In response to Scott Kaufman's piece, "Chairman claims Nevada Libertarian Party 'infested with idiots'" (http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/11/24/chairman-claims-nevada-libertarian-party-infested-with-idiots/). Normally I would never self-identify as a "knucklehead"; however recently the former Chair of the Libertarian Party of Nevada (LPN) has decided to take a break from leadership because, as he puts it, "the LPN is infested with idiots and knuckleheads". I would now like to take a little time to explain how this came to be.
It was 2011, I was so fed up with the political stories in the news that I decided to get involved again in the Libertarian Party. I had been a member in California, but since moving here in 2006 I hadn't really heard anything about a state party. I googled LPN, found a website and eventually got a hold of Brett Pojunis. He was enthusiastic and wanted to meet, and he said there was a convention coming up, would I like to get involved. I said sure, and eventually got together with a few of the members on the excom. We all had a few things in common...go figure. We were clean cut...for the most part. We were conservative on fiscal issues...rabidly so. I was introduced to Wayne Allyn Root's book and read some of it to familiarize myself with whom I assumed was a big player in the party (he was VP candidate on the 2008 ticket). First thing I learned from the book was that Wayne was the son of a butcher...SO WAS I! We must have so many things in common...I thought. I was asked to be the chair of the convention after a few weeks...maybe a couple months? I prepared a speech...and then I had to stand up, welcome everyone...and deliver it.
For weeks, I had been excited and at the same time warned about some bad seeds in the party. These were the freaks and "kooks" that were anarchist bombthrowing rabble-rousers...an embarrassment to the party. I just hoped they wouldn't throw anything at me, I had on my good suit. I stood up on the dais, and quoted Bastiat's "The Law". I was thanked and congratulated by Wayne, Brett and Joe...as well as a few members of the party that I was supposed to be wary of. How is this possible...there is no way these heathens had read Bastiat. I was the enemy to them, they hated our faction...why were some being nice? Something was afoot. I was going to find out what.
I went to the table in question...bristling with contempt and evil...and introduced myself to a petite dark haired woman with eyes that could see through me...I was convinced she was some kind of witch or worse...a mind reader. I shook her hand, and said "I'm Jason." Then, it happened. She answered back "I'm Debra, I liked your speech." I knew it...wait...what? "Thank you, I just got involved in the party." was my response...to which she told me she has been involved for many years. Eventually we talked about Reiki...an art of healing using the human body as a conduit for energy and life. Not exactly suit and tie activities. Something didn't add up...we had things in common, she was polite and friendly...I felt at ease somehow. I went around the table, and met some of the others...including what Joe warned me, was the devil himself. I introduced myself to David Colborne, who was in a suit and tie (probably under cover) and we actually excused ourselves from Joes 4 hour speech and spoke in the hall. He was well spoken, intelligent and was a former member of the excom until Joe Silvestri's faction disaffiliated all the counties. I asked where the hell all these anarchist bomb throwers were that Silvestri had told me about, and with a wry smile, he shrugged his shoulders and said...we have all been where you are. Now I'm confused...we all seem to be Libertarians, and getting along. Where are the people I was told are bad for the party?
After break, we sat back down and got to listen to Wayne Allyn Root speak. He addressed the "devil's table" and continued to go on about how best to get libertarians elected. He mentioned that talking about legalizing drugs was not popular, nor would it bring in votes from the GOP. He spoke about his Libertarian pedigree coming from his desire to legalize online poker. He said that we should be socially tolerant, but run on a platform that could sway Republicans to vote for us. Gay rights is fine...but it doesn't win you votes in red districts...I think I found out who was bad for the party...he was bucking for a nomination to run for President or Senate...and he was Joe's right hand...Oh my god...I'm on the wrong side. Within a few months, Romney was nominated, and Wayne said, "It's got to be Romney" at a Gary Johnson function. Wayne finally left the party and went back to the GOP...and Brett and I had our "cause".
In January of this year, I asked my girlfriend to call and email Joe Silvestri to get info about signing up for the party. She wanted to join, probably because she wanted to support me...but nonetheless...she got a phone call a few days later, with a message to call him back. This was the Chair of the LPN taking his time doing something more important than outreach and helping people become members? I knew what had to be done. Brett Pojunis had been feeling the same as me about Wayne, Joe and the way this party had been going...we were going to run for the excom and change things. I knew we could speak to our suit and tie crowd...and educate them on the ills of oppressive social policies, but also, we could speak to people who were more passionate than former GOPers...had first hand knowledge of police brutality and bigotry...something a pair of tall, white cleancut men in suits couldn't really relate to. Well, I don't wear ties anymore, and I now sport a bushy beard...I was told I look a lot more "Libertarian" now...sheesh...I am so much more comfortable too...and yes, now I have been put in handcuffs and thrown up against a cop car for having a CCW and Libertarian bumper sticker. I'm so proud.
In two years under Joe Silvestri's reign, I have never seen meeting minutes posted. I have never read a treasurer report. I have seen no outreach...sure, a pub night here and there...a meetup page talking about a hike...but what about action? During the past 9 months, Brett Pojunis has had two people calling all registered Libertarians in the state, notifying them of the convention, and asking if they want to join the party. Many were just getting their first phone call from the party...and it wasn't even from the party...it was from Brett...on his dime. All the while, Brett has been traveling and doing work as a rep for the Libertarian National Party. After all these months, all this work, and all this time...I have only seen three things from Joe Silvestri...complaints about Brett, allegations about fraud, and crying about how his party is in disarray. Joe, you have run out of excuses, you have run out of people willing to serve on your excom, you have run out of time...but make no mistake...you have been RUN out of office. You can call us idiots, you can call us knuckleheads...but make no mistake about this...libertarians control this party, and when you act like a tyrannical megalomaniac and cast out those who disagree...they go somewhere...and they get together, and they come back. And for that, I thank you. As the newly elected Vice Chair of the Libertarian Party of Nevada, I proudly welcome anyone who brings the spirit and energy of libertarianism to the table, regardless of how you dress, how you speak or what you think is best for the party; we will work together to grow this party, respect the individuals who make up our party, and never sacrifice an issue to sway someone or trick someone who isn't libertarian just to get a vote on election day. Our goal is to get libertarians elected...but we have ethics. Call me a knucklehead...I'm in great company.
Jason Smith
Vice Chair Libertarian Party of Nevada.
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