My Resignation Letter To the Libertarian Party

Today I am thankful for closure.

 

Warning: This is a serious post - for once. 

I am sharing my resignation letter to the Libertarian party.  I was told that I needed to send one in, so I sent an email to the Records Director and asked if he wanted me to mail it.  I never received a response. 

I do know that they are getting the message.  They have finally put an ad forth to find someone to take my place.  I was told that they would probably fold the group because people are not participating.

Why would that be?
Why would people join the party and hesitate to take action?
Perhaps they feel like they won't get anything done? 
Perhaps they feel alienated?

We need to find out why and change our ways. People cease to be motivated when they do not see results for their efforts, don't feel appreciated or find themselves slandered for doing the best that they can.

Yes, I am still bothered by the very public smear campaign against the man in Florida.  I thought this party was above that.

In talking to fellow therapists, my staying with the party after Adrian Wyllie harassed a man some claim to be mentally ill could harm my career.  It is unfortunate that the story went viral and hit the local papers. People want to know if I have spoken out about it.  I can't really without making the candidate seem to be mentally ill.

I don't know if he's insane or a genius that doesn't hold Libertarian ideals.

Now, as Pagans, we learn quite quickly that there is a fine line between genius and insanity. 

The ego is that line.

 If one lets his or her ego get in the way, he and she can get into crazy territory quite quickly**.  Belief is a powerful thing.  It can help us reach new heights.  If we take it all too seriously or think we are more than others, we can do great harm to ourselves and the people around us.

This man may not be mentally ill.  His ego may have taken hold of his beliefs.  Wyllie may be tired of losing so he lashes out like a childish bully.  Maybe both of them are acting out of ego.  Maybe my leaving is acting out of ego.  I don't know. 

Truth be told, I don't need a political label to sit in meetings and give ideas about fighting tax hikes and poor government policy. 

As far as being tired of losing, I never really thought of myself as a loser.  The groups I have been involved in have won everything we sought to achieve.  We were multi-partisan and we always won.  Alone I am nothing.  In a group, especially a multi-partisan group, things can get done.

I was asked a few days ago to teach some activists how to use covert hypnosis to give speeches. I can't find a colleague who has a group in the area, so I'm putting together a course and a practice group for them.  I'm hoping someone with more time steps up....if not....well....

I still have ways to fill my time.  I'm just sad it came to this.

I thought I joined the Party of Principle.  If thought-crimes are punishable by public shaming and we don't feel empathy for people who may have mental illness (or that we mock for being crazy in the press), we lack those principles we claim to have.

If it is a matter of one bad apple, consider censuring him before he ruins the bunch.  All it takes is one poisonous personality to ruin it for everyone else. 

I will still find a way to do what I like to do, the political label won't change who I am. 

Here is the letter:

***************

It is with great sadness that I write this letter to indicate my resignation from my role as ******* ******* ******* with the Libertarian Party of ***************. I am no longer qualified to perform the duties assigned to me.

I did not make my decision to change my party affiliation lightly.  What I have witnessed play out in Florida has plagued my mind.  It appears that our party leadership approves of the public persecution of individuals for mere thought crimes.  

For a psychotherapist like myself,  the Non-Aggression Principle means more than disavowing physical aggression against others.  It includes such things as emotional abuse, cyber-bullying, and public harassment.  The act of sending out a press release with the intention to engage in a smear campaign against a candidate hopeful (e.g. shaming someone for college assignments and calling former religious colleagues to dig up dirt to air publicly in the press) is a form of public harassment. If we suspect a candidate has a mental illness, as was suggested in several articles, the very last thing we should do is run to the press. We have other options that are less dangerous to that person's mental health (e.g. NOTA).

It is unclear to me how the Senate hopeful from Florida broke the Non-Aggression Principle. Sure, he wrote a lot of offensive things. I did not see where he actually attacked anyone.  On the other side of the coin, I can find another instance where the former chair of the Libertarian Party of Florida allegedly engaged in the cyber-bullying a Libertarian Gubernatorial hopeful who threatened to engage in a lawsuit  (circa 2010- 2013).

In organizations, the silence of the leadership on such issues lends an air of covert approval.  The deafening silence helped me see that the party is going down a road that I cannot follow.  Until the situation corrects itself, or the national party makes a statement about the issue or even censures the former chairman of the Libertarian Party of Florida, I will cease to donate my time, energy or money to the Libertarian Party..

Additionally, sensationalizing a rare behavior and pairing it with a religious label can be offensive to individuals who identify with that label and do not engage in such behavior.  My step-father identified as Native American.  Pagan practices were common in my household growing up.  I found the manner in which this controversy presented itself to be offensive: I humbly suggest that the party leadership and affiliates put out a message of inclusion to libertarian minded folks.

Let me be clear. We cannot win a race by sabotaging members who want to play on our team. We need to model respectful political discourse.  We can attack ideas without attacking the people presenting them.  We can have public debates without running to the press with what amounts to little more than gossip.  

Sincerely,

S.