Let me Tell You A Story About the Early Days of This Forum

[brandon]

Ron Paul was excluded from the debates by Rick Beltram in Spartanburg, South Carolina. Someone on this forum had an idea: Let's have a food drive and generate some press for Ron Paul in protest, and help people at the same time.

At that time, Ron Paul was getting alot of negative press for his supporters 'spamming' polls (he was winning every straw poll, because he had the only existent grassroots in the race).

So someone else had an idea: Spam Spartanburg. (food drive including cans of spam) within A COUPLE OF HOURS a chipin was made, and several hundred dollars were raised - the food drive was a success.

Another time someone had the idea to use pictures of Ron Paul supporters to create a 'mosaic' picture of Ron Paul. This person released the first mosaic picture, and someone else suggested it become a full-page newspaper ad, and soon after enough money was raised to put it in the Ames Tribune THE DAY OF THE IOWA STRAW POLL.

This place used to be the pinnacle of grassroots activity - an amazing coordinating platform for talented, motivated, liberty minded people to produce effective, targeted campaigns for freedom.

Wish ya'll could have seen it. Wish it could be that way again.

Every time you post: Are you bringing a project closer to fruition? If not, perhaps you should start another forum: RonPaulCouchPotatos.com. Please, please, try not to get in the way of real work around here.

/rant.

This is true, but now the presidential campaign is over. There is little room left for a national organization. At this point we all should be focused on local politics if we want to have any chance of success in the future.

In the absence of any pressing national campaign issues, it is pretty natural for the forum to just become a discussion/social forum.

 

[constituent]

In the absence of any pressing national campaign issues, it is pretty natural for the forum to just become a discussion/social forum.

for the time being, yes. but patience is a virtue!

 

[Roxi]

This is true, but now the presidential campaign is over. There is little room left for a national organization. At this point we all should be focused on local politics if we want to have any chance of success in the future.

In the absence of any pressing national campaign issues, it is pretty natural for the forum to just become a discussion/social forum.

i totally get what your saying, and i really enjoy the socializing that i do on these forums, i don't have any friends in real life, because none of them want to hear about politics, or liberty or ron paul, or news stories associated, im pretty sure i have been blocked from several email lists, or at least forwarded to the spam box

so you guys are all i got


however, i think what nay is getting at is this... there are still a lot of important projects that come up on these boards that get little traction like they used to... ill go ahead and use LSP as an example here, LSP isn't getting as much traction as it should be, i have tried to explain why i feel like its so important, and im sure everyones getting tired of hearing about it, but in the old days the video would have had thousands of views not a couple hundred, we would have raised several thousand dollars, not 1200

the subforum would have been full, its only posters are the few people helping and a handful of others who are interested.

there are other similar projects that don't get enough attention, or are pushed down by trolls, or whatever... the teamwork just isn't there like it used to be

but we are still growing, still going strong, and this country is changing because of us, and our partnership with other groups like us

so ya, u guys are still AWESOME!!!

 

[ronpaulhawaii]

The 4th of July Signbomb showed us our ability to use the net for coordinated national efforts. The thermometer led the way to the moneybombs..., what a ride...

(Luckily, I'm a rollercoaster junkie )

onward and forward

woooohooooooo!!!

 

[The_Orlonater]

I wasn't around. Technically I'm the new guy.

 

[MsDoodahs]

I wasn't around. Technically I'm the new guy.

You would have loved it. I've never seen anything like the way it used to be here in my life.

The energy was amazing.

We would find out that Ron was going to be on some show...we'd gather here hours in advance....we'd all be nervous as hell....we were thrilled if Ron was on for two minutes!

If you never saw the "ron paul junkie" youtube that Rachel did...that was what we all were....ron paul junkies....when we got the teeniest fix, we'd be totally totally thrilled and pumped to do more and more and more.

It was truly special...

 

[porcupine]

nayjevin, my impulsive desire to pimp the Free State Project requires me to suggest that you check out moving to where the non-couch potato libertarians are all moving to. We're sucking all the best activists away from other states so you best join us

 

[CasualApathy]

Here is my story:

When these forums were created I had only known about Ron Paul for a short time. Actually I was a pretty disillusioned young man at the time... It seemed like everywhere I looked there were lies and injustice, and the sollutions being offered by the media and politicians allwayes defied common sense. You all know what I mean.

Then one day as I was listening to Alex Jones - which I did a lot back then - he started talking about this congressman from Texas. I quickly began paying attention because I had never heard Alex talk so positively about anyone. Alex was talking about trying to convince Ron Paul to run for president, and he asked his listeners to write letters of support and encouragement. Alex must have made at least a 2-hour pitch, explaining all the reasons why Ron Paul was exactly what america needed. When the show ended, I just had to know more about him.

I began to google the good doctor, and the more I found, the more I became fascinated by the philosophy. Being a Dane and living in europe, I had never heard anything like this, ever. I was drawn to it because I had all these questions about the world, but untill I learned about Ron Paul I had no answers.

Needless to say I became pretty obsessed with learning more, and I spent a lot of time following the latest news on the few early sites like the DailyPaul. This was a whole new world that was opening up to me, and I simply couldn't get enough.

I was very active spreading the word about Dr. Paul online in chat rooms and news-sites, but I had never been active on any forums at that time. When this forum was finally created I mostly just read it for the news, but It wasn't long before I realised that these forums were a very special place.

I remember the excitement of going to these forums every day. Back then Ron Paul was still pretty unknown, so there was almost a sort of brotherhood between us here. We were here because we knew that we liked Ron Paul, but many of us were still learning the basics.

I remember how privileged I felt to be able to come here every day and learn more about the man and the philosophy. It was a very special time because every time someone dugg out some new peice of information, it was allways good news. There were no dumb questions back then because we were all learning together, and there was a sense of adventure every day as we worked together to learn more. We were the pioneers, and that was both very exciting and very humbling.

Back then we couldn't have imagined where we would be today. We were here talking about and supporting this obscure congressman from Texas, and we did it simply because of the passion he had awoken in us.

We were pretty modest in our efforts at first. We would see a news-article and work together in spreading the word about Dr. Paul in the comments. We would help eachother finding information, articles, books, videos, blogs, anything we could find. someone would suggest an idea, and those who wanted to help out did so, and those who didn't stayed quiet. We had a motto back then; "Help out, or shut up."

Thinking back it was truly one of the greatest times in my young life, I was at that one special place at that one special time, and that makes me feel so lucky.
However, as it is allways the case things change. We can't turn back time and relive that time again even if we wanted to, but those of us who were here can remember it, and maybe - just maybe we can try to find that old spirit of cooperation again. If we start getting back to basics - recognizing that no question is too stupid, and every effort - no matter how small or seemingly insignificant - is worthwhile and can be realised if a few people work together to get it done.

And perhaps we should revive that old motto again.

 

[malibuu]

Remember the Iowa Tax Reform Forum (or whatever) where they wouldn't let RP speak and so he had a rally next door and had far more people in attendance? That was a high point.

Yes, the taxrelief.org forum of Ed Failor, Jr. in Des Moines in late June 2007 - the early meetups really got on it all quick to pass around
that the champion of taxpayer rights was being excluded - and the Iowa Republican Party and State Attorney General Office were contacted
because as a non-profit that organization can not support - or exclude - any FEC filed candidates without jeopardizing their non-profit status.

 

[mediahasyou]

much respect.

if this didn't happen, i'd still be a neocon.

 

[DAFTEK]

^ I remember some of Hamadeh posts, Good guy like many others who don't post much around here anymore. I hope we reorganize again soon and grow bigger then ever. Ron Paul has brought back to me what i had once when i was a Ronald Reagan Republican God i miss that man. My most favorite picture in my house sits framed in my living room wall so everyone can see it. Ronald Reagan talking with Ron Paul! Priceless!!!! These are my Heroes!

 

[TruckinMike]

..The good 'Ol days

in case you were wondering... yes, I did take the "RED" pill.

 

[DAFTEK]

^^ lol ^^ That's one hell'a pill... Good work soldier!!!

 

[nayjevin]

I remember how privileged I felt to be able to come here every day and learn more about the man and the philosophy. It was a very special time because every time someone dugg out some new peice of information, it was allways good news. There were no dumb questions back then because we were all learning together, and there was a sense of adventure every day as we worked together to learn more. We were the pioneers, and that was both very exciting and very humbling.

However, as it is allways the case things change. We can't turn back time and relive that time again even if we wanted to, but those of us who were here can remember it, and maybe - just maybe we can try to find that old spirit of cooperation again. If we start getting back to basics - recognizing that no question is too stupid, and every effort - no matter how small or seemingly insignificant - is worthwhile and can be realised if a few people work together to get it done.

echo, thanks!

 

[angelatc]

i totally get what your saying, and i really enjoy the socializing that i do on these forums, i don't have any friends in real life, because none of them want to hear about politics, or liberty or ron paul, or news stories associated, im pretty sure i have been blocked from several email lists, or at least forwarded to the spam box

so you guys are all i got

I'm kind of like that too. I have to admit thought, while they don't want to hear about politics, liberty, Ron Paul or creeping socialism, I don't want to hear about their concerns either. Botox, manicures, shopping, American Idol (ok, maybe the last couple of shows...) Desperate Housewives.....ugh.

 

[reduen]

Touch....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1CMwEXfcZg

 

[DAFTEK]

It's the only thing that keeps the fire in my gut burning,,, daily apathy : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zto1tFg9G7k

 

[reduen]

It's the only thing that keeps the fire in my gut burning,,, daily apathy : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zto1tFg9G7k

Nice man...

 

[nayjevin]

I remember how privileged I felt to be able to come here every day and learn more about the man and the philosophy. It was a very special time because every time someone dugg out some new peice of information, it was allways good news. There were no dumb questions back then because we were all learning together, and there was a sense of adventure every day as we worked together to learn more. We were the pioneers, and that was both very exciting and very humbling.

thanks, casualApathy!

Thinking back it was truly one of the greatest times in my young life, I was at that one special place at that one special time, and that makes me feel so lucky.
However, as it is allways the case things change. We can't turn back time and relive that time again even if we wanted to, but those of us who were here can remember it, and maybe - just maybe we can try to find that old spirit of cooperation again. If we start getting back to basics - recognizing that no question is too stupid, and every effort - no matter how small or seemingly insignificant - is worthwhile and can be realised if a few people work together to get it done.

 

[speciallyblend]

thanks, casualApathy!

nayjevin ,things might change a lil on the forums in the coming weeks. what we have planned is something i have been thinking about for awhile. We have several talented people from rpf involved and when we launch ,we will have tools for everyone to get involved

http://digg.com/politics/Constitution_Revolution_Calling_All_Remaining_Patriots

http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?t=181547, EVERYONE OF YOU HAVE BEEN OUR INSPIRATION for this next project and it will involve all of you

more to come, I just hope we make you all proud to get involved with this next project!!!