's got more enthusiastic grassroots support than any candidate in years -- maybe even in decades. Some call him "the last peaceful hope for America." We don't know about that. But we know he's got our support -- and deserves yours.

Defining LibertyThe philosophy of liberty is based on self-ownership. The following simple but elegant and hard-hitting animation will explain exactly what that means. It’s a great tool anyone can use to educate children and adults about our right to life, liberty, and the property we create - and our responsibility to think, speak and act. When you hear Ron Paul say that he stands for the Philosophy of Liberty, this is what he means.

Defining Liberty

Ron Paul video clips

Ron Paul: Stop Dreaming, Restore the Republic	Ron Paul on The O'Reilly Factor 9-10-07
Ron Paul Interview Part 1 of 6	Ron Paul on Maher
Ron Paul Interview Part 2 of 6	Congressman Ron Paul Visits My Dorm Room
Ron Paul Interview Part 3 of 6	Ron Paul on Kudlow & Company
Ron Paul Interview Part 4 of 6	Meet Ron Paul (ABC13)
Ron Paul Interview Part 5 of 6	Ron Paul and Ben Bernanke, part 1 of 2
Ron Paul Interview Part 6 of 6	Ron Paul and Ben Bernanke, part 2 of 2

Ron Paul Freedom Movement is analyzed

I did a search on google. I put in Ron Paul Freedom Movement. There were over a million entries. Here is just a handful which I found to be helpful and inspiring.

Ron Paul's pro-freedom movement worth working for

http://www.topix.com/forum/source/asheville-citizen-times/TE63JN8DUA99JK3S6

A fantastic description of the Ron Paul Freedom Movement—and starts answering the question, What happens if he doesn’t win?

http://thinkrink.wordpress.com/2007/08/09/emergence-and-the-ron-paul-revolution/

Freedom Movement needs more leaders and visionaries…this is essential reading!

An excerpt: “I believe the freedom movement should now be focusing their efforts in moving liberty-minded celebrities and luminaries (both national and local) to start aggressively speaking out on behalf of Dr. Paul and the message of freedom. At this juncture, these endorsements would go a long way towards providing the rocket fuel that would aid the polls further in moving in the right direction.” Read more

http://www.lewrockwell.com/orig8/lopez2.html

Has a power struggle has commenced within the super-elite itself?

This article gives a lot of hope. It is written before Ron Paul made his decision to run—talking a lot about how the freedom movement must come together in unity if we are to win. Here’s an interesting excerpt I found encouraging:

“Here’s a thought: both major parties may be controlled from the top—but several of my associates have offered compelling arguments that a power struggle has commenced within the super-elite itself.” Read more…

http://www.newswithviews.com/Yates/steven24.htm

The Matrix and Ron Paul

“Once you unplug from the matrix, you can't go back. Power in numbers

Interesting sources for Ron Paul statistics. Find out where your state stands on Ron Paul

http://www.patrickruffini.com/2007/10/15/inside-ron-paul-nation/

This excerpt describes what is happening in the Ron Paul freedom movement—Ron Paul inspires us to work together for a common cause…freedom!

“Love and freedom together are the foundation of any healthy society, which makes this cause for serious alarm. Nothing else matters so much as do love and freedom. Cultural details and religious beliefs can vary; such things are largely matters of taste and familiarity. But love and freedom are essentials – they are important regardless of anything else. When levels of love and freedom are high, other things take care of themselves. Without high levels of love and freedom, disaster is certain. “

“Dr. Paul, and the thousands of volunteers drawn to his campaign, are educating the public about freedom and are creating such enthusiasm that even the corporate, mainstream media is having trouble ignoring the phenomenon. It is actually possible that the Paul campaign will, directly or indirectly, halt and perhaps even begin reversing the slide into tyranny that has, until now, seemed unstoppable.

If there is anything more positive for the future of freedom and compassion in this country, I have yet to see it. I urge you to support Ron Paul's campaign in whatever way you can. “

Read more…

http://www.strike-the-root.com/72/allport/allport5.html

The Paul campaign has evolved into "a self-directed, decentralized organization full of people who take the initiative locally," Rockwell told me. He believes that the movement will continue, whatever happens electorally, and that's a good portent for the future of freedom. He notes that especially the young supporters seem interested in reading and learning about freedom as well as attending rallies.

http://www.ocregister.com/opinion/paul-campaign-million-1881364-ron-people

A fanastic interview with Ron Paul which alludes to George Stephanophoulous’s disrespect, and an article guiding the behavior of Ron Paul supporters.

http://www.ronpaul08.blog-city.com/

Tucker talks about Redstate.com's censorship of Ron Paul and more recent videos, articles.

MSNBC on RedState.com Ron Paul Ban

http://voteronpaul.com/videos/ron_paul_102807_msnbc_redstate.html

Ron Paul Interviewed by Iowa Independent

http://www.VoteRonPaul.com (Featured Video)



Ron Paul Supporters Banned at Iowa State

http://voteronpaul.com/videos/ron_paul_102807_free_speech_banned.html



MSNBC on RedState.com Ron Paul Ban

http://voteronpaul.com/videos/ron_paul_102807_msnbc_redstate.html



NEW ARTICLE:


Houston Chronicle: Ron Paul's Campaign Takes to the Airwaves

http://www.voteronpaul.com/news/ron_paul_102807_airwaves.html


In Liberty.

-VoteRonPaul.com

http://www.VoteRonPaul.com

Why the Daily Kos hates Ron Paul

I feel sad that this person can not persuade people that Hillary is better than Ron Paul. Look at the polls a the end of this post. And, I feel sad that she doesn't understand that Ron Paul is not going to be a king--he wants to empower us to have the liberties granted to us by our creator. I hope she can do some better research

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2007/6/14/10552/7480

Ron Paul's Snow Ball Effect

This video will give you a sense of how big the Ron Paul Freedom Movement is--and I think it is only the tip of the ice berg. You may get some great ideas about who to talk to about Ron Paul, including chiropractors, Democrats, truck drivers, and more!

How I found out about Ron Paul

A new friend from the Tulsa Meetup group asked me how I came about supporting Ron Paul. So I thought it was time that I wrote the story--I love sharing stories!

It really started back in 1975. I had returned from traveling from Istanbul, Turkey, through Iran, Pakistan, Afghanistan, India, and Sri Lanka at age 19. I traveled alone for 13 months. The reason I went? I just got this strong message (from God, I think--even though I was agnostic at the time) that I needed to get out the educational system, and out of the United States, in order to have some kind of awakening. I did wake up. I went from having the philosophy, "If it feels good,do it," to "I want to find a way to dedicate my life to serving joyfully." I saw so much suffering, and poverty, and hardship. I realized our world was in really bad shape.

When I returned from my trip, I found my way into the Garden of Eden, where I met my former husband who introduced me to organic gardening and Quincy John Workman. Quincy John was a raw foodist who wanted to demonstrate that if we lived on the law of giving and receiving, there was enough for everyone. He also educated me about the federal reserve system, and how our debt money system was draining us dry. I could hardly understand it at first, but I just kept reading and asking questions. I learned about the Illuminati and how the bankers were running our society, I learned about how so much of what goes on is decided by people who have money and want to control us.

For the next 33 years, I did my best to focus on a positive antidote to the problem--building community. For the last 3 years my focus has been on helping neighborhoods become thriving, self-reliant communities. I didn't think our government could ever be something that was good. I was hoping that if I could just train enough community organizers who were hip to what was going on, we could quietly and without too much confrontation wake people up. I was thrilled when the movie, America: From Freedom to Fascism, became popular. I was on fire to promote it--and became the Arkansas coordinator. But then I got in a car accident and I had to slow way down. And I also realized that the movie by itself was not going to make the difference I had hoped it would. The freedom movement was not happening.

I had known about Ron Paul a few years before, but it just seemed so strange--nobody ever talked about him. When I saw him in AFTF, I was very impressed. Then, Aaron Russo, director of AFTF, threatened to run for president unless Ron Paul ran. I started really hoping Ron Paul would run. He had more of a chance, and a great track record.

Then I learned that Ron Paul was running. But I felt pretty apathetic. I didn't think he had a chance, and I decided that maybe we were just going to have to have a revolution. Then I saw a Ron Paul sign in front of a young guy's house. I was working with my husband repairing the rental unit he was living in. I asked him about his sign, and he told me that a lot of students were getting involved. He said there was a lot of excitement about his campaign.

It was very soon after that, I called my friend Joe Alexander. I asked him what he was up to, and he said he had joined the Ron Paul meetup, as did Sid Sargeant. These two friends were long time freedom fighters, and I knew that if they were involved, there was something serious happening.

Sid told me that they really needed someone to help them get organized. I found myself agreeing to attending the next meeting, and was willing to offer my services as the organizer. I wasn't really sure what I was getting into, but when I heard the passionate testimonies from young and old alike about why they were supporting Ron Paul, I was hooked! I had never seen such passion. I was also impressed with how people were willing to allow me to facilitate a meeting when I had never been there before. And, they were willing to let me be the organizer. There didn't seem to be a lot of power struggles going on. It was as if this was different--there was such a higher purpose going on, and people were really focused on the goal--elect Ron Paul.

Since then, I have been totally inspired by the people who are involved in the Ron Paul Freedom Movement. I realized that if Ron Paul were to die today, heaven forbid, that we would keep going. I realized that this is more than just electing a president. People are waking up--very quickly--because of how clear Ron Paul is. The truth is prevailing at last because the media no longer has power over us with the internet. And the meetup groups are bringing us together to get to know each other in flesh and blood, helping us to connect on a heart level as well as co-workers for the cause of freedom.

I am finally seeing people who can match or surpass my passion for making positive changes in the world. People are waking up from their apathy, and getting involved. At the latest meeting I facilitated, we got more done in one hour than I have in groups that were together for a year. We had 21 agenda items, and we found coordinators for almost all the projects. We created an organizational structure with very little discussion. I have been studying and working on meeting facilitation and organizational structure for 33 years--I really didn't do much at all--people just knew what to do and how to self-organize.

So that is how I came about supporting Ron Paul. I hope you will share your story.

Ron Paul Freedom Movement Newsletter Oct. 25, 2007

Compiled by Patricia Mikkelson, Organizer, Fayetteville Meetup Group

www.ronpaul.meetup.com/555/

When I get on line, I just can’t stop reading all the wonderful stuff that is there—and I want to share it with those who might not have as much time to browse as I do. I hope you will let me know if this is helpful. I just want to encourage, motivate inspire people with all the great information about the Ron Paul Freedom Movement I also want to share my own contribution as you will see in my article comparing open space technology and the Ron Paul Freedom Movement. Patricia

Vote Now for Ron Paul

It's time to show the world RIGHT NOW that we will support Ron Paul for President whether or not he receives his party's nomination. If our only choices are Clinton vs. Giuliani, then we as Americans must REVOLT at the two party duopoly. We demand a choice better than "the lesser of two evils".

I pledge to vote for Ron Paul even if I have to vote for him as a write-in candidate. I understand that Dr. Paul has no plans of running as a third party candidate if he does not receive the Republican nomination. Yet if our choices are Clinton vs. Giuliani, we have no choice but to vote for the candidate that will support individual liberty. I as an individual choose Ron Paul to represent this country as its next President of the United States. Tell everyone you know! (If you have a petition you want to send out, you can do so on this website)

Sign the Petition Here

A Republican Renaissance…what a concept!

Here is a very inspiring letter from a website new to me, mentioning that this Ron Paul Freedom Movement might be like a "black swan event"., and we may never get another chance like this again in our lifetime. I encourage you to read this letter encouraging us to stretch as much as we possibly can to donate to the cause. I would add (as a person who has very little money) that if you can stretch to use your time and energy to promote Ron Paul and freedom, that is equally important.

http://republicanrenaissance.blogspot.com/2007/10/letter-to-ron-paul-supporters.html

More are joining the bandwagon for bringing the troops home NOW! Interesting…how can we get the Democrats and others against the war to join our Ron Paul Freedom Movement?

Democracy for American sent this out to show how important it is to Bill Richardson, governor of New Mexico, to get the troops out of Iraq now. Interesting! How can we use this to our advantage? He says that none of the other candidates are calling for a complete withdrawal—is he talking about all the candidates? Here’s an excerpt from the www.democracyforamerica.com website

“Ending the war means a full and complete withdrawal. That's what America needs... and it's what I'll do.

Before I was Governor of New Mexico, I was a member of Congress, Secretary of Energy, and Ambassador to the United Nations. I've successfully negotiated with the worst "bad guys" from around the world -- including Saddam Hussein. I know the region, and I know real diplomacy isn't possible until we get all of our troops out. As long as our troops are in Iraq, the Iraqis will not make the tough political compromises and the insurgents will continue to use our presence for recruitment. As long as our troops are in Iraq, they will continue to die in someone else's civil war.

I'm talking about Iraq and ending this war everywhere I visit - with DFA support and volunteers behind me, think of how far we can go.”

This is truly a grassroots movement…a freedom movement and….

What Open Space Technology and the Ron Paul Freedom Movement have in common, and how we can use Open Space to be even more effective as a grassroots, self- organizing movement.

The following excerpts from the article, Why is Ron Paul Creating Grassroots Excitement? by Gary Wood clearly outlines how Ron Paul’s influence has mobilized thousands of people to action without any obvious organizational structure.

”There really is no denying it any longer, there is a grassroots fire burning across the country for this former Air Force flight surgeon, baby doctor, Texas Representative by the name of Ron Paul… Asked what Internet guru has helped him use the Internet so effectively he states quite honestly his campaign had no guru…. He did not market and find the Internet crowd, they found him. To his surprise the message was attractive to many surfing the web looking for a politician they could like and message they could really believe in.

…Yet, these Internet junkies that sit around their glowing screens at 4am, with pizza boxes and soda cans strewn about, are not performing to the main stream script. Some started to meet each other in different forums and blogs, and then came Meetup.com and the tides began to rise. Once the group started realizing there were others out there who like Ron Paul and his Constitutional message there began to be gatherings away from the keyboard. The cyber began a steady morph into reality.

Then came the 2nd Quarter financials and the money was flowing in. At the rallies and straw polls the crowds were showing up, enthusiastic and cheering as if they were at a rock concert instead of a political event… . In the crowd are young families with their children, involved in politics and cheering loud, cheering proud. There are young college students studying engineering, medicine and more. There are young republicans and democrats, all races, religions, and sexes. There are radicals, liberty and freedom are important to them but look closely to find standing next to them business people, social leaders, and those prominent enough who surely should not be in with this group of cyber nuts, should they? Looking again across the crowd and we find more than just young, together are the old and the middle-aged as well, don’t they know better? These look like our neighbors, family, and friends, can it be…. You are hearing it more, feeling it more and wondering, is it real? Why? Who is this guy? What is all this excitement about? Is it time to switch off the TV and Google Ron Paul and get excited? … Just beware, critical thinking and searching could lead you to join this revolution, look at me, I did it and now I'm writing you! “

Here is a description of Open Space by its founder, Harrison Owen. Please notice the similarities in italics.

• "At the very least, Open Space is a fast, cheap, and simple way to better, more productive meetings. At a deeper level, it enables people to experience a very different quality of organization in which self-managed work groups are the norm, leadership a constantly shared phenomenon, diversity becomes a resource to be used instead of a problem to be overcome, and personal empowerment a shared experience. It is also fun. In a word, the conditions are set for fundamental organizational change, indeed that change may already have occurred. By the end, groups face an interesting choice. They can do it again, they can do it better, or they can go back to their prior mode of behavior.

Open Space is appropriate in situations where a major issue must be resolved, characterized by high levels of complexity, high levels of diversity (in terms of the people involved), the presence of potential or actual conflict, and with a decision time of yesterday.

Open Space runs on two fundamentals: passion and responsibility. Passion engages the people in the room. Responsibility ensures things get done. A focusing theme or question provides the framework for the event. The art of the question lies in saying just enough to evoke attention, while leaving sufficient open space for the imagination to run wild." -- HarrisonOwen

Don’t you think that this describes the Ron Paul Freedom Movement? Compare the two descriptions—do they not share so much in common? Fun, passion, diversity, complexity, conflict, and decision time of yesterday!Of course the Ron Paul Freedom Movement is not contained within walls—but the principles of Open Space still apply.

I have been passionate about Open Space since I attended two meetings run on Open Space principles eight years ago at a permaculture conference and Intentional Communities conference. Recently I attended an Open Space training class facilitated by Lisa Heft, in San Francisco. It was so inspiring! I want to help Ron Paul Freedom Movement activists to learn about this effective way of running meetings and an organization. I believe we are creating a unique organization. But I have not yet heard one person refer to this comparison. It is as if the Open Space folks and the Freedom Movement folks are in two different worlds! Yet we so much want the same thing.

Harrison Owen, founder of the Open Space movement, says that he did not create anything—he just discovered from experience ways that worked and didn’t work when people got together to get things done. We are witnessing this happening in this Ron Paul Freedom Movement, and it is exciting! The internet and meetup groups are really helping it to happen. But also, people are just fed up with control! They want freedom to do their own thing as they collaborate with others. They are also full of passion and enthusiasm—they can’t help themselves. They see the challenges we face, and they know we must do something constructive or suffer greatly.

Open Space folks, please be attentive to this Ron Paul Freedom Movement. Google him. Look at the www.ronpaulintro.com website which has all kinds of great videos and links. Check out my blog. Notice your beloved Open Space principles are being used even without people knowing about the concept.

Ron Paul Freedom Movement activists—check out Open Space Technology www.openspaceworld.org They have a lot to teach us. They can help us to make that quantum leap we need in order to both elect Ron Paul and help him to re-organize our government so it is based on freedom once again. It can be even better than our founding fathers envisioned, for we have learned so much in the past two centuries and more.

Could it be possible that by having Open Space conferences where all kinds of people can come together to ask the question, “How can we most effectively support Ron Paul for President and the Ron Paul Freedom Movement?” we can cooperate even more amazingly and effectively? I envision that those of us who have ideas and are having a hard time getting supporters for them, will find fellow team mates and resources as we get a bit more structured in our self-organizing efforts. Open Space people—if you get excited about Ron Paul, join our freedom movement and help facilitate us. I think you will find that we are more than open to new ideas.

The fantastic thing about using Open Space is that we aren’t trying to control anyone—we are just making it easier for people to connect and follow their passion and in the process, achieve our common goal of electing Ron Paul for president and continuing our Freedom Movement no matter what!

I really hope that you will research a bit more about what Open Space Technology is—I think you will discover, as I did, that it is a worldwide movement that promotes freedom. I hope that Open Space Technology folks will discover Ron Paul, and see that what he is promoting is an Open Space World! Together, I really believe that we can achieve the common goal that we all have: liberty and justice for all!

A Ron Paul Presidency Can Tear the U.S. Apart Published on 10/06/07 at 22:30:57 MST by Gary Wood
©October 7, 2007

http://hearmythunder.org/cgi-bin/index.cgi?action=viewnews&id=197

I like the way that Mr. Wood speaks about the long-term effects of Ron Paul and the Freedom movement. These are things to be thinking about so that we can non-violently bring about a revolution. I enjoy how he helps us imagine what it would be like if Ron Paul won, utilizing a kind of law of attraction to help us draw to us what we yearn for—to have a president who leads a freedom movement. Here’s part of the article:

“Ron Paul advocates a significant reduction in the size of the Federal Government, restoring the duties to those enumerated under the U.S. Constitution. He promotes fiscal responsibility and is a strong proponent for State and individual responsibility rather than a national level. His platform also calls for a non-interventionist foreign policy replacing the current Bush Doctrine of preemptive interventionism. With the people being more disenfranchised with their national leaders every day his common sense, straight forward message of restoring the Constitution and restoring true liberty and freedom are driving the campaign to new heights. There is no arguing it is the most staunch, brutally honest stand for the people in decades, especially surprising coming from a major party candidate.” Read the whole article

'Come The Revolution . . .' by Charles A. Burris*

I want to say now that I am totally for a non-violent revolution…indeed, I believe we have no choice but to proceed non-violently in our actions, because the government has so much more fire power than we do. Even if I was not a supporter of strategic non-violence, I would say the same thing—just being practical. I want to write more on this at another time, but for now you want to learn about the effectiveness of non-violent resistance, I encourage you to visit http://www.aeinstein.org/ for a wealth of information.

This article 'Come The Revolution . . .' by Charles A. Burris*describes why Ron Paul is helping to promote the freedom movement through education and awareness, and a history of the CIA as well! Very well written and informative, written by a member of the Tulsa Meetup group. Here is an excerpt.

"But what do we mean by the American Revolution? Do we mean the American war? The Revolution was effected before the war commenced. The Revolution was in the minds and hearts of the people. . . This radical change in the principles, opinions, sentiments, and affections of the people was the real American Revolution."

~ John Adams to Hezekiah Niles, 1818

“I can well remember reading those powerful words as a young Libertarian undergraduate student in 1972, wondering if I would ever see our Revolution come in my lifetime.

Adams' perceptive quote is found in Bernard Bailyn's brilliant Pulitzer Prize-winning The Ideological Origins of the American Revolution, which I eagerly imbibed for my American Political Thought class.

Yet was the American Revolution to remain merely an intellectual exercise one only experienced in history books?

Were not the societal conditions of today ripe for another Revolution? “Read more…

Comment about Ron Paul by Cindy Sheehan, well-known anti-war activist

In an interview with Alex Jones

Asked why the candidacy of Ron Paul has become so popular, Sheehan commented "People are hungry for change, people are hungry for people to tell the truth, no matter what, people are hungry for those who act out of their integrity."

http://www.prisonplanet.com/articles/july2007/120707distinctchance.htm

Best and most inspiring article yet that I have read about Ron Paul

http://www.lewrockwell.com/orig8/haman3.html

Congressman Ron Paul's Secret Revealed

by Jennifer Haman

“While speaking to a woman the other day that had never heard of Ron Paul, she stated "My goodness, he is amazing. He is the best kept secret of this presidential campaign." She could not believe there was a contender who represented everything she wanted in a presidential candidate and more. (For those of you who have not yet heard, Ron Paul is running for President.) She talked about wanting to end the war in Iraq. Ron Paul has promised to do that immediately and not leave a soldier behind.”

Please read this entire article and send it to your friends and neighbors—it has so many links in it. It is heartfelt and educational. It is truly uplifting and just may help get the secret out—Ron Paul and the Freedom Movement!

Freedom Force Internat'l: A great organization that supports Ron Paul and the Freedom Movement

www.Freedom-force.org

"Freedom Force International is a network of men and women from all parts of the world who are concerned over loss of personal liberty and expansion of government power. They are not mere complainers. They have a plan to do something about it. They also share a common belief in The Creed of Freedom, which is a statement of principles that guide them in their mission to build a better world." From their website home page.

I read a good deal of this website and I am impressed with the depth and breadth of their vision. There are some great guidelines to help people form Freedom-Force groups which can help Ron Paul meetup groups become even more effective. Ron Paul is right there on the home page as one of the causes that this group supports. I think it is a good idea to study this website and get involved with this group.

A great website to help people get acquainted with Ron Paul

http://Ronpaulintro.com is the best website I have seen yet to introduce Ron Paul to people who are not familiar with him. It is easy to find out where he stands on many issues, as well as get an overview from a wonderful inspiring video which I am finding on many Ron Paul websites. Every time I watch this, tears come to my eyes because I get in touch with my deep desire to have this man elected, and my sadness at how far we are from having the world that Ron Paul envisions.

Join Anti-war movement--share the Ron Paul solution

Massive Anti-War Demonstrations this weekend—get involved!

Fall Out Against the War http://www.oct27.org/

People will be demonstrating against the war this weekend in regional demonstrations. This looks like an important movement that Ron Paul supporters need to get involved in. If we could get the anti-war supporters supporting Ron Paul (a more proactive approach!) we would be able to enlist a great power. I suggest that many of us join in this activity, bring our signs supporting Ron Paul and ending the war, and dialogue with those people who are involved. There is going to be a group from the Omni Center for Peace and Justice going to the Oklahoma City demonstration. Perhaps people in this area would like to attend? If so, contact me and I will help get your connected.

Here is some more information about the regional anti-war demonstration:

www.oct27.org

On Saturday, October 27th, there will be a major national protest against the war in Iraq, as demonstrations are held in 11 regional centers spread around the country. Momentum is certainly building and excitement is growing.

One of the important and valuable aspects of doing a major mobilization -- in this case 11 mobilizations -- is the opportunity it gives us all to be more engaged with our communities, the opportunity to tap into that 70% of the population that not only opposes the war but now also wants to see the money for the war cut.

_______________________________________________

Amazing amount of international support for Ron Paul

It looks like Ron Paul would be the winner at this point if the whole world could vote This is really encouraging, folks! Please vote if you haven’t already, and spread the word about this poll: Who Would the World Elect?

http://www.whowouldtheworldelect.com/

Here is more encouraging news from the international scene:

Did you know Ron Paul is supported around the world? It's the first time in history that so many members of the international community support a US president. They know Ron Paul can bring prosperity to the US, and thus, it spreads to the world. This is just a small sample of the thousands of web sites from around the world in support of Ron Paul!

• Brits for Paul
• Asia 4 Ron Paul
• Bavaria For Ron Paul
• Belgians For Ron Paul
• Brazil For Ron Paul
• British Ron Paul Forum
• Canadians 4 Ron Paul II
• Canadians For Ron Paul
• Denmark For Ron Paul
• Europe For Ron Paul
• Finland for Ron Paul
• Finland for Ron Paul 2
• French For Ron Paul
• Holland 4 Ron Paul
• Hungary for Ron Paul
• India and Pakistan For Ron Paul
• Italy For Ron Paul
• Poles for Ron Paul
• Portugal For Ron Paul
• Romania For Ron Paul
• Ron Paul Chile
• Ron Paul Germany
• Ron Paul Indonesia
• Ron Paul Latvia
• Ron Paul Latvia II
• Ron Paul Spain
• Ron Paul Venezuela
  

And there's far too many more that we could possibly list! Thanks to Brits for Paul for the list! And thanks to http://ronpaulintro.com for publishing this list.

Rolling Stone Magazine supports Ron Paul

Some friends of mine who were on the fence about whether or not to support Ron Paul said that one of the things that made them decide to enthusiastically get behind our wonderful freedom fighter presidential candidate was something in the Rolling Stone Magazine. I have not yet had a chance to track this down, but they said it was in a recent magazine. They expressed hope that the Rolling Stone would be carrying an article about Ron Paul soon. (Anyone up for leading a letter writing campaign to encourage that?)

The way that support was expressed was in some kind of picture which showed that Ron Paul and Cindy Sheehan, a great anti-war activist, were on the same side—supporting our country, while others were on a negative side, against our country.

I was so encouraged to hear this news! If anyone can do some research and post on my blog the exact information in the magazine, I would be so happy!

Using DVD's to connect with folks who are not online

If you want to share Ron Paul with folks who don’t have internet, now you can buy some wonderful DVD’s to which have all the best clips of Ron Paul. I think it is realy important that we find creative ways to get people involved who are not on line. http://www.ronpauldvd.com/ This population is the next frontier. They are important! We've got to find creative ways to reach out, don't you think?

Many people are precinct walking—these DVD’s can help you share the message. Others go to farmer’s markets or fairs or ralleys. Bring some DVD’s along. Show excerpts of DVD’s at house meetings where you can have conversations about Ron Paul. Have Community Gatherings where you can share Ron Paul in a very non-threatening way and build community at the same time.

How to introduce folks to Ron Paul effectively

http://Ronpaulintro.com is the best website I have seen yet to introduce Ron Paul to people who are not familiar with him. It is easy to find out where he stands on many issues, as well as get an overview from a wonderful inspiring video which I am finding on many Ron Paul websites. Every time I watch this, tears come to my eyes because I get in touch with my deep desire to have this man elected, and my sadness at how far we are from having the world that Ron Paul envisions.

IN THE VALLEY OF ELAH: A Hollywood movie that reveals the reality of war in Iraq

In The Valley of Elah

This looks to me like a movie worth seeing about the Iraq war and the terrible effect it is having on the soldiers there. How about some folks handing out Ron Paul information after the movie, especially emphasizing his anti-war stance? Here is a great review from the Rolling Stone Magazine, which I have heard has some information which is supportive of Ron Paul in it.

Perhaps Ron Paul supporters and other friends could get together to watch the movie, then have a discussion afterwards. Maybe have a good cry, too. I'm scared to watch this movie, but I know that the grieving is a good thing--opens up the way for creativity and energy.

A Youtube that every person in the world should see!

Does Ron Paul have a prayer? Prayer Meetup answers a resounding "Yes"!

Ron Paul Prayer Network http://ronpaul.meetup.com/158/

This Meetup group looks like an excellent opportunity to get many people praying for Ron Paul—for his safety, for winning the presidency, and much more. Even if you don’t join this meetup group—please pray for Ron Paul as much as you can. When you watch videos about him, read things that inspire you, and share his message with others, keep those prayers going! And pray for the Ron Paul Freedom Movement and all of its participants. We all need prayers, too.

Christian Youth for Ron Paul just getting started

Christian Youth 4 Ron Paul http://ronpaul.meetup.com/1089/

This is a brand new group supporting Ron Paul in the Ozarks. We could sure use some help from some youth pastors who are familiar with organizing Christian youth. Or anyone who wants to help get us started. I encouraged the young man who started this Meetup to get this going, but I don’t have a lot of contacts with Christian youth—so can you help out? We need to get more people of faith involved anyway—and why not let the youth lead the way!

If I had a million dollars so I could support Ron Paul...What I would do

Here I am going to describe my vision of how my life would be if I had a million dollars with which I would want to support Ron Paul and the freedom movement. By imagining this and writing about it as if it were happening, I believe that I become like a magnet, and attract what I need to help all this come about. I pray that all of this would be adjusted according to God's will. It is two months in the future.

Wow! Someone decided to give me a million dollars because they thought that I was worth it! They read my blog and got excited about my vision. They looked at my myspace
and saw my vision for the Community Gathering and caught the dream! They also checked out my other myspace website which I dedicated to supporting Ron Paul and our freedom movement, and saw the urgency of electing Ron Paul for president. They talked to folks who believe in me and see my potential--people who have seen what I can do when I have time and support. I am so excited--I want to share with you what I did with the money.

First I had a silent retreat for 4 days where I wrote and prayed and relaxed and did emotional release and studied scriptures and researched. I also fasted on juice and got wonderful exercise walking and doing yoga. This was much needed. I knew that I was about to make some very important decisions, and I really wanted to spend this money wisely. The retreat really rejuvenated me and helped me to get clarity.

I hired someone to assist me in organizing the Livable Future Project into an organization which is really effective. I found someone who shared common values and who complemented my skills. She is a passionate supporter of Ron Paul, and sees the importance of creating a Ron Paul freedom movement that supports him when he is elected, and now. She also shares my passion to help neighborhoods become thriving, self-reliant communities through hosting Community Gatherings and training Community Organizers. Together we are figuring out how to do both together seamlessly.

Since the Livable Future Project is directly supporting Ron Paul for President, as well as the Freedom Movement we are all a part of--I chose not to have non-profit status. Besides, pretty soon we won't even have income tax and non-profits will be extinct! We worked on getting a structure so that this organization could grow. A fantastic website was created. An advisory board of such people as Open Space Technology facilitator, Time Banks representative, head of the Einstein Institute for Non-Violence, a teacher of Non-violent Communication and a number of wise Ron Paul Supporters were among the people we invited to be on the board.

We hired a staff of people so that everything could go smoothly--a web master, an accountant, an administrative assistant, a graphics design person, a writer, a trainer, and a person who knows how to help us all work together harmoniously. We figured that with a dynamite staff, we could grow quickly and soon be self supporting. It took a lot of time to find the right people--but I am so happy to be working with a team of people who can take the time to do all the things I envision. Our website is extensive and interactive, and really creates a frame work where people can be collaborating. The website even connects all the meetups, and all the websites and helps match up people in various cities.

Our first project was a fantastic success. We held a Ron Paul Freedom Movement conference in NW Arkansas. We used a combination of whole system methodologies, including Future Search and Open Space in order to create a plan of action that everyone participating could agree on in order to help elect Ron Paul and promote the Ron Paul Freedom Movement. Because of our effective outreach and publicity, we were able to get 500 people from all over the country to come together for 3 days to work together to create both a fluid structure for the Freedom Movement and a strategy to help get Ron Paul elected.

One of the things we all agreed on is that we need to find ways to support people in every community to work full time to support Ron Paul, and Livable Future Project will lead the way in finding funding and training for effective Ron Paul Freedom Movement Organizers. Also, we need many ways to stay connected online and off line, and we now have a whole group of people who will be focusing on communication--helping everyone to easily stay in touch with everything that is happening without being on information overload! And of course included in our work was figuring out how to creatively raise money for the Ron Paul campaign, and get the necessary publicity that he needs to get the messages out to the masses.

Using these whole system approaches where people had the freedom to follow their passion and find others to collaborate with while combining efforts with the whole group was fabulous--everything I ever dreamed it would be.

Some of the other ideas that came out of the conference, and which are now being actively worked on are:

Time Banks in every meetup (that wants it) so that people can support each other in ways above and beyond the campaign, thereby freeing people up to have more time to work on the campaign.

Helping people to have their own custom tailored literature to hand out to their friends and neighbors.

Getting a video training program that was super easy to use to help people learn how to engage their precincts.

Having a full length Hollywood type movie about Ron Paul's life and the freedom movement he is leading.

Having books about Ron Paul and the Freedom movement which will make the New York Times Best Seller list.

Finding, and paying, coordinators for every group imaginable to unite in their support of Ron Paul and the Freedom Movement, like homeschoolers, military, sports fans, runners, single mom's, single dads, Blacks, Hispanics, Immigrants, Welfare Recipents,
Anti-war activists, GLBT community, and more.

Hiring someone to focus on finding big names to support Ron Paul such as sports stars, movie stars, rock stars, royalty, and even religious figures (like the Dalai Lama).

We even started a business that will hire many local people so they can have kits for promoting Ron Paul one on one, or in group presentations.

Well, it is all so inspiring. Now that we have this conference under our belt, we are planning another one which is focused on the question, "How can we help our neighborhoods become thriving, self-reliant Communities." People will know that Livable Future Project supports Ron Paul, and because we have such a great reputation, our credibility will inspire them to look into Ron Paul. Of course lots of Ron Paul Freedom Movement supporters will come and interact. Part of the answer to the question asked will be to elect Ron Paul, of course! I look forward to seeing the outcome of this conference.

Well, I am so happy that I got that million dollars. I am also being more balanced in my life--spending more time with my family and friends, exercising, taking care of myself. Oh yes, I forgot to mention that I hired someone to prepare raw food for the whole staff. I was able to hire someone to help my husband work on our eco-village. That will be a place where Ron Paul Freedom Movement supporters can come and live in the near future so that we can live in community and work on these worthwhile projects full time.

Well, I've got to go now. I need to prepare for our nationwide tour where I get to lead the Up With Freedom band. It is kind of like the Up With People show that I heard used to be so popular. My son and daughter and some other great musicians are in the band, and we already did one great show where people sang along and learned about how much we need a man like Ron Paul to help us regain our freedom, as well as ways we can reclaim our freedom now. We also had lots of community groups share information about the good things happening in their town. We recruited many people to support the Ron Paul Freedom movement, and get community gatherings going in their town.

Thanks for listening to my celebration of what I did with the million dollars--and I am so happy to say that because of all the wonderful things we are doing, people have donated another million! We are well on our way to being able to have a paid Ron Paul Freedom Movement coordinator in every town, and that brings us even closer to having Ron Paul being elected as president!

Woke up this morning with my mind...stayed on Freedom

I woke up this morning with my mind on freedom. That song, an old Negro spiritual, was in my head as I was just waking up. I imagined myself leading this song at giant community sing along. Thousands of people who support the Ron Paul Freedom Movement are clapping and singing. The harmonies are amazing. The musicians and other singers on stage are totally in sync and stoked. We can feel the freedom. We can feel the possibilities of what could happen if we could just cooperate in our own neighborhoods and communities. And if we can elect Ron Paul for president, supporting him in standing up for our freedom.

But now I cry. In fact, I am weeping. The tears are rolling down. I need to blow my nose. Excuse me. Okay, I’m back. I cry because of the lack of freedom I am afraid I am about to have.

You see, I am thinking that I need to focus all my attention on getting paying work. And then when I get the work (if I do), then I probably need to work at doing something that is unrelated to helping to promote Community Gatherings and also promoting the Ron Paul Freedom Movement

I also won’t have much time to promote the first Community Gathering. I believe with all of my heart that if people like Ron Paul supporters, church members, and leaders in our cities could just see the possibilities of Community Gatherings being held in every neighborhood—maybe even every block—that the power of the people could be unleashed. I can see it, taste it, feel it, touch it, hear it. It seems so real to me. I have seen and heard about what happens when people can come together in a spirit of cooperation—in an environment that encourages personal empowerment. Miracles happen. Neighborhoods are transformed. People do things they never thought they could. The energy of the Ron Paul freedom movement could help speed the Community Gatherings along, I bet.

And then I cry. The sobs are deep. The tears flow. How can I describe the pain that comes from feeling so helpless. I have been able to live without working at jobs I don’t like for almost a year now because of the generous inheritance which my dear mom left me. During that time, I got to spend more time with my children than ever before—that has been such a blessing. I spent a lot of time cleaning up clutter and organizing my life. I did things to further my dream of having an eco-village at our country home. My dream was that if I could just have more time to focus on creating a right livelihood helping neighborhoods become thriving, self-reliant communities, then I would never have to go back to cleaning or organizing or gardening. I was just so sure that I could do it.

But now I need to pay a lot of bills. I just can’t put them off any longer. I say to myself, like a parent to a child, “You have to be responsible—you can’t keep working on what you’re a passionate about. You have to do the right thing”

And I wonder, “what is the right thing.”

The sobs are subsiding. I feel a little more peaceful. Perhaps it is time to pray. Perhaps it is time to imagine what I want, rather than what I don’t want. I will do so in my next blog.

We never know how much our actions make a difference...

I was hired to sell honey at one of the biggest crafts fairs in the country, War Eagle in Northwest Arkansas. I wanted to share Ron Paul at the fair, but I knew it would not be right to be too blatant about it--after all, I was supposed to be selling honey. So I just wore my Ron Paul button on my vest along with my "I love my neighborhood" and "I want to be the change I want to see happen."

I was disappointed that no one said, "Oh, I know about Ron Paul" or "Great, I support Ron Paul." But the person I worked for asked me about Ron Paul. He didn't have a problem with me wearing my button, and I got to tell him about Ron Paul. I think he saw that I always wore my Ron Paul button, and he knew that if I was supporting something, I had looked into it pretty thoroughly. I hope to talk to him more, and I will definitely send him a video.

But who knows how many people saw my cheerful disposition and saw my Ron Paul button, and thought to themselves, "Who is Ron Paul?" Maybe the next time they see someone with a Ron Paul button or bumpersticker or signature on their email--they will ask about him. I notice that people seem to be impressed and curious when they keep seeing Ron Paul's name over and over again. We have a passionate chalker in our Meetup group who has inspired many to think about Ron Paul, and one person for sure did actually google him, and is supportive of Ron Paul. She didn't know that he shared so many of her values.

We just never know if our sharing of Ron Paul will be to a person who might share with another person who shares with another person who shares with a movie star or some famous person who becomes a passionate supporter of Ron Paul. Or, if the time we shared made it so that Ron Paul wins the election or the primary. Or that someone might wake up to their hope for freedom, and join the movement with enthusiasm--everyone's efforts are so important.

I hope this post encourages you to share Ron Paul whenever you get a chance, in a way that reflects the values of freedom, compassion, and dialogue that Ron Paul represents.

Sharing Ron Paul at Church

When I go to church services, I used to wonder, "Is it correct to wear a Ron Paul button and promote the Ron Paul freedom movement?" Now my answer is a resounding "Yes!" Here's how I do it.

I figured out that if I wear a vest with various buttons on it which share messages, and include one about Ron Paul, then I am simply sharing who I am--rather than promoting a political candidate. I want to eventually have about ten buttons, many of them promoting the values of the Ron Paul Freedom Movement. Right now I just have two others--"I want to be the change I want to see happen" and "I love my neighborhood".

Yesterday when I was at a Christian church I am checking out as a possible church for me (I have attended only once before) I wore my vest. During the break where we are supposed to meet people, two people saw my Ron Paul button and said that they had heard about him, and wanted to learn more! I just happened to have Ron Paul literature in my car, and I happily shared with both of them why I wanted to support Ron Paul. I told them about how the young people are getting excited--that there really is hope for America. I wanted to support the young people in getting a president elected who would bring the troops home from Iraq and all over the war, and who would support small government and tiny taxes.

One gentleman said, "I actually talked to someone who told me about Ron Paul while we were playing poker! I also have seen bumper stickers and signs about him. Now that I have talked to you, I will definitely look him up on the internet." Another older lady who was very supportive of me the first time I attended, said, "I saw Ron Paul mentioned in the Nation Magazine." (this is a somewhat liberal magazine.) She added, "I think you and I have a lot in common." When I asked her how she knew that, she said, "We both want to make a better world."

I then attended a Unitarian Church Service. I feel equally at home in both venues--and equally uncomfortable! I just don't seem to completely fit anywhere...but I really like both Unitarian and Christian churches--especially this Christian church I just found. Anyway, I saw a fellow Ron Paul Freedom Movement friend who I had met at our local meetup. I was happy to see him and I sat next to him and his friend. After the service, I talked to his lady friend about Ron Paul. She said she was probably going to vote for Hillary Clinton--just because she was a woman. We had a great conversation--I didn't criticize her, but heard her out. I gently encouraged her to check out who she was voting for--otherwise it was better not to vote at all. (Confession: I voted for Bush the first time he ran just because I heard he was supportive of homeschooling. I did no other research.)

I also talked to two other young men about Ron Paul. Funny thing, no one at the Unitarian Church asked me about my Ron Paul button--but I'm sure they notice it since I wear it every time I go to church. I hope that my cheerful attitude and my willingness to help will be a positive reflection on the Ron Paul Freedom Movement.

Once I went to the Unitarian Church wearing a Ron Paul button on front and the back of my shirt. I decided that might be a little too extreme. I'm trying to share Ron Paul and our freedom movement in a way that casts a positive light.

I can't help but want to promote Ron Paul and the freedom movement everywhere I go. I hope that this article encourages you to share Ron Paul whenever you have a chance, and remember to wear your Ron Paul button where ever you go. You just might find some very meaningful conversations happen!

An Environmentalist decides to enthusiastically Support Ron Paul

Here is a story from start to finish about someone who was at first almost defiantly against Ron Paul, and now is totally excited about supporting him. I hope that this description encourages you to keep talking to people who you might least expect to change their views. Also, it shows the importance of patience and willingness to answer all questions.

My friend saw my Ron Paul for President sign in front of my house. We hadn't talked since I had been supporting his campaign, and she asked me about why I was supporting Ron Paul. I told her the main reasons, and she said, "Where does he stand on global warming?" I said that he believed that with a small government that wasn't controlled by corporations people would be encouraged to take care of the environment themselves. She snapped, "I will never vote for anyone who does not have a strong stand on global warming. It is the most important issue to me." Our conversation ended because I needed to get on with some work.

One day we took a walk, and she asked a few more questions, which I patiently and enthusiastically answered. She wanted to learn more and she came to our sign making party for Ron Paul. She enjoyed the company of the people, and got a good impression. But she still had a lot of doubt.

I sponsored a "Community Gathering" where people were encouraged to come together to share a potluck meal and connect in meaningful ways. I invited my Ron Paul meetup members, hoping that some of my friends might be inspired by others besides me talking about Ron Paul. Three attended. One was Richard, who is in his fifties, and a veteran of anti-war activism during the Vietnam days. He has also supported Cindy Sheehan, who is a leader in the anti-war movement today. Richard spoke to my friend for about an hour and a half about Ron Paul. I thought it was amazing and wonderful how both of these people were so willing to engage in conversation about important matters like freedom. She wanted to be sure that if she supported him, Ron Paul was the right candidate. At age 21, she had a lot to learn about how our government has taken away our freedoms one by one, and how the powers that be control so much of our existence.

Our paths did not cross for about 3 weeks. Then I saw my friend, and after giving me a big hug, she said, "Can I get a Ron Paul sign from you so I can put it in front of my house?" I was shocked and pleased. She and her husband told me what had put them over the edge. Partly it was because of talking to people and attending a few meetings they saw that there was a real grassroots movement behind Ron Paul that was powerful. (They are not even on line!)Second, they saw something in The Rolling Stone magazine that indicated that the Rolling Stone Magazine actually supported Ron Paul. Here is a blog I found which indicated that in the past it seems like the magazine was on the fence—it is amazing how many people commented on this blog! But the most recent magazine that they saw clearly supported Ron Paul.

http://www.rollingstone.com/nationalaffairs/index.php/2007/07/17/ron-paul/

My friend also told me that she called Richard with questions and he was always willing to talk and he explained things very clearly. I was very happy that the Community Gathering provided a non-threatening environment where these two could meet. Now Richard is a good friend of mine, and visits our neighborhood, building bridges with others who aren't convinced by me to support Ron Paul.

So I am looking forward to sharing our friendship and sharing support of Ron Paul and freedom—with my friend, her husband, Richard, and all the other great people I am meeting because of the Ron Paul Freedom Movement. I am grateful to Ron Paul that he is giving us something so concrete and essential on which to work. And I am happy that the Rolling
Stone Magazine supports Ron Paul! Go Ron Paul Freedom Movement!