[Lnc-business] August Meeting Location / Eclipse Activism Idea

[Starchild]

	Do you know whether there is free meeting space available in either of these locations, Tim? A local activism tie-in? Locals who can provide crash space for people traveling to the meeting? I'd tend to look favorably at a location proposal that incorporates these elements.

	The eclipse itself represents an opportunity for Libertarian visibility, if we are agile enough and ready enough to think outside-the-box to take advantage of it. When I raised the issue of Jill Stein's effective championing of the election recount as an agenda item at our LNC meeting last weekend, this is a small example of the kind of news cycle event I was envisioning us having a mechanism for brainstorming around and acting upon. Anything that's predictably going to be in the news is something we can potentially use as a "teachable moment".

	Naturally a total solar eclipse will be a big media story in the places where it will be readily observable, and being on the spot with some pointed but light-hearted political activism could easily get us coverage and interviews. Here's an idea for how we could do it:

	Have a presence at a popular viewing place for the event under the name of a made-up government agency, such as the "Bureau of Astronomical Licensing", bearing obviously satirical but official-looking licenses or permits (perhaps a few different varieties, e.g. one for children, one for a special exemption for not having protective eyewear, different fee schedules for various durations of viewing, etc.), and asking attendees deadpan whether they have the proper documents to be viewing the eclipse. 

 	We'd have "permits" or "licenses" signed by party officials as whimsical souvenirs for those wishing to donate to the LP, and simultaneously hand out free literature talking about how government permit and licensing requirements destroy freedom and harm the economy. Print enough supplies to reasonably cover expected on-site demand, and sell the leftovers on LPStore.com. If we wanted to go the extra mile with it, order up special "officially approved" viewing glasses, which would feature completely blacked-out lenses (you couldn't see anything at all looking through them).

	If any of us were to be cited or arrested on-site for vending without the proper permits (naturally those not wishing to personally risk the ire of the authorities would not need to be directly involved in such activity), that would make the activism even more newsworthy and perfectly illustrate our point.

Love & Liberty,
                                    ((( starchild )))
At-Large Representative, Libertarian National Committee
                                  (415) 625-FREE
                                    @StarchildSF


On Dec 14, 2016, at 6:56 PM, Tim Hagan wrote:

> For the August meeting, I'd like for us to consider and get pricing for Kansas City, Nashville, and St. Louis. Those who want to can stay an extra day to experience the total solar eclipse on August 21. KCI and Nashville Airports are in the totality. Lambert is barely outside the path of totality.
> 
> Maps and information are available at http://www.greatamericaneclipse.com/ & http://www.americaneclipse2017.org/, and an interactive map is at xjubier.free.fr/en/site_pages/solar_eclipses/TSE_2017_GoogleMapFull.html.
> 
> Tim Hagan
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> Lnc-business at hq.lp.org
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