| A History of America's Liberty’s Children | |
|---|---|
| Date | July 4, 2037 |
| Author | Jonathan Thomas |
| Backer Lore | Yes |
| Internal Name | liberty_history |
| Internal Series | Liberty's Children (series), #1 ▶ |
July 4th, 2037:
For a New Liberty: History of Liberty's Children
Time Capsule History Magazine
By: Jonathan Thomas
260 years ago, in 1766, a group of colonists, angered at what was perceived as unfair treatment by their king and his government, waged a revolution to rid themselves of an "illegitimate government." In the process those who rebelled created a priceless document of law - the Constitution - and, inevitably, formed a new government called the United States of America. It was one of the country's most pivotal moments and one almost all historians hold to be one of the most defining revolutions in history.
Today the spirit of revolution embodied best by the Founding Fathers still continues. In the wake of signing with the Consortium and the fallout from the Resource Wars, many have begun waging another revolutionary war. But for these freedom fighters the battle is being waged not for the creation of a new government but for the abolishment of the one in place - total self-governance being their ultimate goal. None best represent this desire in America than Liberty's Children: a right-wing anarchist movement espousing a philosophy best described as individual anarchism with elements of right-libertarianism.
The group, despite taking some influence from the founding fathers who saw government as necessary, claims governments enslave people under the tyranny of statehood that uses fiat laws and coercion to force compliance. Theodore Thompson, a founding member of the group, famously summed up his view of governments in calling them "beasts that must no longer be tolerated but starved, beaten and left to bleed in the blood they've extracted from others."
Thompson, like many in the movement, doesn't just make radical statements but backs them up with action. In addition to illegal weapon proliferation, he was indicted for the fatal car bombing of Maryland representative Ted Hess. Hess passionately advocated for greater gun control in his state and to Liberty's Children the right to possess a firearm is non-negotiable. Challenging this fundamental American right is a fatal violation of the non-aggression principle (unless in self defense) held by Liberty's Children.
Similar behavior of like-minded members has caused the movement to be listed on numerous high profile terrorist lists and has been notably considered a Level Four threat by the Consortium - second only to groups like the Long Dragon Syndicate. To name but a few specific reasons for this status: they have committed high-profile murders, mainly of those who work directly for the American government. They have committed illegal acts of disobedience from deliberately disobeying government ordinances to dealing in black market goods. They've even attacked voting stations in keeping with their hatred of democratically electing new leaders which they consider to be an act of coercion to deprive the people of any real choice.
Considering all that, it may surprise many that Liberty's Children wasn't always opposed to government. On the contrary... it wanted to repair, improve and remedy it.
The movement can trace its origins all the way back to the Vietnam War. America's involvement in that conflict is well-documented for creating tremendous backlash from anti-war and anti-interventionists across the country. Their vigilant activism is considered instrumental by many historians for ending the compulsory military draft in 20th century America and for defining the anti-war aspects of the counter-culture movement.
Arguably though, the greatest victory came in seeing the reluctant withdrawal of American troops from Vietnam due to pressure from anti-war groups and a war weary public. This withdrawal took far longer than anticipated with many critics and those in anti-war movements claiming the government intentionally dragged things out to continue fighting the war. It wasn't until April 1975, with the fall of Saigon, that the American government finally agreed to withdraw permanently.
Though the agreement to withdraw troops is owed to many, one man stands out: George Maxwell. The son of a highly decorated American general, Maxwell was one of the anti-war movement's most vocal and celebrated individuals. Having worked previously as a political organizer before becoming a full-time activist, Maxwell was dubbed by his fellow correspondents "the last great Classical Liberal." This was of course for his great love of the political philosophy which holds strong emphasis on less government involvement and greater individual freedoms. A concept known today as Libertarianism.
Maxwell is well known among Libertarians for his vehement opposition to the Vietnam War. Despite being only 25 at the time, Maxwell was recognized for his exceptional organization ability, charismatic persona and knowledge of the political realm. Maxwell's speeches from the time are still celebrated by anti-war groups today for their criticism of far-overreaching militarism. Many cite them for their insightful deconstruction of the root causes of warfare, which as Maxwell points out, is often due to the need for governmental bodies to maintain political superiority and control.
After the Vietnam War ended in 1978, George Maxwell, when questioned on whether he would use his success to his advantage and run for office, showed no hesitation in giving a resounding "no" to the idea. He replied, "Why should I want to run for office and work alongside the most immoral people living on this planet?" He followed this statement by saying, "I will not run for office but I do aim to be instrumental in turning something that's become horribly disfigured into something beautiful once more, for the people, because of the people."
The reason for his insistence to fix the government owes to Maxwell's hatred of the American political system which he famously said was "lead by two groups of people that, though wearing different jerseys, still play for the same team." Maxwell was of course referring to the Democrats and the Republicans, both of whom he chastised for prolonging the Vietnam War and creating a broken political system in desperate need of repair.
In July 1979, Maxwell founded Liberty's Children: a political activist group running on a platform of smaller government, greater freedom and repairing what they saw as an ailing system. To many Americans it was a breath of fresh air and swiftly the group established itself as a political force to be reckoned with. Over the course of 60 years, Liberty's Children have no doubt become America's most recognizable activist group.
Among other things such as proposed anti-drug legislation, the group was controversial in advocating for free trade and open borders. They were especially adamant in saying immigrants should not be penalized for executing their right to travel, especially if it meant trading and doing business in America
Though never officially a political party, Liberty's Children did help many third party and independent candidates get into office. "It's a shame that Liberty's Children isn't a political party," said Gregory Widen, an independent candidate who became one of Wisconsin's most influential representatives, "because I'd be proud to run under their name."
The group's fiercest offensive came after the 1996 bid of third party candidate Ross Perot who, despite his popularity and huge support by Liberty's Children, failed to acquire the presidency in what is one of the most highly contested elections ever. Despite gaining enough popular votes, the Electoral College deemed Democratic candidate Bill Clinton the winner by the Supreme Court.
The ruling resulted in immense controversy with many demanding a recount given the suspicious actions not just of Democrats but Republicans who many accused of trying to prevent a third party candidate from taking office. George Maxwell and Liberty's Children, in response, enacted a new plank to their group's platform: reform the Electoral College.
"The Electoral College has stifled the voice of those who have demanded real change. As both parties and this current system show no willingness to let that happen, in letting citizens have a voice, we must thin out this beast called the Electoral College. Only then will we see change and can in turn genuinely deem this country run by a government for the people, by the people and of the people."
Efforts by Liberty's Children from there involved electing politicians opposed to the Electoral College and bringing awareness of the system to the public who were largely unaware of how the voting system actually worked. The results this had on the politics of America was astounding. Many became disillusioned with the American political system and thereafter left the Democrat and Republican parties in droves while becoming independent voters or joining other parties. Many others chose to abandon the political process altogether in refusing to vote, casting spoiled ballots in state and federal elections as a sign of protest, or voted exclusively, whenever possibly, for other politicians not of the two reigning parties.
The biggest effect was a growth in radical anti-government activity. Many radicals began to join Liberty's Children and this was most disconcerting to Maxwell who himself still believed it was possible to mend the government before even considering abolishment. However, as the group's numbers grew, Maxwell, though hesitant, accepted the newcomers hoping to use their combined strength to his advantage.
A failed attempt to destroy the World Trade Center on September 11th, 2001 by Saudi Arabian terrorists resulted in more anger from the American people. The reactions of their government, who tried the terrorists in a closed court session, were met with hatred from those who demanded they be tried publicly. An attempt by Congress to enter the Middle East was narrowly avoided thanks to a lack of public support and large scale protests demanding a non-interventionist stance be taken. The public understood that the attempted attack was in response to America's consistent and unsupported involvement in Middle Eastern affairs.
Such events brought even more support for Liberty's Children who rode the wave of governmental distrust. In a landmark though controversial move, a popular voting compact was nearly enacted ensuring that the winner of presidential elections would get all votes representing a state in the electoral if they won the popular vote. The Electoral College was in threat of being made irrelevant.
In the face of an upcoming presidential election, Democrats and Republicans, surviving only thanks to a minimum amount of support from the public, savagely tried to kill the compact. On the verge of gaining enough support to receive total enactment, numerous challenges brought it before the Supreme Court in 2010 who would decide its constitutionality.
Much to the dismay of Liberty's Children and other supporters of the attempt to reform the voting process, the court found the compact unconstitutional after a drawn out and controversial hearing ending in a close 5-4 decision. Maxwell called the decision "a final desecration of America's future."
Angered by the ruling, many in Liberty's Children began to no longer see any point in repairing their government but to instead abandon it. Its radical members no longer could tolerate Maxwell and his like minded accolades' insistence that a non-violent solution was the only solution. Maxwell desperately tried to keep the group in order, urging them to constructively channel their frustrations and hold onto hope.
From there, Liberty's Children began to lose steam. Many members simply abandoned the political process and chose to abstain from voting. Many more began to advocate revolution to overthrow a tyrannical government that had all-but shred the democratic process. Very few, like Maxwell, still remained optimistic that they could change the government to fit their ideals.
The Resource Wars were, as famous historian Andrew Harte wrote, "The final stage of the group's transition from advocating a smaller government to no government whatsoever." Maxwell was pushed out of his role as chair of the group along with many others who shared his sentiment. Liberty's Children thereafter began to transition from a political group of government supporters to those advocating extreme civil disobedience and a general disassociation from government.
The group's new philosophy took extreme anti-government stances from radical individuals considered mainly, in a reflection of the changing personality of Liberty's Children, individualist anarchists. They are now known to equate anarcho-capitalism, voluntaryism and other radical right-Libertarian concepts as their chief tenants - all of which are incredibly anti-government. It's also here where Liberty's Children became a major distributor in the black market of illegal goods and services as part of their adopted practice of agorism: the deliberate dealing of items governments deem illegal in order to establish a free market. Liberty's Children was thus responsible for illegally arming people whose fight against their government was deemed just and true.
Such views resulted in dismay from Maxwell and many still trying to fight for their ideal government. In an exclusive interview with American Eagle Magazine in 2027, George Maxwell famously disowned Liberty's Children saying he no longer wished to be associated with them due to their abandonment of classical liberalism. "I feel like Victor Frankenstein staring down the hideous, cruel creature he brought to life. I can do nothing but loathe the ugliness of it [Liberty's Children] and how it now represents so much of what I oppose. We can still win this fight with reason, but they look to win it with fists."
The American government, desperate to stay afloat during the Resource Wars, suspended many constitutional rights due to it officially being a time of war. The draft, once voluntary, again became compulsory. Liberty's Children was at the forefront of fighting what they saw as further affirmation of an insolvent government. Extreme acts of civil disobedience were staged and some protests went beyond civility with outright violence resulting in small-scale civil wars across the country.
America was in shambles following the Resource Wars and found itself with an angry, war-weary populace. A broken economy, lack of resources and a shattered political system destroyed the once proud individualism of the nation. The extremely dire situation was one of the reasons the American government inevitably signed with the Consortium which sought, and still works, to establish a unified global society.
Shortly after the signing of America into the Consortium, violence again erupted in many parts of the country. This time it was violence aimed at local authorities and government officials who Liberty's Children later stated had violated not only the non-aggression principle but essentially betrayed liberty by allowing the Consortium within their borders.
A notable case of the latter was Oregon representative, Clyde Halbrook, who was one of many in congress who voted for Consortium membership. For his troubles Halbrook was beaten savagely to the point he lapsed into a coma. Members of Liberty's Children were unsympathetic to what they had done; one anonymous member even called Halbrook a "thug" and justified their attack by further saying he was "no more than a coerced fool, latching onto Consortium support like a suckling baby."
Despite continued internal strife, America has begun to stabilize under the protection of the Consortium. Unfortunately, as official reports indicate, progress continues at a sluggish pace due to constant conflict between local authorities and Liberty's Children. The former however enjoys protection from the Consortium due to their mandate of protecting the innocent at all cost. The higher class of training and equipment from the Consortium has resulted in something of a block for Liberty's Children in attempts to battle their government through open conflict.
Such battles look to continue in timely fashion for the 260th anniversary of the American Revolution. Destruction still rages and has gone on far longer than the American Revolutionary War did. Liberty's Children has vowed to fight to the bitter end in order to establish a stateless society which they claim will be a true haven for individual liberty and free of coercive, unjust rulers.
Whether history will view Liberty's Children as heroes, as it does the founding fathers, is not yet a certainty... and neither is the end of their war.