Strategy – Don’t go into battle without one
Introduction by
G. Edward Griffin
Freedom Force obviously is different, but it takes some study to discover what makes it so. Most organizations seeking to bring about positive change in society are issue oriented. Political groups have platforms praising or condemning specific political agendas and then seek voter support for those platforms. Educational groups increase public awareness of specific legislation or trends in hopes that this will translate into constructive political or social change. In both cases, the focus is on issues: We should do this. We must oppose that.
There are so many issues that it is impossible to deal with more than a small percentage at one time. Even in cases where victories are won, freedom still is not secure, because the same issues return again and again until, eventually, our cause is defeated, That’s because the underlying problem remains – even when we have a victory. The underlying problem is that the power centers of
society remain firmly in thehands of collectivists; and as long as that condition remains, we can never succeed in the long run. Focusing totally on issues is treating the symptom while ignoring the cause.
We have been like firefighters trying to put out hundreds of fires set by an insane arsonist. We run here and there, back and forth, with hoses and buckets, fighting one fire after
another; but there are more than we can count; five new fires are started for every one we put out; and we are constantly losing ground while our beautiful city is destroyed. We will never make headway until we find the arsonist and put him out of business, Any effort that ignores the arsonist is doomed to failure.
Collectivists are the world’s political arsonists. They ignite new totalitarian programs because they can. They do it easily because they hold positions of power. At present, individualists do not have comparable power, and – those without power cannot defend freedom.
So, what is our course of action? Shall we follow other organizations and become crusaders on specific issues? Shall we call for an end to the income tax? Return to value-based money? Withdraw from the UN? Return to basics in education? Stop illegal immigration? Oppose gun control? Reform Social Security? Rein in the NSA? End aggressive wars with hidden agendas?
All of these and a thousand other issues cry out for immediate atten-tion. For us to take on any of them would be to open the door to all of them. Soon, we would be so inundated with urgent calls to action that most members would give up in despair – especially when it eventually is realized that, because we do not
hold sufficient power, this effort makes little difference anyway.
Nothing is going to change until the collectivists who now dominate the power centers of society are replaced by individualists.
Please re-read that sentence. It is the key to understanding the strategy of Freedom Force.
How do we acquire power of our own? The answer lies in the simple fact that those who have no agenda except to be guardians of freedom must become influential in the power centers of society. Power centers are the groups and organizations that provide leadership for major seg-ments of the population and, thereby, influence public policy. These are political parties, labor unions, church organizations, media centers, schools and universi-ties, civic and professional organizations, and many more.
Political parties obviously are important, but they’re not enough by themselves. Even if we have strong, pro-freedom candidates, they cannot be elected if voters don’t resonate with their principles. Only unity among many power centers can create the popular support needed.
We know this strategy works, because it already has succeeded. The formula was worked out long ago by the very forces of collectivism we must displace. It is a mechanism by which less than one percent of the popu-lation can lead the other ninety-nine. All we need to do is apply it to our own mission.
That does not mean we must embrace our opponent’s ethics. While admiring the brilliance of this strategy, we reject the use of lies, bribery, theft, blackmail, murder, and all other forms of coercion and deceit.
In spite of current fuzzy thinking about democracy and self rule, the reality is that the few always will lead the many. The American Revolution,
held up to the world as an example of the common man rising up against the British, is a myth. The revolution was led by a group of intellectuals and statesmen who controlled the power centers of the colonies. They were leaders within colonial governments; they were the landowners and the merchants; they owned the printing presses.
American independence was won by the courage and sacrifices of common soldiers, but the soldiers were led by a small group of men who dominated the colonial system. That is how it always has been throughout history, and that is the way it always will be.
It’s just a question of
which minority will lead.
That is our challenge today: Who will lead? Will it be a minority of collec-tivists or a minority of individualists? Unless we wake up to the reality of power and become mobilized within the power centers of society, it will be the collectivists who will rule – forever.
We are not content with that vision. We are resolved to meet the enemy on the battlefield – the real battlefield – in the power centers of society. We intend to reclaim that ground in a reversal of the process by which it was lost.
That is why Freedom Force does not pursue hot-button issues and projects, although, as members, we support and work with those who do. By popularizing the
principles in The Creed of Freedom among all activist groups, we strive to build unity within the movement.
Our task is to promote a wider appreciation for the ideology of individualism, to prepare our members to counter the tactics of collectivists, to teach techniques of organizational work, and to assist each other to become effective leaders within national
and community organizations – not just our organization, but other organizations as well.
We do not wait for the world to come to us. We go to the world, into the power centers where people already are. We support their work. We offer assistance. We seek influence by accepting the responsibility of leadership.
Introduction by
G. Edward Griffin
Freedom Force obviously is different, but it takes some study to discover what makes it so. Most organizations seeking to bring about positive change in society are issue oriented. Political groups have platforms praising or condemning specific political agendas and then seek voter support for those platforms. Educational groups increase public awareness of specific legislation or trends in hopes that this will translate into constructive political or social change. In both cases, the focus is on issues: We should do this. We must oppose that.
There are so many issues that it is impossible to deal with more than a small percentage at one time. Even in cases where victories are won, freedom still is not secure, because the same issues return again and again until, eventually, our cause is defeated, That’s because the underlying problem remains – even when we have a victory. The underlying problem is that the power centers of
society remain firmly in thehands of collectivists; and as long as that condition remains, we can never succeed in the long run. Focusing totally on issues is treating the symptom while ignoring the cause.
We have been like firefighters trying to put out hundreds of fires set by an insane arsonist. We run here and there, back and forth, with hoses and buckets, fighting one fire after
another; but there are more than we can count; five new fires are started for every one we put out; and we are constantly losing ground while our beautiful city is destroyed. We will never make headway until we find the arsonist and put him out of business, Any effort that ignores the arsonist is doomed to failure.
Collectivists are the world’s political arsonists. They ignite new totalitarian programs because they can. They do it easily because they hold positions of power. At present, individualists do not have comparable power, and – those without power cannot defend freedom.
So, what is our course of action? Shall we follow other organizations and become crusaders on specific issues? Shall we call for an end to the income tax? Return to value-based money? Withdraw from the UN? Return to basics in education? Stop illegal immigration? Oppose gun control? Reform Social Security? Rein in the NSA? End aggressive wars with hidden agendas?
All of these and a thousand other issues cry out for immediate atten-tion. For us to take on any of them would be to open the door to all of them. Soon, we would be so inundated with urgent calls to action that most members would give up in despair – especially when it eventually is realized that, because we do not
hold sufficient power, this effort makes little difference anyway.
Nothing is going to change until the collectivists who now dominate the power centers of society are replaced by individualists.
Please re-read that sentence. It is the key to understanding the strategy of Freedom Force.
How do we acquire power of our own? The answer lies in the simple fact that those who have no agenda except to be guardians of freedom must become influential in the power centers of society. Power centers are the groups and organizations that provide leadership for major seg-ments of the population and, thereby, influence public policy. These are political parties, labor unions, church organizations, media centers, schools and universi-ties, civic and professional organizations, and many more.
Political parties obviously are important, but they’re not enough by themselves. Even if we have strong, pro-freedom candidates, they cannot be elected if voters don’t resonate with their principles. Only unity among many power centers can create the popular support needed.
We know this strategy works, because it already has succeeded. The formula was worked out long ago by the very forces of collectivism we must displace. It is a mechanism by which less than one percent of the popu-lation can lead the other ninety-nine. All we need to do is apply it to our own mission.
That does not mean we must embrace our opponent’s ethics. While admiring the brilliance of this strategy, we reject the use of lies, bribery, theft, blackmail, murder, and all other forms of coercion and deceit.
In spite of current fuzzy thinking about democracy and self rule, the reality is that the few always will lead the many. The American Revolution,
held up to the world as an example of the common man rising up against the British, is a myth. The revolution was led by a group of intellectuals and statesmen who controlled the power centers of the colonies. They were leaders within colonial governments; they were the landowners and the merchants; they owned the printing presses.
American independence was won by the courage and sacrifices of common soldiers, but the soldiers were led by a small group of men who dominated the colonial system. That is how it always has been throughout history, and that is the way it always will be.
It’s just a question of
which minority will lead.
That is our challenge today: Who will lead? Will it be a minority of collec-tivists or a minority of individualists? Unless we wake up to the reality of power and become mobilized within the power centers of society, it will be the collectivists who will rule – forever.
We are not content with that vision. We are resolved to meet the enemy on the battlefield – the real battlefield – in the power centers of society. We intend to reclaim that ground in a reversal of the process by which it was lost.
That is why Freedom Force does not pursue hot-button issues and projects, although, as members, we support and work with those who do. By popularizing the
principles in The Creed of Freedom among all activist groups, we strive to build unity within the movement.
Our task is to promote a wider appreciation for the ideology of individualism, to prepare our members to counter the tactics of collectivists, to teach techniques of organizational work, and to assist each other to become effective leaders within national
and community organizations – not just our organization, but other organizations as well.
We do not wait for the world to come to us. We go to the world, into the power centers where people already are. We support their work. We offer assistance. We seek influence by accepting the responsibility of leadership.