Libertarian Party of Illinois 2007 Convention
As promised, our Redefining Patriotism Convention was a non-stop weekend of fun, politics, and camaraderie, held October 12-14 at The Cliffbreakers Riverside Resort in Rockford.
Fun Right from the Start
On Friday night we all enjoyed a Carnival inspired by our Bill of Rights. Games included Bozo Buckets and 2nd Amendment Target Practice. Larry Stafford ended up with the most points to win the grand prize.
In addition, everyone got to mingle and meet new friends through playing the "Famous Libertarians" icebreaker game.
Workshops
Saturday morning featured six sessions for libertarian activists on:
- Public Speaking with the Toastmasters
- The Illinois Constitutional Convention with Bruno Behrend from the Illinois Citizens Coalition
Your Bill of Rights with Michael Badnarik (above), Constitutional scholar and host of the Lighting the Fires of Liberty radio show- Keys to Successful Petitioning with David Kelley (right), who has not only been instrumental in numerous successful petition drives, but who has been elected and re-elected to public office
- Building Coalitions with Darla Malony from the Libertarian Party of Missouri
Our thanks to all the workshop speakers. We heard nothing but great comments by all the attendees.
Keynote Presentation
After lunch Saturday, Jacob "Bumper" Hornberger was the keynote speaker. Bumper is founder and president of The Future of Freedom Foundation and spoke eloquently on both the moral and economic principles that are the basis of a free and prosperous society. Bumper also spoke on the folly and danger of intervention in foreign affairs.
He concluded with: "Libertarianism is the future. It is the greatest gift we can give to the world, our children, and ourselves." Amen.
Presidential Candidates
The 2008 LP Presidential Candidate Forum and Debate was the star of Saturday afternoon.
The debate was moderated by Ken Prazak (center). The Candidates who joined us (left to right) were:
- George Phillies
- Michael Jingozian
- Christine Smith
- Alden Link
Our thanks to the Candidates who provided us with insight into their thinking so we can cast informed votes at the National Convention in May 2008.
Libertarian Jeopardy
Five of our local Libertarian Chapters named a representative to compete for the LP Illinois Libertarian Jeopardy Championship.
The contestants were (from left to right):
- Chris Bennett for the Springfield Chapter
- Ed Rutledge for the Chicago Chapter
- Walter Simons for the Fox Valley Chapter
- Dan O'Connell for the Rockford Chapter
- Crystal Jurczynski for the DuPage Chapter
We had our own Alex Trabeck host in State Chair Val Vetter (with microphone), a distinguished panel of judges (Michael Badnarik, Ken Prazak, and Tony Ryan) and a sophisticated electronic setup to operate the game.
The categories ranged from Economics and Philosophy to Libertarian Celebrities. The competition was tough, with all five contestants frequently trying to buzz in at once. But when the Final Jeopardy question played out, Dan O'Connell had won the Championship. Congratulations to Dan and thanks to the players and those who bid for them, our host, question creators, and judges.
Keynote Presentation
After the banquet Saturday night, Michael Cloud provided us with an inspiring speech titled The Missing Factor in the Libertarian Equation: Possibility. He shared the powerful idea that achieving liberty is always possible and how it is important to focus on and celebrate the small victories we make moving forward.
As an expert in Libertarian communications, Michael also provided tips for persuading others to join us in the liberty movement.
LP Illinois Awards
Each year we provide awards to those who have provided exceptional service to advancing liberty in Illinois. The 2007 award winners are:
- Chris Bennett - our Legislative Chair (right, accepting the award from State Chair Val Vetter)
- Dianna Visek - our "Rookie of the Year" and Chair of the Champaign Chapter
- Crystal Jurczynski - our Webmaster and Communications "go-to" person
Fundraising
Many people and organizations donated auction items to help us raise money for liberty in Illinois. The choices ranged from DVDs and T-shirts to tickets to the upcoming Heartland Institute Annual Dinner and a solid silver bar.
Our gratitude to everyone who donated items, those who purchased them, and our always entertaining auctioneer, Ken Prazak.
Special thanks to Michael Cloud, who offered to sign a copy of his famous book, Secrets of Libertarian Persuasion, and a numbered copy of his next not-yet-released book, Political Persuasion is a Marketplace, NOT a Battlefield. His generosity brought us a substantial donation.
Saturday Night Entertainment
The Convention adjourned to the Cliffbreakers' Martini Lounge to enjoy the sounds of the Martha Berner Show band. The band had something for everyone, with a mix of great vocals, playing, and song styles. Our thanks to Kathleen Polizzi for bringing us the band!
Sunday Presentations
Dianna Visek started the morning with a presentation titled Whose State Is It? Freeing Illinois from the Gang of Four. She helped us understand the legislative process so we can devise effective strategies to liberate Illinois.
After a lavish Sunday brunch, we enjoyed a presentation by Tony Ryan (right) from Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP). Tony, a retired police officer who worked the streets for many years, had both the statistics and the hands-on experience to make the case that the War on Drugs "is a total failure costing billions while making the problem worse and enriching drug dealers."
Business Meeting
On Sunday we had the annual business meeting. First up were the Officer reports:
- State Chair Val Vetter emphasized how our progress towards moving Illinois in a libertarian direction depends on each one of us to volunteer our time and talents. (Contact us for volunteer opportunities.)
- Treasurer Debra Aaron showed how we have cut spending and have a few bucks in the bank, but not nearly enough to fund initiatives like next year's petition drive. We need more donations, particularly monthly pledgers, in order to grow and succeed. (Donate now and fund liberty.)
- Membership Chair Damon Dillon reported a 16% increase in membership over the past year as well as interest in forming new Chapters in DeKalb, Kankakee, and Tazewell Counties and at Northwestern University. He also spoke on the LPI Brochure, Speakers' List, and Presentation Library that have been developed this past year to assist Chapter organizers. (Review our Leader Resources.)
- Webmaster Crystal Jurczynski described the maintenance and expansion of our website. She also unveiled the new, upcoming redesign and also discussed our other communications vehicles: the LPIllinois e-news, newsletters, press releases, and letters to the editor. (Sign up for our Yahoo Group and get the LPI news.)
- Legislative Chair Chris Bennett talked about his work on ballot access, the smoking ban, medical marijuana, and other initiatives. He encouraged everyone to get involved with the Illinois Citizen's Coalition because an Illinois Constitutional Convention could be our best bet to improve government in Illinois. (Email gro.sionillipl@evitalsigel and help Chris with legislative issues.)
- Campaigns Chair David Kelley described the victories for libertarian candidates this past year and spoke of the tough petition drive we will have to win to get our candidates on the ballot in 2008. (Contact us to volunteer with the petition drive.)
We also elected delegates to the national convention and presidential electors for 2008, passed a simplified membership statement, and added members to our Judicial Committee. We also determined that the State Organizing Committee will take up the task of selecting a U.S. Senate Candidate for 2008.
Group Hug
Our biggest thank you goes to the Convention Committee, without whom none of this would be possible: 
- Debra Aaron - 2007 Convention Chair
- Evonne Bennett
- Julie Fox
- Kent McMillen
- Sue Schell
- Val Vetter
Please email gro.sionillIPL@noitnevnoC if you have any comments to provide to the Convention Committee. They brought us a fantastic weekend for liberty.
