From Astrophysics to Politics and a Change in Philosophy, by Ani DeGroot

[sailingaway]

Editor’s note: Yahoo News asked young libertarian-minded voters to share why they’re drawn to the either the Libertarian Party or to libertarian political principles in general. Here’s one first-person account we received this week.

FIRST PERSON | Any Iowan will tell you, it's difficult to live in the Hawkeye State and not be politically involved. Walking into coffee shops, riding the city bus, eating lunch on campus, shopping at the store—you hear the political conversations buzzing constantly, even years out from caucus night.
However, my political interest only flared in the classroom, on the debate team, and to satisfy my enjoyment of arguing with friends; candidates and party politics intrigued me very little. In high school, I flew the Republican flag, but I never could quite ignore the doubt in the back of my mind that my logic was faulty.

When I was admitted to the University of Iowa on a pre-med course with the future goal of applying to NASA, I had no intention of furthering my political understanding. Being a "red" player would only matter to me on Election Day and that would be that.

It was during my Sophomore year at Iowa in late 2007, that I realized I might not be able to write off politics so easily. In an astrophysics class one day I noticed large, bold letters scribbled on the chalkboard: "Google Ron Paul!" I had no idea who Ron Paul was and assumed he might be an astrophysicist, or at least a scientist. So, I did it. I googled Ron Paul. And he wasn't exactly the James A. Van Allen that I had envisioned; he was something completely different—something that would eventually change my life.

As I read more on Dr. Paul, I encountered for the first time someone in politics who employed logic consistently throughout his policy positions and adhered to his principles strongly. As my own political philosophy developed, I soon came to the conclusion that the libertarian philosophy was indeed the only political ideology rooted in logic throughout its entire application.

It became quite clear to me that most “representatives” in Washington had no interest in liberty or the Constitution. The burden caused by bad policy and an ever-increasing national debt that would be thrust onto the backs of my generation while both major parties treated endless borrowing and spending as the solution for nearly every problem. Though there are some principled exceptions, neither party’s Establishment seems interested in principle when power is at stake.

After my encounter with Ron Paul and subsequent research, for better or worse I left the natural sciences and began to study political science and economics. I also joined my campus' Students for Austrian Economics club and Young Americans for Liberty (YAL) chapter.

Since that fateful day in 2007, I became a campus activist through Young Americans for Liberty, seeking to educate students on the principles of liberty; and now, at 25, I've become more involved in the local Republican Party. I was eventually made the State Chair of Iowa for YAL, a role through which I was able to lay the foundation to be one of the very first hires of the Ron Paul 2012 presidential campaign and ultimately the youngest national delegate from Iowa to the RNC.

http://news.yahoo.com/from-astrophysics-to-politics-and-a-change-in-philosophy-204145928.html

I hope other installments are as good!

Those here during Ron's campaign will remember Ani.

 

[mad cow]

—something that would eventually change my life.

Someone took one minute and $0.0001 worth of chalk to change a life.
Sometimes some of us here think we are beating our heads against a stone wall,but look at this and rejoice.

 

[sailingaway]

Someone took one minute and $0.0001 worth of chalk to change a life.
Sometimes some of us here think we are beating our heads against a stone wall,but look at this and rejoice.

It happened all the time. I don't remember exactly when it clicked for me. I donated to the big money bombs BEFORE I was really sold, because I didn't really research Ron until right before my primary election in CA in 2008, and then it was pretty much over.... but I thought I'd find something bad, went to the newsletters first, they popped like a soap bubble, and he looked BETTER the more I researched him. I had never ever had that experience with a politician before.

 

[tsai3904]

More first person stories here:

http://news.yahoo.com/young-little-l-libertarians-choose-principle-over-power-222100259.html

 

[Matt Collins]

The only thing I can say is that it's a good thing I graduated in '05 before the R3volution started, otherwise I would've flunked out due to a shift in priorities heh.

 

[EBounding]

Someone took one minute and $0.0001 worth of chalk to change a life.
Sometimes some of us here think we are beating our heads against a stone wall,but look at this and rejoice.

That's true. Back in '08 I remember seeing homemade "RON PAUL R3VOLUTION" signs. I thought he was a nut, but never looked into him. When I saw he was running again in 2011, I just had to know what the big deal was.

 

[Bastiat's The Law]

Someone took one minute and $0.0001 worth of chalk to change a life.
Sometimes some of us here think we are beating our heads against a stone wall,but look at this and rejoice.

I'd like to hear more.

 

[Czolgosz]

Humanity and freedom don't mix. Welcome to the land of misfit toys.

 

[sailingaway]

bump for a good article!

 

[Matt Collins]

Oh how I miss the days when I read SlashDot instead of RPF. Put another way, I wish I could go back to thinking about things like science and technology, instead of politics.

 

[Natural Citizen]

... I wish I could go back to thinking about things like science and technology, instead of politics.

Soon...

We're at the crossroads in which these two must merge. Been a long time coming too. Since the cold war.

If one were to place the phenomenon into political (historic) terms though the democrats are doing a much better job at placing it into discussion with their base. Although traditionally the very premise of the S.T.E.M. program has been a bipartisan effort. As far as the support base or general public is concerned though folks in this particularlar community tend to ignore the relevance. This paper is actually interesting. Won't get the job done by simply demonstrating one student becoming involved with the political narrative. It dismisses the relevance of these sciences and education from the minds of the target base who are typically opposed to modernization through relevant education.

But...you can lead a horse to water. It's up to them to drink it.