by Jacob G. Hornberger

December 13, 2022 - Imagine a large, dark, windowless room filled with hundreds of people. Then imagine that one person lights a small candle, bringing a ray of light to that dark room. That person uses his candle to light someone else’s candle, bringing a bit more light to the room. Each person with a lit candle then lights someone else’s candle. Before long, the darkness in that room has been extinguished.

That’s what the libertarian movement is all about - spreading the light of liberty to an ever-growing number of people, who then share it with others. That’s what we do here at The Future of Freedom Foundation. It’s what we have done, with the help of our donors, for 33 years. I am writing to seek your generous financial support to enable us to continue doing so in the year ahead.

Sure, we are living in some dark times - no doubt about it, especially now that statists have brought our country so close to a world-destroying nuclear war. But think how much more depressing it would be if all we had to choose from was conservatism and progressivism. In other words, Right-wing statism or Left-wing statism. If that were the case, the situation would be quite dire.

Fortunately, however, we have another alternative - libertarianism, the greatest economic and political philosophy that mankind has ever developed. Libertarianism provides the way to extricate our nation out of the dark statist morass into which both conservatives and progressives have plunged us with their socialism, imperialism, militarism, interventionism, and regulated society.

With its focus on free-market principles, private-property rights, sound money, and a limited-government republic, libertarianism is the key to achieving a society based on individual liberty, economic prosperity, voluntary charity, peace, and harmony with the people of the world.

Thirty-three years ago, The Future of Freedom Foundation was among just a few organizations that was calling for an end to the war on drugs. In the 1990s, I appeared on many radio talk shows. I knew that I could always light up the call-in buttons by calling for the legalization of drugs. People were outraged over the fact that someone was actually advocating what they considered to be a preposterous notion.

Today, however, the idea of drug legalization is on the table. People from all walks of life, including church ministers and law-enforcement personnel, are now advocating for an end to this immoral, deadly, and destructive program. They recognize what we have been saying for 33 years here at FFF - that the drug war is an immoral violation of the principles of individual liberty and has also given us drug gangs, massive violence, and official corruption.

That shift in public opinion confirms the power of ideas in expanding liberty. One person becomes convinced of the validity of an idea. He shares it with someone else, who shares it with someone else. Gradually, the darkness of statism is extinguished with the light of liberty.

Can we accomplish this in other areas of the welfare-warfare state? Why not? If people can see the logic of ending the drug war, why can’t they see the logic of dismantling other aspects of the welfare-warfare state that conservatives and liberals have foisted upon our nation? Indeed, if we libertarians have been able to recognize the logic and virtues of libertarianism, others can do the same.

To achieve a genuinely free society, however, we need to continue adhering strictly to principle. Let’s not succumb to the siren’s song of reforming the welfare-warfare state. Let’s not throw in the towel on achieving liberty. Reform is not liberty. To achieve freedom, we need to continue raising people’s vision to a higher level - to the genuine libertarian principles of a free society.

Jacob G. Hornberger is founder and president of The Future of Freedom Foundation. He was born and raised in Laredo, Texas, and received his B.A. in economics from Virginia Military Institute and his law degree from the University of Texas. He was a trial attorney for twelve years in Texas. He also was an adjunct professor at the University of Dallas, where he taught law and economics. In 1987, Mr. Hornberger left the practice of law to become director of programs at the Foundation for Economic Education. He has advanced freedom and free markets on talk-radio stations all across the country as well as on Fox News’ Neil Cavuto and Greta van Susteren shows, and he appeared as a regular commentator on Judge Andrew Napolitano’s show Freedom Watch.