| Young Americans for Liberty | |
|---|---|
| Abbreviation | YAL |
| Formation | 2008 |
| Type | Student Organization |
| Purpose/focus | Political Activism |
| Region served | United States of America |
| Executive Director | Jeff Frazee |
| National Field Director | Joshua Parrish |
| Director of Development | David Hoyt |
| Affiliations | Students for Ron Paul, Campaign for Liberty |
| Website | http://www.yaliberty.org |
Young Americans for Liberty (YAL) is a political organization that was formed in 2008 at the end of Congressman Ron Paul's Presidential campaign. They focus on educating their peers about various topics including libertarian values and emphasizing the role of the Constitution in the American government. Since its creation in 2008, Young Americans for Liberty has 220+ active groups on college and high school campuses across the United States.[1]
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During the 2008 Presidential election, Republican Representative Ron Paul stirred a large grassroots movement, especially on college campuses around the U.S. As a result of this, students began to form organizations on campus under the banner of Students for Ron Paul.[2]
After the election, the movement continued and eventually splintered off to create Young Americans for Liberty, which expanded into a broader effort to support liberty. Many American colleges have Young Americans for Liberty chapters.[2]
Young Americans for Liberty has hosted several national events since its inception: Bringing Ron Paul to college campuses, protesting the War in Iraq, protesting the Transportation Security Agency—which received substantial recognition online--,[3] hosting political boot camps, promoting the Constitution, protesting the government to reduce the National Debt, and pushing for members to attend CPAC.[4]
Meanwhile, to raise awareness about liberty-minded beliefs, each chapter performs a variety of events on campus, including fundraising for liberty-minded causes, hosting speakers, or tabling/protesting. For example, beginning in March 2011, Young Americans for Liberty groups protested the War in Libya.[5] Besides protests, bringing speakers that are essential towards the liberty movement are invited by Young Americans for Liberty groups, such as Ron Paul, Thomas E. Woods, Justin Amash, and Gary Johnson to name a few.[6][7][8]
In March–April 2011, Young Americans for Liberty held their largest event-to-date, reminding college campuses and their local communities of the massive federal debt. Over 70+ Young Americans for Liberty chapters participated in the event, which received nationwide press.The event was designed to protest the federal government to push towards lowering the National Debt by presenting petitions to members of congress.[9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16]
In 2011 Young Americans for Liberty launched their Year of Youth project. The Year of Youth project is dedicated to help organize a grassroots movement of youth candidates, campaign managers, and volunteers in the 2012 election cycle, in order to get the youth more involved with government.[17][18]
Young American Revolution (YAR) is the official magazine of Young Americans for Liberty and launched in 2009. The first issue broke with the announcement of Ron Paul's book End the Fed. YAR is edited by Daniel McCarthy, former Internet communications coordinator for the Ron Paul 2008 presidential campaign and senior editor of The American Conservative.The magazine has interviewed Ron Paul and Judge Andrew Napolitano, and has had many guest contributions from Ron Paul, Tom Woods, Glenn Jacobs, former Rep. John Hostettler, Justin Raimondo, Jack Hunter, and others.[19]
Many members of Young Americans for Liberty identify themselves as liberty-minded individuals, and the organization states that it includes "limited government conservatives, classical liberals, and libertarians."[20] These individuals are greatly influenced primarily by the works of Ludwig von Mises, Friedrich Hayek, Henry Hazlitt, Frederic Bastiat, Murray Rothbard, Thomas E. Woods, and Ron Paul.[21]
During the February 19, 2010 CPAC panel, 2 Minute Activist: Saving Freedom Across America, Students For Liberty's Alexander McCobin opened his remarks by thanking the American Conservative Union for welcoming GOProud as a co-sponsor of the event. California Young Americans for Freedom chairman Ryan Sorba followed with less than kind words for McCobin, Students For Liberty, Young Americans for Liberty's Jeff Frazee, and the American Conservative Union condemning the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) for inviting GOProud.[22][23][24][25][26][27]
In 2011, the official University of North Texas chapter of the YAL protested a potential outdoor smoking ban on campus by handing out cigarettes in an effort to get students to sign a petition opposing the ban.[28] When university officials reprimanded them, the group claimed they would seek legal aid and that restrictions on handing out the cigarettes was a violation of their First Amendment rights.[29] The group collected 206 signatures for the petition.[30]
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