While attending the Texas State Libertarian Convention I learned a lot about myself and working for a campaign. A few years ago I volunteered for Ron Paul in Indiana, my home state. It was exciting and fun but was easily packaged for 10 hours a month, outside of being a keyboard activist on Facebook. This weekend was way more difficult than that. I put more than 10 hours in on the first day. I threw myself into my work.
You see I am the Press Secretary for Adam Kokesh. How I got here is a long and exciting journey, but none the less that is who I am. I spend much of my time reaching out to media outlets trying to get Adam on for an interview. I also write for him a series called Forgotten Freedom Fighters. This weekend I was much more than that. Suddenly, I was talking to many movers and shakers in the Libertarian Party. I was conversing with candidates and talking about Adam and his platform. Likely I said, "Dissolve the Federal Government" six million times in one day alone. I had to have spoken the word Localization twice that. I think I did pretty well for my first rodeo. The entire time sitting beside me shaking those hands and looking beautiful was my amazing wife Amber.
Amber is not me. She is quiet, introverted, and far less comfortable in social settings. Me, I love to socialize, put me in a group and my loud mouth never stops. I live in interaction and debate. Does this mean that my wife is less committed or driven? Hell No! In fact, she is more likely the one who is most opinionated. She simply is just more introspective.
Together we prepared for our trip to Texas. It was nerve-racking making sure we had everything we needed. We would miss our little girl Anya, who is seven. My 25-year-old daughter and her wife would take good care of her, but this still would be the longest time we have spent apart.
Amber has the patience of Job. As we are going through the airport she has to listen to me make fun of the TSA. On our way back from Texas, I asked the agent checking our ID, "How many terrorists have you caught today?" I knew they had never caught a single one. When an especially rude agent was ordering people around and scowling at them I commented, "It's ok Bubbles, when we get rid of this job maybe you can find one that makes you happy." Finally, as they pulled my brother who flew back with us aside for a pat down I said, "he's a veteran, sure looks like he's dangerous to me." I didn't make any friends in the TSA when I added, "Ok, it's my turn for you to touch my balls!"
Through all of this, my wife smiled and moved forward. She holds those same opinions but quietly objected. You might ask, what did she do? The answer is simple, she held me up. The day after we arrived we were having an event at the house the campaign was staying in. I was busy writing the newest press release. Amber cleaned. This might seem trivial, but we were going to have guests and the whole house needed to be tidied up. More than that I was nervous, I had not had the best of days and wanted to do well. This would be a stressful weekend. My amazing wife laid her hand on my shoulder and comforted me.
I finished my work shortly after the guests began arriving. My wife came into the room that I was working in, and kissed me, instantly calming my nerves. She then went to helping to pass out drinks. The entire night we entertained and talked. I met a lovely woman who had read my Freedom Fighter posts and liked my writing. There was my partner, smiling, proud that I had a fan.
Over the next few days, she would not leave my side. She helped me through a busy and stressful time. Could I have made it through without her? Maybe, but it certainly was easier with her loving gaze feet away.
Amber and I know that as this campaign continues, there will be times that I will need to fly to some far off state to do more work. She will not always be able to attend. We have a young daughter and it was hard for both her and her mother. Still, this was my first time doing this and she was there.
She was there in support of an idea that spreads freedom. Gathered together at the Galla, Libertarians dined together and celebrated each other. I met a woman named Amy Lyons who is running for the state Senate in Texas. She was seated next to me with her husband. Amy and I talked all evening about practical, life-changing policy. She is going to be important in the LP someday, I am certain of it. I helped introduce her to our chief strategist who also lives in Texas. Some wives would be jealous of their husband talking to an attractive woman for an evening. Amber was not. She knows I love her.
The next day Adam had a speech early in the morning. The morning was rushed and stressful. Our Uber driver almost killed us on the way to the convention. Amber held my hand and we faced it together.
The speech was amazing. Adam is always good at talking but this time it was especially important. Texas is the largest state for the LP and Bill Weld, who also will be running for the nomination, was in attendance. Adam did so well, that my wife who has heard so many of his speeches and interviews cried. It was moving watching him spell out the message of Freedom to the former LP Vice Presidential candidate. Weld, who had said in an interview days before the election that he was there, " vouching for Mrs. Clinton," had no valid arguments to introduce. He tried, but Adam, time and again, was obviously the better candidate and better choice for liberty.
I was not alone. The entire room watched Weld be defensive and wrong over and over. Adam never lost his poise and ethical stance. It really was beautiful to see. While this was going on, Amber held the door so that it would not make noise as people went in and out. I guarded the camera, making sure no one tripped over the tripod. At one point Weld tried to make a point that the Ds and Rs are fighting. Adam masterfully explained that we should not focus on them but on Libertarians and people who have not voted because they feel that their votes do not count. Again Weld was at a loss. He could not get out of the mindset of the two-party system.
Eventually Weld "had to go to an appointment." He had received his lesson on Freedom and returned to the statism he hopefully is crawling out of. When talking to Adam he motioned to his jacket sleeve with a brushing motion saying "I have to brush off some non-Libertarian shit that I have on me" as he positions himself to challenge us. Adam agreed and said he was happy to hear Weld recognize his issues.
As another positive outcome of the conversation, Weld also said: "I like the idea of dissolving the federal government." This was a victory for our campaign and the cause of freedom.
Will Bill Weld adopt our platform and embrace our ideas of localization. I do not know, but it was a step for him in the process of actually becoming a Libertarian. As he left Adam asked him again to debate him officially. Weld left without committing.
This was awesome for both Amber and myself to witness together. During the questions after I had the opportunity to debate Weld's campaign manager. I feel I did well and showed everyone in the room that like Bill Weld, those around him also need to move more in the direction of embracing real and ethical Libertarianism.
After this long, fun, stressful, enlightening, exhausting, amazing weekend we headed home. As I mentioned before it was an eventful trip.
There was lots of fun.
I think it was appropriate that as we flew home the sun was setting. The past is behind us. I have had an amazing life with Amber. We have been through a lot together.
Our future together is bright. We will be together as we hold hands, walk together, and try to make the world a little better place.
