At a Special State Committee Meeting held by teleconference on Sunday, February 21, 2010, the Libertarian Party of New York voted to reimburse members of the Capital District Libertarians $449.00 (7% of its current State Treasury Balance) for a Convention Registration Mailing sent out without prior State Committee authorization. This reimbursement was made even though Jeff Russell of the Capital District Libertarians had apologized to the LPNY State Committee and had indicated that those responsible for the mailing would cover its cost.
According to Dr. Tom Stevens, LPQC State Committee Representative, there were two major problems with the unauthorized mailing. The first problem was that it did not contain an option for LPNY members to register to attend only the Business Sessions of the convention for free. The second problem was that it was intentionally sent out well before the notice period required by the LPNY bylaws as an "extra mailing" and will, therefore, necessitate a second mailing being sent to all LPNY members formally announcing the convention.
The vote at the Special State Committee Meeting held solely for the purpose of authorizing this reimbursement was 9 in favor and 1 opposed. However, the one person opposed to the motion opposed it because it was felt a motion wasn't necessary to reimburse the Capital District Libertarians for the unauthorized mailing. Dr. Tom Stevens, LPQC State Representative, did not attend the Special State Committee Meeting.
Dr. Tom Stevens, LPQC State Representative, responding to the vote said:
Every State Committee Member has a fiduciary responsibility to spend LPNY State Treasury funds in a responsible manner. While I understand the desire many have to make sure that volunteers are not out money spent in good faith in support of LPNY activities, I also feel that seasoned LPNY activists should be responsible for their actions. It wouldn't have taken much effort to seek the approval of the State Committee before sending out a mailing that would cost 7% of the LPNY's State Treasury Balance, especially if the mailing was intended as an "extra mailing" that was not required by the LPNY bylaws. The Capital District Libertarians sought authorization for the deposit they needed to reserve the room at the hotel and should have come to the State Committee for authorization to do the mailing. The Capital District Libertarians also did not run the Convention Registration Fee Schedule by the State Committee for feedback. Had they done so, the absence of the "attending Business Session" for free option would have been caught immediately. People donate money to the LPNY and pay membership dues in the expectation that LPNY State Committee Members will spend that money wisely. This is a responsibility LPNY State Committee Members should take very seriously in the months and years ahead.
The LPNY State Convention will be held on Saturday, April 24, 2010 at the Hilton Garden Inn located at 1389 Washington Avenue in Albany, New York.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
LPQC Members Elected As Delegates To 2010 LPUS National Convention
The following members of the Libertarian Party of Queens County have been elected to serve as delegates from New York State to the Libertarian Party's National Convention that will be held May 28-31, 2010 at the Renaissance Grand Hotel in St. Louis, Missouri: Mark Axinn, Andrew Clunn, Dan Halloran, Dodge P. Landesman, Alden Link, Carl Person, Sam Sloan & Dr. Tom Stevens.
Each of the delegates have been encouraged to purchase at least the mandatory Basic Package, which costs $99.00 up front. However, a $50.00 rebate is available for those who purchase the Basic Package and who reserve a room in their name at the Renaissance Grand Hotel for a minimum two-night stay. The special convention room rate is $109.00 per night plus applicable taxes and fees. To be eligible for the rebate, each delegate must keep a copy of their Convention Registration Fee receipt and a copy of their final Hotel Bill. Rebate forms will be handed out at the National Convention. All reservations can be made through links at http://www.gatewaytoliberty.com/
Delegates have been informed that Southwest Airlines is the least expensive carrier flying from New York City to St. Louis although most of its flights are not direct. Most stop in Chicago. However, the fare on Southwest can total less than $300.00 round trip. It has been suggested that delegates fly into St. Louis on Friday morning and leave on Monday afternoon. Of course, if a delegate has more time to spare, adding an extra few days to the trip can serve as a nice vacation.
Dr. Tom Stevens, LPQC State Representative, who made the motion to have the above-mentioned individuals elected as delegates, has requested that he be told when each of the elected delegates has purchased the Basic Package, made their room reservations, and purchased their round trip airline tickets. Time is of the essence since Convention Registration Fees and airline fares both go up the closer it gets to the event.
Each of the delegates have been encouraged to purchase at least the mandatory Basic Package, which costs $99.00 up front. However, a $50.00 rebate is available for those who purchase the Basic Package and who reserve a room in their name at the Renaissance Grand Hotel for a minimum two-night stay. The special convention room rate is $109.00 per night plus applicable taxes and fees. To be eligible for the rebate, each delegate must keep a copy of their Convention Registration Fee receipt and a copy of their final Hotel Bill. Rebate forms will be handed out at the National Convention. All reservations can be made through links at http://www.gatewaytoliberty.com/
Delegates have been informed that Southwest Airlines is the least expensive carrier flying from New York City to St. Louis although most of its flights are not direct. Most stop in Chicago. However, the fare on Southwest can total less than $300.00 round trip. It has been suggested that delegates fly into St. Louis on Friday morning and leave on Monday afternoon. Of course, if a delegate has more time to spare, adding an extra few days to the trip can serve as a nice vacation.
Dr. Tom Stevens, LPQC State Representative, who made the motion to have the above-mentioned individuals elected as delegates, has requested that he be told when each of the elected delegates has purchased the Basic Package, made their room reservations, and purchased their round trip airline tickets. Time is of the essence since Convention Registration Fees and airline fares both go up the closer it gets to the event.
Monday, February 15, 2010
Bill McMillen Informs LPNY He Will No Longer Be The Contact For The Hotel At Which The LPNY Is Holding Its Convention
After receiving criticism for sending out an unauthorized Convention Registration mailing to all Libertarian Party members living in New York State that provided no option for delegates to register to attend the Business Session of the LPNY Annual Convention for free, LPNY Member Bill McMillen has now announced that on Tuesday, February 16, 2010, he intends to call the Hilton Garden Inn, where the LPNY Convention is scheduled to hold its Annual Convention on Saturday, April 24, 2010, to tell them he wants his name removed as the contact for the contract he signed as a member of the Capital District Libertarians on behalf of the Libertarian Party of New York. Unless immediate action is taken to communicate with the hotel and provide a new contact person, Bill McMillen's action may very well jeopardize the LPNY's ability to hold its Annual Convention at that hotel requiring it to start making new plans from scratch for a new location.
Bill McMillen sent out a mailing last week to all Libertarian Party members living in New York State without having obtained approval for the mailing from the State Committee nor did he or anyone else run the Convention Registration Fee Schedule by the LPNY State Committee for feedback. He came under criticism by Dr. Tom Stevens, LPQC State Representative, for apparently establishing a "poll tax" and "floor fee" for voting at the Business Session of the Annual Convention since no option was provided for an LPNY member to register for free to attend and vote exclusively during the Business Session. Dr. Stevens conceded that this was probably just an oversight and an error. However, he stated that it would probably now necessitate a refund to all those who pay $25.00 for the "speakers and business session" option but who only wished to attend the Business Session. Dr. Stevens also criticized the Convention Fee Schedule for charging registrants $50.00 if they wanted to partake in the "deli lunch" offered from 12 noon to 1:00 p.m. before the business session commenced. He believed that price for a "deli lunch" to be a bit steep.
On Sunday, February 14, 2010, the State Committee was notified that even though Bill McMillen signed the hotel contract as a member of the Capital District Libertarians on behalf of the LPNY and therefore was not financially responsible, that he would nevertheless call the hotel on Tuesday, February 16, 2010 to tell them to remove his name and number as the contact for the event. The LPNY has been told that without a contact person, the Hilton Garden Inn will no longer hold and reserve the rooms we contracted for. The result will be that the Libertarian Party of New York will need to search for a new location at which to hold its Annual Convention in Albany, New York this year.
Since the Libertarian Party of New York authorized the Capital District Libertarians to contract for the convention location, the CDL must designate someone new to be the contact person for the hotel and must have that person substituted by Tuesday, February 16, 2010 if they intend to save the contract Bill McMillen has now placed in jeopardy by his impulsive ultimatum.
Bill McMillen sent out a mailing last week to all Libertarian Party members living in New York State without having obtained approval for the mailing from the State Committee nor did he or anyone else run the Convention Registration Fee Schedule by the LPNY State Committee for feedback. He came under criticism by Dr. Tom Stevens, LPQC State Representative, for apparently establishing a "poll tax" and "floor fee" for voting at the Business Session of the Annual Convention since no option was provided for an LPNY member to register for free to attend and vote exclusively during the Business Session. Dr. Stevens conceded that this was probably just an oversight and an error. However, he stated that it would probably now necessitate a refund to all those who pay $25.00 for the "speakers and business session" option but who only wished to attend the Business Session. Dr. Stevens also criticized the Convention Fee Schedule for charging registrants $50.00 if they wanted to partake in the "deli lunch" offered from 12 noon to 1:00 p.m. before the business session commenced. He believed that price for a "deli lunch" to be a bit steep.
On Sunday, February 14, 2010, the State Committee was notified that even though Bill McMillen signed the hotel contract as a member of the Capital District Libertarians on behalf of the LPNY and therefore was not financially responsible, that he would nevertheless call the hotel on Tuesday, February 16, 2010 to tell them to remove his name and number as the contact for the event. The LPNY has been told that without a contact person, the Hilton Garden Inn will no longer hold and reserve the rooms we contracted for. The result will be that the Libertarian Party of New York will need to search for a new location at which to hold its Annual Convention in Albany, New York this year.
Since the Libertarian Party of New York authorized the Capital District Libertarians to contract for the convention location, the CDL must designate someone new to be the contact person for the hotel and must have that person substituted by Tuesday, February 16, 2010 if they intend to save the contract Bill McMillen has now placed in jeopardy by his impulsive ultimatum.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Libertarian Party Fails To Maximize Income From Membership Dues
Basic Membership (a/k/a Sustaining Membership) in the Libertarian Party requires a $25.00 contribution. A number of members from New York State recently decided they wished to be relieved of the responsibility of keeping track of their renewal dates and would prefer to increase their annual contribution to the Libertarian Party to $36.00 annually by joining the Liberty Pledge Club and making a monthly contribution.
These members were told they could not make that increased contribution to the party through a monthly pledge and that the only way they could join the Liberty Pledge Club is if they donated a minimum of $10.00 per month for an annual contribution of $120.00. As a result, these members have kept their annual contributions at $25.00.
Dr. Tom Stevens, a member of the Libertarian Party, stated:
This policy of requiring a minimum monthly pledge of $10.00 for an annual contribution of $120.00 makes no sense. If a Sustaining Member wishes to increase his or her contribution from $25.00 to $36.00 or $48.00 or some other figure lower than $120.00, the Libertarian Party should set them up in the Liberty Pledge Club and take their monthly contribution. Whatever credit card fee is charged for this automatic processing is more than covered by the increased contribution that member is making to the Libertarian Party. The monthly minimum contribution required to join the Liberty Pledge Club should be immediately reduced to $3.00 per month, which is $36.00 per year. A member may be inclined to donate $5.00 per month, which would be an annual contribution of $60.00 per year. The Libertarian Party is losing an opportunity to increase the revenue they collect from dues. The leaders of the party should rectify this situation without further delay.
Dr. Tom Stevens serves as a member of the Judicial Committee of the Libertarian Party and is the LPQC State Representative to the Libertarian Party of New York.
These members were told they could not make that increased contribution to the party through a monthly pledge and that the only way they could join the Liberty Pledge Club is if they donated a minimum of $10.00 per month for an annual contribution of $120.00. As a result, these members have kept their annual contributions at $25.00.
Dr. Tom Stevens, a member of the Libertarian Party, stated:
This policy of requiring a minimum monthly pledge of $10.00 for an annual contribution of $120.00 makes no sense. If a Sustaining Member wishes to increase his or her contribution from $25.00 to $36.00 or $48.00 or some other figure lower than $120.00, the Libertarian Party should set them up in the Liberty Pledge Club and take their monthly contribution. Whatever credit card fee is charged for this automatic processing is more than covered by the increased contribution that member is making to the Libertarian Party. The monthly minimum contribution required to join the Liberty Pledge Club should be immediately reduced to $3.00 per month, which is $36.00 per year. A member may be inclined to donate $5.00 per month, which would be an annual contribution of $60.00 per year. The Libertarian Party is losing an opportunity to increase the revenue they collect from dues. The leaders of the party should rectify this situation without further delay.
Dr. Tom Stevens serves as a member of the Judicial Committee of the Libertarian Party and is the LPQC State Representative to the Libertarian Party of New York.
Monday, February 8, 2010
LPNY Opposes LPUS Mandatory Convention Registration Fee
On Sunday, February 7, 2010, the Libertarian Party of New York passed the following motion opposing the institution of a mandatory convention registration fee imposed upon all elected delegates seeking to attend the Libertarian Party's National Convention in St. Louis over Memorial Day Weekend:
MOTION: Whether or not the Libertarian Party's National Committee has the legal right to assess a registration fee upon all duly elected delegates attending the LPUS National Convention in St. Louis, Missouri over Memorial Day Weekend, the payment of which is being treated as a mandatory prerequisite to the Credentials Committee seating said delegates, it is the opinion of the Libertarian Party of New York that such a mandatory registration fee should not be assessed for delegates who wish to attend and vote exclusively at the business sessions of the LPUS National Convention.
Dr. Tom Stevens, who serves as the State Representative of the Libertarian Party of Queens County, drafted and proposed the motion. During debate, he said: "putting aside the issue of whether the Libertarian Party's National Committee has the legal right to assess a mandatory registration fee on duly elected delegates, the payment of which has become a prerequisite to the Credentials Committee seating said delegates, this motion merely expresses the opinion of the LPNY that such a fee should not be assessed for delegates who wish to attend and vote exclusively at the business sessions of the LPUS National Convention. While this motion will have no impact on the rules adopted for this convention, I hope that national takes our opinion into account when establishing the rules for the 2012 LPUS National Convention."
Sam Sloan, State Representative of the Manhattan LP, supported the motion stating that "some of our most important activists make an extraordinary effort to simply attend the convention" and that "requiring a mandatory registration fee would effectively exclude these individuals from participation during the business sessions of the national convention."
Blay Tarnoff, State Representative of the Nassau LP, in opposing the resolution called the language of the motion "bellicose" and stated that "a $25.00 mandatory registration fee" was acceptable to him. Joseph Dobrian, LPNY Vice-Chair, who spoke in favor of the motion stated, "there is nothing "bellicose" in the language of the motion". Dr. Stevens then spoke again pointing out that the mandatory convention registration fee is $99.00, not $25.00. M Carling, who serves as LPNY Secretary and in a number of appointed positions on the national level, warned that although he will ask for national's financial help with upcoming statewide petition drives both this year and in 2012, he fears his requests will fall on "deaf ears" if the LPNY expresses its opposition to the mandatory convention registration fee. In the end, Chris Edes, LPNY Chair, broke a tie and voted in favor of the motion. He will be informing national of the LPNY's opinion on this issue.
Dr. Stevens stated: "It is important that the Libertarian Party of New York express itself on this issue. In my opinion, the LPUS can charge for its cocktail parties, for convention materials, for access to the vendor floor or even to hear speakers. However, it should not require a mandatory registration fee be paid before the Credentials Committee will seat a duly elected delegate. In my opinion, every duly elected delegate should be credentialed and should have the right to vote during the business sessions of the LPUS National Convention."
MOTION: Whether or not the Libertarian Party's National Committee has the legal right to assess a registration fee upon all duly elected delegates attending the LPUS National Convention in St. Louis, Missouri over Memorial Day Weekend, the payment of which is being treated as a mandatory prerequisite to the Credentials Committee seating said delegates, it is the opinion of the Libertarian Party of New York that such a mandatory registration fee should not be assessed for delegates who wish to attend and vote exclusively at the business sessions of the LPUS National Convention.
Dr. Tom Stevens, who serves as the State Representative of the Libertarian Party of Queens County, drafted and proposed the motion. During debate, he said: "putting aside the issue of whether the Libertarian Party's National Committee has the legal right to assess a mandatory registration fee on duly elected delegates, the payment of which has become a prerequisite to the Credentials Committee seating said delegates, this motion merely expresses the opinion of the LPNY that such a fee should not be assessed for delegates who wish to attend and vote exclusively at the business sessions of the LPUS National Convention. While this motion will have no impact on the rules adopted for this convention, I hope that national takes our opinion into account when establishing the rules for the 2012 LPUS National Convention."
Sam Sloan, State Representative of the Manhattan LP, supported the motion stating that "some of our most important activists make an extraordinary effort to simply attend the convention" and that "requiring a mandatory registration fee would effectively exclude these individuals from participation during the business sessions of the national convention."
Blay Tarnoff, State Representative of the Nassau LP, in opposing the resolution called the language of the motion "bellicose" and stated that "a $25.00 mandatory registration fee" was acceptable to him. Joseph Dobrian, LPNY Vice-Chair, who spoke in favor of the motion stated, "there is nothing "bellicose" in the language of the motion". Dr. Stevens then spoke again pointing out that the mandatory convention registration fee is $99.00, not $25.00. M Carling, who serves as LPNY Secretary and in a number of appointed positions on the national level, warned that although he will ask for national's financial help with upcoming statewide petition drives both this year and in 2012, he fears his requests will fall on "deaf ears" if the LPNY expresses its opposition to the mandatory convention registration fee. In the end, Chris Edes, LPNY Chair, broke a tie and voted in favor of the motion. He will be informing national of the LPNY's opinion on this issue.
Dr. Stevens stated: "It is important that the Libertarian Party of New York express itself on this issue. In my opinion, the LPUS can charge for its cocktail parties, for convention materials, for access to the vendor floor or even to hear speakers. However, it should not require a mandatory registration fee be paid before the Credentials Committee will seat a duly elected delegate. In my opinion, every duly elected delegate should be credentialed and should have the right to vote during the business sessions of the LPUS National Convention."
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
OPNY Holds Read-In To Celebrate Ayn Rand's Birthday
On Tuesday, February 2, 2010 from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., the Objectivist Party of New York held a Read-In to celebrate Ayn Rand's Birthday at Panera Bread located at 160 Walt Whitman Road in Huntington Station, New York.
OPNY members brought the following books written by Ayn Rand to the Read-In: Atlas Shrugged, The Fountainhead, Anthem and We The Living. Each person read their book for 15 minutes identifying an interesting quotation or situation. Then each person shared their thoughts on that text during a 30 minute discussion period. This format was then repeated a second time.
Dr. Tom Stevens, OPNY President, hosted the event.
OPNY members brought the following books written by Ayn Rand to the Read-In: Atlas Shrugged, The Fountainhead, Anthem and We The Living. Each person read their book for 15 minutes identifying an interesting quotation or situation. Then each person shared their thoughts on that text during a 30 minute discussion period. This format was then repeated a second time.
Dr. Tom Stevens, OPNY President, hosted the event.
Monday, February 1, 2010
Objectivist Party Governing Board Holds Meeting In Manhattan
On Saturday, January 30, 2010 at 10:00 a.m., the Governing Board of the Objectivist Party held a meeting at Cafe Mocha located at 116 2nd Avenue (on the southeast corner of 7th Street) in Manhattan.
Present at the meeting were Dr. Tom Stevens, Dodge P. Landesman and Dallwyn Merck. Jonathan Damgaard Jakobsen was unable to attend.
The current state of the Objectivist Party was discussed as was its policies and programs.
Present at the meeting were Dr. Tom Stevens, Dodge P. Landesman and Dallwyn Merck. Jonathan Damgaard Jakobsen was unable to attend.
The current state of the Objectivist Party was discussed as was its policies and programs.
OPNY Holds Executive Committee Meeting In Manhattan
On Saturday, January 30, 2010 at 11:00 a.m., the Objectivist Party of New York held an Executive Committee Meeting at the Ukrainian East Village Restaurant located at 140 2nd Avenue in Manhattan.
Present at the meeting were the following officers:
President - Dr. Tom Stevens
Executive Vice-President - Andrew Clunn
Vice-President - Dodge P. Landesman
Secretary - Dallwyn Merck
The following officers were absent:
Treasurer - Ronald S. Ramo
Executive Assistant - Jay Stempel
Youth Coordinator - Peter Schonert
Upcoming events and plans for the future were discussed.
Present at the meeting were the following officers:
President - Dr. Tom Stevens
Executive Vice-President - Andrew Clunn
Vice-President - Dodge P. Landesman
Secretary - Dallwyn Merck
The following officers were absent:
Treasurer - Ronald S. Ramo
Executive Assistant - Jay Stempel
Youth Coordinator - Peter Schonert
Upcoming events and plans for the future were discussed.
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Sam Sloan Elected To Represent The Manhattan Libertarian Party On The LPNY State Committee
On January 30, 2010, Samuel Howard Sloan was unanimously elected to serve as the representative of the Manhattan Libertarian Party to the State Committee of the Libertarian Party of New York. The election took place at the Manhattan Libertarian Party's Annual Convention, which was held at the Ukrainian East Village Restaurant located at 140 2nd Avenue in New York, New York.
Sam Sloan is currently a resident of the Bronx and has announced his intention to seek the nomination of the Libertarian Party of New York for Governor in 2010. He was given an opportunity to address the packed convention hall and surprised everyone by beginning his remarks in Pashtun, which he claims to have learned while imprisoned in an Afghan jail. Sam Sloan is a Muslim and is known in Islamic circles as Haji Mohammed Ismail Sloan.
Mr. Sloan previously served as an officer of the Manhattan Libertarian Party, having been elected Director of Media Relations for a one-year term in 2006.
Read more about Sam Sloan in an article that appeared in the New York Sun on June 30, 2004 entitled "The Man In The Yellow Cab: Sam Sloan" at: http://dackman.homestead.com/SamSloanSun.htm
Sam Sloan is currently a resident of the Bronx and has announced his intention to seek the nomination of the Libertarian Party of New York for Governor in 2010. He was given an opportunity to address the packed convention hall and surprised everyone by beginning his remarks in Pashtun, which he claims to have learned while imprisoned in an Afghan jail. Sam Sloan is a Muslim and is known in Islamic circles as Haji Mohammed Ismail Sloan.
Mr. Sloan previously served as an officer of the Manhattan Libertarian Party, having been elected Director of Media Relations for a one-year term in 2006.
Read more about Sam Sloan in an article that appeared in the New York Sun on June 30, 2004 entitled "The Man In The Yellow Cab: Sam Sloan" at: http://dackman.homestead.com/SamSloanSun.htm
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
OPNY, OPAZ & OPIN Adopt Joint Affiliate Platform
The Objectivist Party of New York, Objectivist Party of Arizona and Objectivist Party of Indiana have adopted the following joint affiliate platform, which has been uploaded to the Affiliate Platforms section of the Objectivist Party website at http://www.objectivistparty.com/
VICTIMLESS CRIMES: We believe the government has no right to criminalize conduct consensually agreed to between adults that cause no direct harm to others. We believe in people taking responsibility for their own lives and oppose paternalistic government. As a result, we seek the immediate decriminalization of marijuana, prostitution, pornography, gambling and other victimless crimes.
MONETARY POLICY & TAXATION: We believe the government has no right to cause inflation and devalue our currency by permitting the Federal Reserve to "print money" or by borrowing money in order to balance the budget. We also oppose the large percentage of people's earnings the government takes through taxation. As a first step toward the goal of drastically reducing taxation on a federal, state and local level, we support the institution of a 10% federal flat tax and the elimination of all income and property taxes.
GAY ISSUES: We believe the government should not discriminate against anyone on the basis of that person's sexual orientation. On a federal level, we support the repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act and the military's policy of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell". On a state level, while our ultimate goal is to get the government out of the marriage business, we support full recognition of gay marriages so long as the government continues to issue marriage certificates to heterosexual couples.
IMMIGRATION: We support the right of all countries to control their own borders and to set the conditions immigrants must meet in order to obtain permanent residence and citizenship. We would give state law enforcement officials the power to enforce immigration law and to deport illegal aliens. We would grant immigration preferences to those with special skills; to those who would create jobs; to those who ideologically support free enterprise and respect for individual rights; to those who are committed to the use of science and reason instead of faith and mysticism when evaluating and discovering objective reality; and to those who believe in self-reliance and the pursuit of productive and purposeful lives.
DEFENSE: We believe one of the primary purposes of the federal government is to provide for the national defense. Toward that end, we would support expanding the incentives offered to encourage citizens to join the military and the National Guard. However, we oppose any form of involuntary servitude including the reinstitution of a draft.
CIVIL LIBERTIES: We believe the government must respect the individual and constitutional rights of all citizens including the right to keep and bear arms. We oppose all forms of censorship and invasions of privacy. We believe in the strict separation of church and state and believe "In God We Trust" should be removed from the country's coins and courtrooms.
ENTREPRENEURSHIP & MONUMENTAL PROJECTS: We believe the entrepreneurial spirit should be encouraged by reducing corporate taxation and bureaucratic regulation. We support the identification and development of privately financed grand scale monumental projects that can inspire citizens to lead heroic lives and to contribute more to their civilization.
VICTIMLESS CRIMES: We believe the government has no right to criminalize conduct consensually agreed to between adults that cause no direct harm to others. We believe in people taking responsibility for their own lives and oppose paternalistic government. As a result, we seek the immediate decriminalization of marijuana, prostitution, pornography, gambling and other victimless crimes.
MONETARY POLICY & TAXATION: We believe the government has no right to cause inflation and devalue our currency by permitting the Federal Reserve to "print money" or by borrowing money in order to balance the budget. We also oppose the large percentage of people's earnings the government takes through taxation. As a first step toward the goal of drastically reducing taxation on a federal, state and local level, we support the institution of a 10% federal flat tax and the elimination of all income and property taxes.
GAY ISSUES: We believe the government should not discriminate against anyone on the basis of that person's sexual orientation. On a federal level, we support the repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act and the military's policy of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell". On a state level, while our ultimate goal is to get the government out of the marriage business, we support full recognition of gay marriages so long as the government continues to issue marriage certificates to heterosexual couples.
IMMIGRATION: We support the right of all countries to control their own borders and to set the conditions immigrants must meet in order to obtain permanent residence and citizenship. We would give state law enforcement officials the power to enforce immigration law and to deport illegal aliens. We would grant immigration preferences to those with special skills; to those who would create jobs; to those who ideologically support free enterprise and respect for individual rights; to those who are committed to the use of science and reason instead of faith and mysticism when evaluating and discovering objective reality; and to those who believe in self-reliance and the pursuit of productive and purposeful lives.
DEFENSE: We believe one of the primary purposes of the federal government is to provide for the national defense. Toward that end, we would support expanding the incentives offered to encourage citizens to join the military and the National Guard. However, we oppose any form of involuntary servitude including the reinstitution of a draft.
CIVIL LIBERTIES: We believe the government must respect the individual and constitutional rights of all citizens including the right to keep and bear arms. We oppose all forms of censorship and invasions of privacy. We believe in the strict separation of church and state and believe "In God We Trust" should be removed from the country's coins and courtrooms.
ENTREPRENEURSHIP & MONUMENTAL PROJECTS: We believe the entrepreneurial spirit should be encouraged by reducing corporate taxation and bureaucratic regulation. We support the identification and development of privately financed grand scale monumental projects that can inspire citizens to lead heroic lives and to contribute more to their civilization.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Objectivist Party Of Georgia Adopts Affiliate Platform
On January 26, 2010, the Objectivist Party of Georgia adopted the following platform, which has been uploaded to the Affiliate Platforms section of the Objectivist Party website at http://www.objectivistparty.com/
FREE MARKET CAPITALISM: We advocate a completely free market with no government interference. We oppose tariffs, embargoes, rent controls, wage controls, corporate taxes and all other forms of government interference in private businesses. We oppose any and all legislation which forces or "encourages" employers to hire employees based on any standard other than their ability to perform the required tasks (e.g. affirmative action). We oppose any and all legislation which forces banks to lend money to unqualified candidates (e.g. the Community Reinvestment Act). We oppose all government bureaucracy which interferes with the rights of individual citizens to contract freely with businesses and individuals of their choice (e.g. the Food and Drug Administration), and we radically oppose the socialization of ANY industry in the United States and its territories, especially the health care industry.
TAXATION: We advocate a flat-rate income tax at both the Federal and State levels. We oppose all sales tax, property tax and progressive income tax structure. We radically oppose all tax-funded welfare programs, including but not limited to medicare, medicaid, government subsidized housing, and food stamps.
EDUCATION: In order to reduce the burden of taxation on citizens who do not have children, and to raise the overall standard of achievement in our nation's schools and universities, we advocate the gradual dissolution of the public school system in favor of privately funded education.
IMMIGRATION: We support the right of all countries to control their own borders and to set the conditions immigrants must meet in order to obtain permanent residence and citizenship. We would give state law enforcement officials the power to enforce immigration law and to deport illegal aliens. We would grant immigration preferences to those with special skills, to those who would create jobs and to those who ideologically support free enterprise and respect for individual rights.
GAY RIGHTS: We oppose all forms of prejudicial discrimination, including discrimination based on sexual orientation. We advocate the immediate and unconditional legalization of gay marriage nationwide, and condemn the United States Military's "Don't ask, don't tell" policy.
VICTIMLESS CRIMES: We advocate the immediate and unconditional legalization of gambling, prostitution, marijuana, alcohol and tobacco use for all individuals aged 18 years or older. We also call for the gradual legalization of other narcotics with restrictions (no driving under the influence, no using in the vicinity of children, no sale to minors, etc.) for all individuals aged 18 years or older. We advocate the right of adults to willfully engage in any activity that does not negatively affect others.
FREE MARKET CAPITALISM: We advocate a completely free market with no government interference. We oppose tariffs, embargoes, rent controls, wage controls, corporate taxes and all other forms of government interference in private businesses. We oppose any and all legislation which forces or "encourages" employers to hire employees based on any standard other than their ability to perform the required tasks (e.g. affirmative action). We oppose any and all legislation which forces banks to lend money to unqualified candidates (e.g. the Community Reinvestment Act). We oppose all government bureaucracy which interferes with the rights of individual citizens to contract freely with businesses and individuals of their choice (e.g. the Food and Drug Administration), and we radically oppose the socialization of ANY industry in the United States and its territories, especially the health care industry.
TAXATION: We advocate a flat-rate income tax at both the Federal and State levels. We oppose all sales tax, property tax and progressive income tax structure. We radically oppose all tax-funded welfare programs, including but not limited to medicare, medicaid, government subsidized housing, and food stamps.
EDUCATION: In order to reduce the burden of taxation on citizens who do not have children, and to raise the overall standard of achievement in our nation's schools and universities, we advocate the gradual dissolution of the public school system in favor of privately funded education.
IMMIGRATION: We support the right of all countries to control their own borders and to set the conditions immigrants must meet in order to obtain permanent residence and citizenship. We would give state law enforcement officials the power to enforce immigration law and to deport illegal aliens. We would grant immigration preferences to those with special skills, to those who would create jobs and to those who ideologically support free enterprise and respect for individual rights.
GAY RIGHTS: We oppose all forms of prejudicial discrimination, including discrimination based on sexual orientation. We advocate the immediate and unconditional legalization of gay marriage nationwide, and condemn the United States Military's "Don't ask, don't tell" policy.
VICTIMLESS CRIMES: We advocate the immediate and unconditional legalization of gambling, prostitution, marijuana, alcohol and tobacco use for all individuals aged 18 years or older. We also call for the gradual legalization of other narcotics with restrictions (no driving under the influence, no using in the vicinity of children, no sale to minors, etc.) for all individuals aged 18 years or older. We advocate the right of adults to willfully engage in any activity that does not negatively affect others.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Fraternity Initiations - Girlfriend For A Night
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Fraternity Initiations - Group Showering
Fraternities throughout the 1970s engaged in many initiation activities that were "rites of passage" for the new pledges. Many of these rites included sexual activities that the senior members of the fraternity went through when they pledged and that were then visited upon proposed new fraternity members. These rites were believed to create a special bond between the brothers as evidenced by similar hazing in fire departments and in military units throughout the years.
None of these hazing activities were considered gay in nature and, in fact, most fraternities did not accept gay members. The rule was "As long as you're not gay, it's O.K." even if the fraternity initiation rite contained an extreme amount of sexual conduct. The justification was clear and logical. The pledges who engaged in these sexual hazing activities were being forced to do so to get into the fraternity so they weren't gay and the older brothers forcing the pledges to engage in the behavior were doing so to denigrate and belittle the pledges so their activities weren't gay either.
One such fraternity initiation activity I witnessed (although did not participate in) was Group Showering. Most of the fraternities that had their own houses had open showers with no stalls that had multiple shower heads. Whether the pledge lived in the house or off campus, they were required to assemble in the very early morning (usually around 7 a.m.) to take a group shower with the rest of the pledges and then to have breakfast together with the rest of the fraternity brothers.
All the pledges were required to get naked and to enter the shower at the same time. Each was given a bar of soap and they were told to "lather up" their fellow pledges and "to clean every inch of their bodies". No pledge was allowed to clean himself. All were encouraged to remain in a group and to work on each other. If a pledge sported an erection, the supervising brother would instruct the pledges to make sure every inch of that erect cock was clean as well. This often led to the pledges cumming. If a pledge did not get hard, he was left alone. Any brother not enthusiastically participating in the group showering activities would receive a black mark on their pledge record, which often resulted in that pledge receiving especially unfavorable treatment during future pledge activities. After the group shower, the pledges dried each other off with towels and then were required to eat breakfast naked before dressing and going to class.
These "rites of passage" were favorably looked upon by most fraternities. They promoted bonding and yet did not involve hazing that risked the life or health of the pledges. They did not involve forced alcohol consumption or the infliction of pain. Also, these activities took place prior to A.I.D.S. being a consideration and before all such activities were being classified as "gay" by future pledge classes.
Dr. Tom Stevens had an opportunity to observe fraternity initiation activities during the time he served as President of the Student Council of the Washington Square & University College of Arts & Science at New York University in Greenwich Village, New York where he was influential in approving budgetary requests made by fraternities associated with that school. He was not a member of any fraternity at the time but was given access to witness many fraternity initiation rites.
None of these hazing activities were considered gay in nature and, in fact, most fraternities did not accept gay members. The rule was "As long as you're not gay, it's O.K." even if the fraternity initiation rite contained an extreme amount of sexual conduct. The justification was clear and logical. The pledges who engaged in these sexual hazing activities were being forced to do so to get into the fraternity so they weren't gay and the older brothers forcing the pledges to engage in the behavior were doing so to denigrate and belittle the pledges so their activities weren't gay either.
One such fraternity initiation activity I witnessed (although did not participate in) was Group Showering. Most of the fraternities that had their own houses had open showers with no stalls that had multiple shower heads. Whether the pledge lived in the house or off campus, they were required to assemble in the very early morning (usually around 7 a.m.) to take a group shower with the rest of the pledges and then to have breakfast together with the rest of the fraternity brothers.
All the pledges were required to get naked and to enter the shower at the same time. Each was given a bar of soap and they were told to "lather up" their fellow pledges and "to clean every inch of their bodies". No pledge was allowed to clean himself. All were encouraged to remain in a group and to work on each other. If a pledge sported an erection, the supervising brother would instruct the pledges to make sure every inch of that erect cock was clean as well. This often led to the pledges cumming. If a pledge did not get hard, he was left alone. Any brother not enthusiastically participating in the group showering activities would receive a black mark on their pledge record, which often resulted in that pledge receiving especially unfavorable treatment during future pledge activities. After the group shower, the pledges dried each other off with towels and then were required to eat breakfast naked before dressing and going to class.
These "rites of passage" were favorably looked upon by most fraternities. They promoted bonding and yet did not involve hazing that risked the life or health of the pledges. They did not involve forced alcohol consumption or the infliction of pain. Also, these activities took place prior to A.I.D.S. being a consideration and before all such activities were being classified as "gay" by future pledge classes.
Dr. Tom Stevens had an opportunity to observe fraternity initiation activities during the time he served as President of the Student Council of the Washington Square & University College of Arts & Science at New York University in Greenwich Village, New York where he was influential in approving budgetary requests made by fraternities associated with that school. He was not a member of any fraternity at the time but was given access to witness many fraternity initiation rites.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Fraternity Initiations - Giving Your Brother A Helping Hand
Fraternities throughout the 1970s engaged in many initiation activities that were "rites of passage" for the new pledges. Many of these rites included sexual activities the senior members of the fraternity went through when they pledged and that were then visited upon proposed new fraternity members. These rites were believed to create a special bond between the brothers as evidenced by similar hazing in fire departments and in military units throughout the years.
None of these hazing activities were considered gay in nature and, in fact, most fraternities did not accept gay members. The rule was "As long as you're not gay, it's O.K." even if the fraternity initiation rite contained an extreme amount of sexual conduct. The justification was clear and logical. The pledges who engaged in these sexual hazing activities were being forced to do so to get into the fraternity so they weren't gay and the older brothers forcing the pledges to engage in the behavior were doing so to denigrate and belittle the pledges so their activities weren't gay either.
There was an exception to the "denigrating and belittling" aspect of fraternity initiation rites that came up in the bonding that was supposed to take place between a pledge and his assigned Big Brother. It was the Big Brother's responsibility to help the pledge through the initiation process, to help the pledge learn about the history of the fraternity and to be mentally ready to accept the "proofs of loyalty" that were to follow. This bond between the Big Brother and the pledge was expected to last for life. As a result, there were a number of bonding activities a Big Brother could utilize to create that special bond.
The most common bonding activity used by Big Brothers in the fraternities I was familiar with was generally referred to as "Giving A Brother A Helping Hand". This activity did not take place in public but usually in the Big Brother's dorm room. The reciprocal activity included the Big Brother and the pledge getting naked. One would lie on his back on the bed while the other would massage his body with a soothing lotion. The purpose of this activity was to provide a relaxing and pleasurable experience for the person massaged. At some point, the massaged guy would get hard and the massager would then give him a "helping hand" until he came. After being cleaned up, they would change places. This bonding would be repeated many times during the pledge period and the goal was to create a special bond between the two guys. It was considered most likely that this was the first time the pledge ever had another guy touch his dick so this first experience was expected to, and did, create a bond between them that could never be broken.
Depending on the inclinations of the two guys involved, this "secret" activity sometimes was shared later in life whenever the two got together, sometimes even after the two married their respective wives. This was not considered "gay sex" because neither dude was attracted to guys sexually. It was just considered two guys giving each other a "helping hand".
These "rites of passage" were favorably looked upon by most fraternities. They promoted bonding and yet did not involve hazing that risked the life or health of the pledges. They did not involve forced alcohol consumption or the infliction of pain. Also, these activities took place prior to A.I.D.S. being a consideration and before all such activities were being classified as "gay" by future pledge classes.
Dr. Tom Stevens had an opportunity to observe fraternity initiation activities during the time he served as President of the Student Council of the Washington Square & University College of Arts & Science at New York University in Greenwich Village, New York where he was influential in approving budgetary requests made by fraternities associated with that school. He was not a member of any fraternity at the time but was given access to witness many fraternity initiation rites.
None of these hazing activities were considered gay in nature and, in fact, most fraternities did not accept gay members. The rule was "As long as you're not gay, it's O.K." even if the fraternity initiation rite contained an extreme amount of sexual conduct. The justification was clear and logical. The pledges who engaged in these sexual hazing activities were being forced to do so to get into the fraternity so they weren't gay and the older brothers forcing the pledges to engage in the behavior were doing so to denigrate and belittle the pledges so their activities weren't gay either.
There was an exception to the "denigrating and belittling" aspect of fraternity initiation rites that came up in the bonding that was supposed to take place between a pledge and his assigned Big Brother. It was the Big Brother's responsibility to help the pledge through the initiation process, to help the pledge learn about the history of the fraternity and to be mentally ready to accept the "proofs of loyalty" that were to follow. This bond between the Big Brother and the pledge was expected to last for life. As a result, there were a number of bonding activities a Big Brother could utilize to create that special bond.
The most common bonding activity used by Big Brothers in the fraternities I was familiar with was generally referred to as "Giving A Brother A Helping Hand". This activity did not take place in public but usually in the Big Brother's dorm room. The reciprocal activity included the Big Brother and the pledge getting naked. One would lie on his back on the bed while the other would massage his body with a soothing lotion. The purpose of this activity was to provide a relaxing and pleasurable experience for the person massaged. At some point, the massaged guy would get hard and the massager would then give him a "helping hand" until he came. After being cleaned up, they would change places. This bonding would be repeated many times during the pledge period and the goal was to create a special bond between the two guys. It was considered most likely that this was the first time the pledge ever had another guy touch his dick so this first experience was expected to, and did, create a bond between them that could never be broken.
Depending on the inclinations of the two guys involved, this "secret" activity sometimes was shared later in life whenever the two got together, sometimes even after the two married their respective wives. This was not considered "gay sex" because neither dude was attracted to guys sexually. It was just considered two guys giving each other a "helping hand".
These "rites of passage" were favorably looked upon by most fraternities. They promoted bonding and yet did not involve hazing that risked the life or health of the pledges. They did not involve forced alcohol consumption or the infliction of pain. Also, these activities took place prior to A.I.D.S. being a consideration and before all such activities were being classified as "gay" by future pledge classes.
Dr. Tom Stevens had an opportunity to observe fraternity initiation activities during the time he served as President of the Student Council of the Washington Square & University College of Arts & Science at New York University in Greenwich Village, New York where he was influential in approving budgetary requests made by fraternities associated with that school. He was not a member of any fraternity at the time but was given access to witness many fraternity initiation rites.
Fraternity Initiations - Eat The Cookie!
Fraternities throughout the 1970s engaged in many initiation activities that were "rites of passage" for the new pledges. Many of these rites included sexual activities that the senior members of the fraternity went through when they pledged and that were then visited upon proposed new fraternity members. These rites were believed to create a special bond between the brothers as evidenced by similar hazing in fire departments and in military units throughout the years.
None of these hazing activities were considered gay in nature and, in fact, most fraternities did not accept gay members. The rule was "As long as you're not gay, it's O.K." even if the fraternity initiation rite contained an extreme amount of sexual conduct. The justification was clear and logical. The pledges who engaged in these sexual hazing activities were being forced to do so to get into the fraternity so they weren't gay and the older brothers forcing the pledges to engage in the behavior were doing so to denigrate and belittle the pledges so their activities weren't gay either.
One such fraternity initiation activity I witnessed (although did not participate in) was Eat The Cookie! (referred to elsewhere as Soggy Biscuit). In its simplest, and most innocent form, pledges were lined up naked in a circle facing each other. On the floor in the middle was usually a black and white cookie, which is pretty solid and larger than most cookies. Pledges had to jerk off on the cookie and the last pledge to cum had to eat the cookie. This turned out not to be as horrible as it sounds because most of the guys couldn't shoot straight and in most instances missed the cookie entirely.
The more common form of Eat The Cookie! which had more bonding potential and lasted much longer had the pledges lined up naked next to each other. Usually the other fraternity brothers took seats facing them in order to observe the rite with a ringside seat. The first pledge was told to jerk off on the black and white cookie. After he did so, he passed the cookie to the pledge to his right. That pledge held the cookie near to his cock while the first pledge jerked him off. There was usually a time limit placed on how long each pledge now had to cum on the cookie, which increased the pressure. If the pledge could not cum on the cookie, he had to eat it. But in order to increase the chances of the pledge succeeding in his task, he needed to coach the first pledge as to how best to get him off. Such instructions included such advice as "hold it harder", "squeeze tighter" and "do it faster".
If the second pledge was able to ejaculate on the cookie, it was passed to the third pledge and then it was the duty of the second pledge to help the third pledge cum. If the second pledge failed to cum and ate the cookie, then the third pledge was given a new black and white cookie to cum on (without any time limitation) and then he aided the fourth pledge in the same manner described above. This went on for two or three full rounds so everyone had a chance to succeed or fail.
These "rites of passage" were favorably looked upon by most fraternities. They promoted bonding and yet did not involve hazing that risked the life or health of the pledges. They did not involve forced alcohol consumption or the infliction of pain. Also, these activities took place prior to A.I.D.S. being a consideration and before all such activities were being classified as "gay" by future pledge classes.
Dr. Tom Stevens had an opportunity to observe fraternity initiation activities during the time he served as President of the Student Council of the Washington Square & University College of Arts & Science at New York University in Greenwich Village, New York where he was influential in approving budgetary requests made by fraternities associated with that school. He was not a member of any fraternity at the time but was given access to witness many fraternity initiation rites.
None of these hazing activities were considered gay in nature and, in fact, most fraternities did not accept gay members. The rule was "As long as you're not gay, it's O.K." even if the fraternity initiation rite contained an extreme amount of sexual conduct. The justification was clear and logical. The pledges who engaged in these sexual hazing activities were being forced to do so to get into the fraternity so they weren't gay and the older brothers forcing the pledges to engage in the behavior were doing so to denigrate and belittle the pledges so their activities weren't gay either.
One such fraternity initiation activity I witnessed (although did not participate in) was Eat The Cookie! (referred to elsewhere as Soggy Biscuit). In its simplest, and most innocent form, pledges were lined up naked in a circle facing each other. On the floor in the middle was usually a black and white cookie, which is pretty solid and larger than most cookies. Pledges had to jerk off on the cookie and the last pledge to cum had to eat the cookie. This turned out not to be as horrible as it sounds because most of the guys couldn't shoot straight and in most instances missed the cookie entirely.
The more common form of Eat The Cookie! which had more bonding potential and lasted much longer had the pledges lined up naked next to each other. Usually the other fraternity brothers took seats facing them in order to observe the rite with a ringside seat. The first pledge was told to jerk off on the black and white cookie. After he did so, he passed the cookie to the pledge to his right. That pledge held the cookie near to his cock while the first pledge jerked him off. There was usually a time limit placed on how long each pledge now had to cum on the cookie, which increased the pressure. If the pledge could not cum on the cookie, he had to eat it. But in order to increase the chances of the pledge succeeding in his task, he needed to coach the first pledge as to how best to get him off. Such instructions included such advice as "hold it harder", "squeeze tighter" and "do it faster".
If the second pledge was able to ejaculate on the cookie, it was passed to the third pledge and then it was the duty of the second pledge to help the third pledge cum. If the second pledge failed to cum and ate the cookie, then the third pledge was given a new black and white cookie to cum on (without any time limitation) and then he aided the fourth pledge in the same manner described above. This went on for two or three full rounds so everyone had a chance to succeed or fail.
These "rites of passage" were favorably looked upon by most fraternities. They promoted bonding and yet did not involve hazing that risked the life or health of the pledges. They did not involve forced alcohol consumption or the infliction of pain. Also, these activities took place prior to A.I.D.S. being a consideration and before all such activities were being classified as "gay" by future pledge classes.
Dr. Tom Stevens had an opportunity to observe fraternity initiation activities during the time he served as President of the Student Council of the Washington Square & University College of Arts & Science at New York University in Greenwich Village, New York where he was influential in approving budgetary requests made by fraternities associated with that school. He was not a member of any fraternity at the time but was given access to witness many fraternity initiation rites.
Fraternity Initiations - The Elephant Walk
Fraternities throughout the 1970s engaged in many initiation activities that were "rites of passage" for the new pledges. Many of these rites included sexual activities that the senior members of the fraternity went through when they pledged and that were then visited upon proposed new fraternity members. These rites were believed to create a special bond between the brothers as evidenced by similar hazing in fire departments and in military units throughout the years.
None of these hazing activities were considered gay in nature and, in fact, most fraternities did not accept gay members. The rule was "As long as you're not gay, it's O.K." even if the fraternity initiation rite contained an extreme amount of sexual conduct. The justification was clear and logical. The pledges who engaged in these sexual hazing activities were being forced to do so to get into the fraternity so they weren't gay and the older brothers forcing the pledges to engage in the behavior were doing so to denigrate and belittle the pledges so their activities weren't gay either.
One such fraternity initiation activity I witnessed (although did not participate in) was the Elephant Walk. Pledges were lined up in a circle naked (on their feet or on their knees). They were told to place one of their thumbs in their mouth and their other thumb deep into the crack of the ass of the pledge in front of them. When everyone was in place, they were instructed to more forward together as a group. If any of the guy's thumbs fell out of the ass crack of the guy in front, they had to switch thumbs and continue on their journey.
Another version of the Elephant Walk I witnessed had the guys lined up naked in a circle. Their left hand was placed on the left shoulder of the guy in front of them. Their right hand had to reach behind and get a good grip on the erect cock of the guy following behind. Then they all had to move in a circle as instructed.
These "rites of passage" were favorably looked upon by most fraternities. They promoted bonding and yet did not involve hazing that risked the life or health of the pledges. They did not involve forced alcohol consumption or the infliction of pain. Also, these activities took place prior to A.I.D.S. being a consideration and before all such activities were being classified as "gay" by future pledge classes.
Dr. Tom Stevens had an opportunity to observe fraternity initiation activities during the time he served as President of the Student Council of the Washington Square & University College of Arts & Science at New York University in Greenwich Village, New York where he was influential in approving budgetary requests made by fraternities associated with that school. He was not a member of any fraternity at the time but was given access to witness many fraternity initiation rites.
None of these hazing activities were considered gay in nature and, in fact, most fraternities did not accept gay members. The rule was "As long as you're not gay, it's O.K." even if the fraternity initiation rite contained an extreme amount of sexual conduct. The justification was clear and logical. The pledges who engaged in these sexual hazing activities were being forced to do so to get into the fraternity so they weren't gay and the older brothers forcing the pledges to engage in the behavior were doing so to denigrate and belittle the pledges so their activities weren't gay either.
One such fraternity initiation activity I witnessed (although did not participate in) was the Elephant Walk. Pledges were lined up in a circle naked (on their feet or on their knees). They were told to place one of their thumbs in their mouth and their other thumb deep into the crack of the ass of the pledge in front of them. When everyone was in place, they were instructed to more forward together as a group. If any of the guy's thumbs fell out of the ass crack of the guy in front, they had to switch thumbs and continue on their journey.
Another version of the Elephant Walk I witnessed had the guys lined up naked in a circle. Their left hand was placed on the left shoulder of the guy in front of them. Their right hand had to reach behind and get a good grip on the erect cock of the guy following behind. Then they all had to move in a circle as instructed.
These "rites of passage" were favorably looked upon by most fraternities. They promoted bonding and yet did not involve hazing that risked the life or health of the pledges. They did not involve forced alcohol consumption or the infliction of pain. Also, these activities took place prior to A.I.D.S. being a consideration and before all such activities were being classified as "gay" by future pledge classes.
Dr. Tom Stevens had an opportunity to observe fraternity initiation activities during the time he served as President of the Student Council of the Washington Square & University College of Arts & Science at New York University in Greenwich Village, New York where he was influential in approving budgetary requests made by fraternities associated with that school. He was not a member of any fraternity at the time but was given access to witness many fraternity initiation rites.
Sunday, January 10, 2010
LPQC Elects New Officers At Annual Convention
The Annual Convention of the Libertarian Party of Queens County was held on Saturday, January 9, 2010 at Bohemian Hall at 29-19 24th Avenue in Astoria, New York.
The following officers were unanimously elected at the LPQC Convention to serve during the remainder of 2010 and until the next Annual Convention is held:
Chair - John Procida
Vice-Chair - John Clifton
Secretary - Dallwyn Merck
Treasurer - Ronald S. Ramo
Membership Director - Dr. Tom Stevens
State Representative - Dr. Tom Stevens
Congratulations to all who were elected!
The following officers were unanimously elected at the LPQC Convention to serve during the remainder of 2010 and until the next Annual Convention is held:
Chair - John Procida
Vice-Chair - John Clifton
Secretary - Dallwyn Merck
Treasurer - Ronald S. Ramo
Membership Director - Dr. Tom Stevens
State Representative - Dr. Tom Stevens
Congratulations to all who were elected!
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Libertarian Party Of Queens County Endorses Sam Sloan For Governor
The Annual Convention of the Libertarian Party of Queens County was held on Saturday, January 9, 2010 at 10: 30 a.m. in Bohemian Hall located at 29-19 24th Avenue in Astoria, New York.
The delegates attending the LPQC Annual Convention voted unanimously to endorse Sam Sloan, who is seeking the nomination of the Libertarian Party for Governor in 2010. Items mentioned favorably during debate included Sam Sloan's commitment to donate $5,000.00 to the statewide petition drive should he receive the nomination and his active involvement in the Libertarian Party over the past few years.
Sam Sloan first joined the Libertarian Party in the 1970s but became increasingly active in the party starting in 2002. In 2006, Sloan was elected to serve as Director of Media Relations of the Manhattan Libertarian Party. He sought the nomination of the Libertarian Party for Governor in 2006 and Mayor in 2009. He recently addressed the Libertarian Party of Queens County regarding his book "The Slave Children of Thomas Jefferson". Mr. Sloan was also a candidate for an At-Large position on the National Committee of the Libertarian Party and was a delegate to the LP's National Convention in Denver, Colorado in 2008.
Samuel Howard Sloan was born September 7, 1944 in Richmond, Virginia. Sloan attended the University of California, Berkeley and later worked for two years for the Wall Street Investment Banking firm of Hayden, Stone & Co. in the over-the-counter trading department. In 1970, he established Samuel H. Sloan & Co., a registered broker-dealer primarily trading over-the-counter stocks and bonds. The Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC) brought civil actions against Sloan & Co. in 1971-1975 alleging he had failed to maintain adequate books and records. After years of litigation, Sloan in 1978 prevailed in the U.S. Supreme Court. Sloan argued the case pro se even though he was not an attorney. The opposing attorney was Harvey Pitt, who was later Chairman of the SEC from 2001 to 2003. Sloan won before the U.S. Supreme Court 9-0. Sloan is the last non-lawyer to argue before the court. In July, 2006, Sam Sloan was elected to the Executive Board of the United States Chess Federation.
Sloan has written an extensive lexicon of Khowar, a language spoken in Chitral, Pakistan. Sloan had a minor role in a commercially-produced film, that later became a video game, Mahjong Horoki Classic. Sloan drove a taxicab in New York City for several years. He is now primarily a publisher of books and DVDs about chess, go and other subjects. Sloan has travelled to over 80 countries. Sloan has been married three times. Sloan's second wife, Honzagool, was a native of Khowar and together they had a daughter born in New York State on October 15, 1981. Sloan converted to Islam and thus is also known as Haji Mohammed Ismail Sloan.
The LPNY Annual Convention, at which the decision regarding the nomination will be made, is scheduled to take place on Saturday, April 24, 2010 at the Hilton Garden Inn located at 1389 Washington Avenue in Albany, New York.
The delegates attending the LPQC Annual Convention voted unanimously to endorse Sam Sloan, who is seeking the nomination of the Libertarian Party for Governor in 2010. Items mentioned favorably during debate included Sam Sloan's commitment to donate $5,000.00 to the statewide petition drive should he receive the nomination and his active involvement in the Libertarian Party over the past few years.
Sam Sloan first joined the Libertarian Party in the 1970s but became increasingly active in the party starting in 2002. In 2006, Sloan was elected to serve as Director of Media Relations of the Manhattan Libertarian Party. He sought the nomination of the Libertarian Party for Governor in 2006 and Mayor in 2009. He recently addressed the Libertarian Party of Queens County regarding his book "The Slave Children of Thomas Jefferson". Mr. Sloan was also a candidate for an At-Large position on the National Committee of the Libertarian Party and was a delegate to the LP's National Convention in Denver, Colorado in 2008.
Samuel Howard Sloan was born September 7, 1944 in Richmond, Virginia. Sloan attended the University of California, Berkeley and later worked for two years for the Wall Street Investment Banking firm of Hayden, Stone & Co. in the over-the-counter trading department. In 1970, he established Samuel H. Sloan & Co., a registered broker-dealer primarily trading over-the-counter stocks and bonds. The Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC) brought civil actions against Sloan & Co. in 1971-1975 alleging he had failed to maintain adequate books and records. After years of litigation, Sloan in 1978 prevailed in the U.S. Supreme Court. Sloan argued the case pro se even though he was not an attorney. The opposing attorney was Harvey Pitt, who was later Chairman of the SEC from 2001 to 2003. Sloan won before the U.S. Supreme Court 9-0. Sloan is the last non-lawyer to argue before the court. In July, 2006, Sam Sloan was elected to the Executive Board of the United States Chess Federation.
Sloan has written an extensive lexicon of Khowar, a language spoken in Chitral, Pakistan. Sloan had a minor role in a commercially-produced film, that later became a video game, Mahjong Horoki Classic. Sloan drove a taxicab in New York City for several years. He is now primarily a publisher of books and DVDs about chess, go and other subjects. Sloan has travelled to over 80 countries. Sloan has been married three times. Sloan's second wife, Honzagool, was a native of Khowar and together they had a daughter born in New York State on October 15, 1981. Sloan converted to Islam and thus is also known as Haji Mohammed Ismail Sloan.
The LPNY Annual Convention, at which the decision regarding the nomination will be made, is scheduled to take place on Saturday, April 24, 2010 at the Hilton Garden Inn located at 1389 Washington Avenue in Albany, New York.
Monday, January 4, 2010
Dr. Tom Stevens Designated Delegate To 2010 Libertarian Party National Convention
On Sunday, January 3, 2010, the State Committee of the Libertarian Party of New York designated Thomas Robert Stevens a delegate from New York State to the 2010 Libertarian Party National Convention that will be held from May 27-31, 2010 at the Renaissance Grand Hotel in St. Louis, Missouri.
Dr. Tom Stevens served as a delegate from New York State to the Libertarian Party National Conventions held in 2004, 2006 and 2008.
The 2004 LPUS National Convention was held from May 27-31, 2004 at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in Atlanta, Georgia.
The 2006 LPUS National Convention was held from June 28-July 3, 2006 at the Hilton Portland & Executive Tower located in Portland, Oregon.
The 2008 LPUS National Convention was held from May 23-26, 2008 at the Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel (formerly the Adam's Mark Hotel) located in Denver, Colorado.
Dr. Tom Stevens currently serves as Membership Director of the Libertarian Party of Queens County and serves on the State Committee of the Libertarian Party of New York representing the LPQC as its State Representative.
Dr. Tom Stevens served as a delegate from New York State to the Libertarian Party National Conventions held in 2004, 2006 and 2008.
The 2004 LPUS National Convention was held from May 27-31, 2004 at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in Atlanta, Georgia.
The 2006 LPUS National Convention was held from June 28-July 3, 2006 at the Hilton Portland & Executive Tower located in Portland, Oregon.
The 2008 LPUS National Convention was held from May 23-26, 2008 at the Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel (formerly the Adam's Mark Hotel) located in Denver, Colorado.
Dr. Tom Stevens currently serves as Membership Director of the Libertarian Party of Queens County and serves on the State Committee of the Libertarian Party of New York representing the LPQC as its State Representative.
Monday, December 28, 2009
Objectivist Party Affiliate Presidents: OPNY, OPPA, OPNJ, OPFL, OPTX & OPIL
The first six chartered affiliates of the Objectivist Party were the following:
Objectivist Party of New York - Chartered on June 7, 2008
Objectivist Party of Pennsylvania - Chartered on June 8, 2008
Objectivist Party of New Jersey - Chartered on June 9, 2008
Objectivist Party of Florida - Chartered on July 2, 2008
Objectivist Party of Texas - Chartered on July 17, 2008
Objectivist Party of Illinois - Chartered on July 20, 2008
The individuals who have served as President of these affiliates have been the following:
OPNY:
Dr. Tom Stevens (6/7/08 to Present)
OPPA:
Michael W. Reid, Jr. (6/8/08 to 9/23/08)
John Breig (9/23/08 to 11/18/08)
Timothy Michael Schaible (11/18/08 to 12/22/09)
Michael Nitikman (12/22/09 to Present)
OPNJ:
Alex Fitzsimmons (6/9/08 to 7/21/08)
Scott Christopher Baier (7/21/08 to 12/29/08)
Neil McGettigan (12/29/08 to Present)
OPFL:
Sarah Elles Boggs (7/2/08 to 1/20/09)
Joseph Wendt (1/20/09 to 2/28/09)
Benjamin Joseph Turick (2/28/09 to 3/5/09)
Vernon A. Rogers, II (3/5/09 to 7/8/09)
William Mayo Stinson (7/8/09 to Present)
OPTX:
Eric Beane (7/17/08 to 7/19/08)
Irnela Bajrovic (7/19/08 to 9/18/09)
Justin D. Cole (9/18/09 to 12/27/09)
Cameron Belt (12/27/09 to Present)
OPIL:
Brett R. Kaminski (7/20/08 to 9/30/08)
Paul Boruch (9/30/08 to 4/22/09)
Paul Schmid (4/22/09 to Present)
All affiliate President are appointed by the Governing Board of the Objectivist Party. The party appreciates their service.
Objectivist Party of New York - Chartered on June 7, 2008
Objectivist Party of Pennsylvania - Chartered on June 8, 2008
Objectivist Party of New Jersey - Chartered on June 9, 2008
Objectivist Party of Florida - Chartered on July 2, 2008
Objectivist Party of Texas - Chartered on July 17, 2008
Objectivist Party of Illinois - Chartered on July 20, 2008
The individuals who have served as President of these affiliates have been the following:
OPNY:
Dr. Tom Stevens (6/7/08 to Present)
OPPA:
Michael W. Reid, Jr. (6/8/08 to 9/23/08)
John Breig (9/23/08 to 11/18/08)
Timothy Michael Schaible (11/18/08 to 12/22/09)
Michael Nitikman (12/22/09 to Present)
OPNJ:
Alex Fitzsimmons (6/9/08 to 7/21/08)
Scott Christopher Baier (7/21/08 to 12/29/08)
Neil McGettigan (12/29/08 to Present)
OPFL:
Sarah Elles Boggs (7/2/08 to 1/20/09)
Joseph Wendt (1/20/09 to 2/28/09)
Benjamin Joseph Turick (2/28/09 to 3/5/09)
Vernon A. Rogers, II (3/5/09 to 7/8/09)
William Mayo Stinson (7/8/09 to Present)
OPTX:
Eric Beane (7/17/08 to 7/19/08)
Irnela Bajrovic (7/19/08 to 9/18/09)
Justin D. Cole (9/18/09 to 12/27/09)
Cameron Belt (12/27/09 to Present)
OPIL:
Brett R. Kaminski (7/20/08 to 9/30/08)
Paul Boruch (9/30/08 to 4/22/09)
Paul Schmid (4/22/09 to Present)
All affiliate President are appointed by the Governing Board of the Objectivist Party. The party appreciates their service.
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Hostess Holiday Fruitcake
The Hostess Holiday Fruitcake is solid, heavy, crunchy and full of candied fruits including pineapple and red and green cherries. You will also find raisins, almonds and walnuts in this chewy fruitcake. It is a good buy for the money. I have seen the Hostess Holiday Fruitcake selling for $4.29 on line but I purchased my 1 lb. fruitcake for only $2.79. I couldn't help but buy six of them, which I have distributed as gifts to my friends and family.
The Hostess Holiday Fruitcake is not a diet food. One quarter of the 1 lb. cake has 420 calories. The package suggests that for the best taste, you should chill it before slicing. I definitely agree with that advice. If you buy too many to eat over the holidays, you can freeze your extra fruitcakes and use them as needed during the rest of the winter season. Since it is chock full of fats and carbs, you might consider taking it along when you ski or do some winter hiking.
The Hostess Holiday Fruitcake is not a diet food. One quarter of the 1 lb. cake has 420 calories. The package suggests that for the best taste, you should chill it before slicing. I definitely agree with that advice. If you buy too many to eat over the holidays, you can freeze your extra fruitcakes and use them as needed during the rest of the winter season. Since it is chock full of fats and carbs, you might consider taking it along when you ski or do some winter hiking.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Dr. Tom Stevens Upgrades To Endowment Life Membership In The National Rifle Association
Dr. Tom Stevens, who already had donated $1,000.00 to purchase a Life Membership in the National Rifle Association, upgraded his membership to an Endowment Life Membership on December 10, 2009.
Endowment Life Membership is currently valued at $2,000.00. Endowment Life Members receive priority seating and guaranteed admission for two to the NRA's annual Celebration of American values events.
Dr. Stevens decided to upgrade his membership at this time because the upgrade came with the promise of an heirloom "Minuteman at Concord" statue, which will include a brass shield engraved with his name. The sculpture measures over 11" tall and is over 12" wide with a bronze patina and a rich, walnut-finished wood base.
The National Rifle Association was formed in 1871 by Union veterans Col. William C. Church and Gen. George Wingate who were concerned with the lack of marksmanship shown by their troops. The primary goal of the association would be to "promote and encourage rifle shooting on a scientific basis," according to a magazine editorial written by Church. After being granted a charter by the state of New York on November 17, 1871, the NRA was founded. Civil War Gen. Ambrose Burnside, who was also the former Governor of Rhode Island and a U.S. Senator, became the NRA's first President.
An important facet of the NRA's creation was the development of a practice ground. In 1872, with financial help from New York State, a site on Long Island, the Creed Farm, was purchased for the purpose of building a rifle range. Named Creedmoor, the range opened a year later, and it was there that the first annual matches were held.
Dr. Tom Stevens lives within 5 miles of the old Creedmoor rifle range, which is currently in Queens County, New York.
Political opposition to the promotion of marksmanship in New York forced the NRA to find a new home for its range. In 1892, Creedmoor was deeded back to the state and NRA's matches moved to Sea Girt, New Jersey.
In 1949, the NRA, in conjunction with the state of New York, established the first hunter education program.
The NRA continues to be a leader in firearms education. Over 50,000 Certified Instructors now train about 750,000 gun owners a year. Courses are available in basic rifle, pistol, shotgun, muzzleloading firearms, personal protection, and even ammunition reloading. Additionally, nearly 1,000 Certified Coaches are specially trained to work with young competitive shooters.
The NRA today is widely recognized as a major political force and as America's foremost defender of Second Amendment rights. Since its inception, it has also been the premier firearms education organization in the world.
The NRA currently has over four million members.
Endowment Life Membership is currently valued at $2,000.00. Endowment Life Members receive priority seating and guaranteed admission for two to the NRA's annual Celebration of American values events.
Dr. Stevens decided to upgrade his membership at this time because the upgrade came with the promise of an heirloom "Minuteman at Concord" statue, which will include a brass shield engraved with his name. The sculpture measures over 11" tall and is over 12" wide with a bronze patina and a rich, walnut-finished wood base.
The National Rifle Association was formed in 1871 by Union veterans Col. William C. Church and Gen. George Wingate who were concerned with the lack of marksmanship shown by their troops. The primary goal of the association would be to "promote and encourage rifle shooting on a scientific basis," according to a magazine editorial written by Church. After being granted a charter by the state of New York on November 17, 1871, the NRA was founded. Civil War Gen. Ambrose Burnside, who was also the former Governor of Rhode Island and a U.S. Senator, became the NRA's first President.
An important facet of the NRA's creation was the development of a practice ground. In 1872, with financial help from New York State, a site on Long Island, the Creed Farm, was purchased for the purpose of building a rifle range. Named Creedmoor, the range opened a year later, and it was there that the first annual matches were held.
Dr. Tom Stevens lives within 5 miles of the old Creedmoor rifle range, which is currently in Queens County, New York.
Political opposition to the promotion of marksmanship in New York forced the NRA to find a new home for its range. In 1892, Creedmoor was deeded back to the state and NRA's matches moved to Sea Girt, New Jersey.
In 1949, the NRA, in conjunction with the state of New York, established the first hunter education program.
The NRA continues to be a leader in firearms education. Over 50,000 Certified Instructors now train about 750,000 gun owners a year. Courses are available in basic rifle, pistol, shotgun, muzzleloading firearms, personal protection, and even ammunition reloading. Additionally, nearly 1,000 Certified Coaches are specially trained to work with young competitive shooters.
The NRA today is widely recognized as a major political force and as America's foremost defender of Second Amendment rights. Since its inception, it has also been the premier firearms education organization in the world.
The NRA currently has over four million members.
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Objectivist Party Governing Board Extends Free Membership Through December 31, 2010
On November 15, 2009, the Governing Board of the Objectivist Party voted unanimously to extend free membership in the Objectivist Party through December 31, 2010.
The text of the motion that passed was the following:
MOTION: that membership in the Objectivist Party from January 1, 2010 through December 31, 2010 be free; that the Objectivist Party Chair be authorized to receive applications for membership in the Objectivist Party, which shall consist of a person's full name & address, e-mail address and contact phone number (cell, home or business); that the Objectivist Party Chair be empowered to grant memberships, assign membership numbers and terminate memberships "without cause"; and that individuals accepted into membership in the Objectivist Party shall be considered both members of the Objectivist Party and members of any chartered affiliate in the geographic location in which they reside; and that all individuals who were members of the Objectivist Party on December 31, 2009 have their memberships automatically extended through December 31, 2010.
Dr. Tom Stevens, Jonathan Damgaard Jakobsen, Dodge P. Landesman and Dallwyn Merck all voted in favor of the motion. All appropriate notations have been made at the party's website.
The text of the motion that passed was the following:
MOTION: that membership in the Objectivist Party from January 1, 2010 through December 31, 2010 be free; that the Objectivist Party Chair be authorized to receive applications for membership in the Objectivist Party, which shall consist of a person's full name & address, e-mail address and contact phone number (cell, home or business); that the Objectivist Party Chair be empowered to grant memberships, assign membership numbers and terminate memberships "without cause"; and that individuals accepted into membership in the Objectivist Party shall be considered both members of the Objectivist Party and members of any chartered affiliate in the geographic location in which they reside; and that all individuals who were members of the Objectivist Party on December 31, 2009 have their memberships automatically extended through December 31, 2010.
Dr. Tom Stevens, Jonathan Damgaard Jakobsen, Dodge P. Landesman and Dallwyn Merck all voted in favor of the motion. All appropriate notations have been made at the party's website.
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Dr. Tom Stevens Renews Membership In Republican Liberty Caucus
On November 5, 2009, Dr. Tom Stevens renewed his membership in the Republican Liberty Caucus, a national organization of liberty-minded and libertarian-oriented members of the Republican Party. New York State does not yet allow voters to register Objectivist so Dr. Stevens remains a registered Republican for the time being.
The Statement of Principles of the Republican Liberty Caucus is the following:
The Republican Liberty Caucus supports individual rights, limited government and free enterprise.
We believe every human being is endowed by nature with inherent rights to life, liberty and property that are properly secured by law. We support a strict construction of the Bill of Rights as a defense against tyranny; the expansion of those rights to all voluntary consensual conduct under the Ninth and Tenth Amendments; and the requirements of equal protection and due process under the Fourteenth Amendment.
We support the Constitutional restrictions on federal government powers enumerated in Article I, Section 8 as an absolute limit on all government functions and programs. We oppose the adoption of broad and vague powers under the guise of general welfare or interstate commerce.
We oppose all restrictions on the voluntary and honest exchange of value in a free market. We favor minimal, equitable, and fair taxation for the essential functions of government. We oppose all legislation that concedes Congressional power to any regulatory agency, executive department, or international body.
We support the Constitution as the supreme law of the land, the republican form of government it requires, and the right of all citizens to fair and equitable representation.
We believe these are also the proper positions of the Republican Party.
Dr. Stevens does not believe the Republican Liberty Caucus will succeed in taking over the Republican Party from social conservatives from within but he supports its efforts to run pro-liberty candidates for office in Republican Primary Elections.
The Statement of Principles of the Republican Liberty Caucus is the following:
The Republican Liberty Caucus supports individual rights, limited government and free enterprise.
We believe every human being is endowed by nature with inherent rights to life, liberty and property that are properly secured by law. We support a strict construction of the Bill of Rights as a defense against tyranny; the expansion of those rights to all voluntary consensual conduct under the Ninth and Tenth Amendments; and the requirements of equal protection and due process under the Fourteenth Amendment.
We support the Constitutional restrictions on federal government powers enumerated in Article I, Section 8 as an absolute limit on all government functions and programs. We oppose the adoption of broad and vague powers under the guise of general welfare or interstate commerce.
We oppose all restrictions on the voluntary and honest exchange of value in a free market. We favor minimal, equitable, and fair taxation for the essential functions of government. We oppose all legislation that concedes Congressional power to any regulatory agency, executive department, or international body.
We support the Constitution as the supreme law of the land, the republican form of government it requires, and the right of all citizens to fair and equitable representation.
We believe these are also the proper positions of the Republican Party.
Dr. Stevens does not believe the Republican Liberty Caucus will succeed in taking over the Republican Party from social conservatives from within but he supports its efforts to run pro-liberty candidates for office in Republican Primary Elections.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Stevens Holds Teleconference For Objectivist Party Affiliate Presidents & Officers
On Friday, October 16, 2009 at 10:15 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time, Dr. Tom Stevens, Objectivist Party Chair, held a teleconference for Objectivist Party Affiliate Presidents & Officers.
During the teleconference, Dr. Stevens went over the 25 Affiliate Priorities and spoke of all the Special Projects many of the affiliates have chosen to participate in. He discussed ideas for drawing media attention and for recruitment.
The three affiliates with the largest number of representatives participating in the teleconference were New York, New Jersey & Florida.
During the teleconference, Dr. Stevens went over the 25 Affiliate Priorities and spoke of all the Special Projects many of the affiliates have chosen to participate in. He discussed ideas for drawing media attention and for recruitment.
The three affiliates with the largest number of representatives participating in the teleconference were New York, New Jersey & Florida.
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