Posted on 02/25/2010 6:48:14 PM PST by bootless
Rick's View (aka Tigerized, Proud Dad of a US Marine):
This was my first CPAC, and it didn't disappoint! We had come to CPAC to announce our upcoming book "Pursuing Liberty," and attending this conference was just incredible on so many levels. Imagine walking into a thriving community from the intellectual wilderness, and discovering (with very few exceptions) that all of the residents were highly motivated patriots, deeply concerned about our country's rapid slide into socialism.
In many ways, CPAC was the ideal place to introduce "Pursuing Liberty" to the public. What's "Pursuing Liberty?" It's a collection of ten true stories from America's newest legal citizens, who left everything behind in their former home countries to pursue their own American dreams. But more importantly, these same Americans are now horrified at our rapid plunge down the slippery slope of government tyranny and despotism, becoming very similar to the regimes they left behind.
Too many native-born Americans have little appreciation of their American birthright, bought and paid for with the blood and lives of our forefathers and our military. Sometimes it takes the perspective of someone who is just tasting America's freedoms and exceptionalism for the very first time to appreciate what we're so close to trading off for the false promises of a paternalistic government. As Ronald Reagan observed, "Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction."
"Pursuing Liberty" is an unapologetic testimony to the necessity of restoring our American legacy, underscored by the true life experiences of those who gave up everything for the chance to drink from the unique well of American freedom.
Cory’s View (aka bootless, proud granddaughter of a Polish immigrant, and descendant of Signer Arthur Middleton):
Hello, FRiends. It’s been quite a journey! I know quite a few of you participated in my thread from about a year ago, inviting first-person accounts from Americans who immigrated from communist and other tyrannical countries. I truly appreciated your input and ideas, and have Freepmailed with a number of my FRiends throughout the process.
I was truly shaken after this last election. How in the world could so many people have been taken in? We now know there’s been a lot of buyer’s remorse, and many more people who weren’t surprised at what unfolded almost right away.
The idea for “Pursuing Liberty” came when I was on hold to talk with KSFO host Brian Sussman about a month before the election in ’08. (Brian graciously wrote the foreword to the book.) Alex, one of his regular callers, was on the line, and what he had to say stopped me in my tracks. You see, Alex came to America from the former Soviet Union. He said, “Please, don’t do this. Don’t elect Obama. He says he’s a moderate, but he’s not. I’ve heard these words before. I’ve seen this movie before... and it always ends badly. I came to America to escape communism. It’s the last, best hope for freedom on earth. If America isn’t free any more...where do I go?”
What could I have possibly said to follow that? Alex said it all. I was so moved by his story that I thought a collection of these stories needed to be published. It’s been a powerful, illuminating and truly humbling experience. Rick has it right. It’s become a cliche that we don’t appreciate what we’ve been born into: the freest nation God graced humanity with. The cold reality is, if we aren’t aware of what people are willing to leave to be free - and how it got that way - we’re in real danger of giving it away.
I was surprised to find a panel discussion on the CPAC schedule that addressed exactly what “Pursuing Liberty” is about: “Saving Freedom from Tyranny: Real-Life Experiences.” The ballroom was packed...and quiet. Three young men spoke: a future naval aviator who grew up in Russia, a young man from Britain whose intrusive government is already beyond immediate redemption, and another fine young man from Hungary. Their stories are everywhere.
Rick and I were both quite moved and inspired by some of the visitors at our booth. Some were tremendously motivated and enthusiastic. Others became visibly moved and almost shaken. A young lady dressed as Martha Washington told Rick about her former life in Serbia. Her words were urgent: “This is important!” I believe her.
After all these years, we’re each honored to be in the company of you patriots. Thank you. This book is not only something that we’d like to see each conservative read and share, but also the people in the middle, as well as the salvageable left. And especially, we’d like young people to read it, and share it. There were so many motivated, energized young people at CPAC, eager to rebel and take their country back from their radical progressive elders. I think armed with information like this, they can simply and effectively keep their friends from joining those radicals who are actively working to destroy our country. Many of them, like sn Freeper son bauerpauer, will be voting for the first time thsis year. Wouldn't it be something to have a better informed yong electorate this time around?
If you’d like to find out more, or to pre-order, we’ve got an active page on Facebook, as well as on Twitter. (It’ll be released on March 15.) Our website is live and being developed, but all the essential information is there. There’s a promo code for extra goodies, and even a discount for bulk orders.
Thanks, everyone. Freedom!
Thank you so much. :)
bump
Another bump for my FRiends from the original thread.
And another bump for my FRiends on the original thread. (Hi Hetty!)
Bootless! This is the wonderful book I heard you were writing!
Hey there! Glad you’re here ... and thanks. Spread the word!
I’ve enjoyed going through that thread again!
Hi Freepers, I’m Freeper bootless’s son, I don’t regularly post on here but I wanted to share some short info pertaining to my mom and Rick’s book “Pursuing Liberty”.
I’m a senior in high school. My friend Zach in my Economy class was born in Iran, and I know his parents wanted him to live a better life in America. Also, my newest principal was born in Bosnia and escaped with some of her family in the middle of the night. She was 14 then, and I can tell you for a fact she is one of the nicest ladies you’ll ever meet. She still has some accent from Bosnia but is so happy to live in this wonderful country. I only know her past from an article written about her in the school newspaper, but refrained from asking her about what it was like back then because I didn’t want to bring up the horrible experiences of the past. What kind of country are we turning into if our brave new immigrants are warning us of the path we’re going down?!
My mom and Rick interviewed a lady in her 30’s (who you’ll hear about in “Pursuing Liberty”) named Agnieszka, she’s a beautiful lady who was very inspiring to listen to for about 2 1/2 hours. She also showed me a children’s book of the “wonders” of living in a communist society. I was so appalled at how these people couldn’t distinguish right from wrong, I wanted to reach through the book and just scream at them. I already knew I was grateful for a lot of things this country offers, but when I was reading this book I became aware of all the things surrounding me that others back then would give anything for, the biggest one being freedom and the chance to succeed to your fullest potential in life! She mentioned at one point that during the elections in ‘08, she said the Barack Obama posters reminded her of communism. One thing I know for a fact by listening to her and seeing her face, she LOVES the U.S.!!!
God Bless America,
bauerpauer
Proud bump. :)
. . . and I don't see how anyone can look at our current president, of all people - and say the same.
How sad is that!It is perhaps too much to hope for that your mom's book would have the same impact, but the classic
The Road to Serfdom (Link to the Readers' Digest Condensed Version in PDF) was written During WWII by F. A. Hayek, an immigrant to Britain who had become an English speaker during a year in the US.
During the (later) 1992 campaign she called Bill Clinton "an apparatchik" . . .
BTTT
I remember that thread! The best of what FR has to offer...Thank you!
Glad to see this up!
‘Pod.
Good for you.
Way to go!
Thank you for posting this to me. I’m collecting a list of current books so I can get an overall picture of the ones I want to spend my money and time on.
I’ve always been facinated when an emigrant from an Iron Curtain nation talks to us about freedom! I think I want this book.
Thanks again.
I’m rereading that one now.
Thank you so much - The Road to Serfdom is a must-read. It would be a blessing and an honor to be mentioned in the same sentence.
Yes, it is sad that we need to separate the government from the country.
Good Lord. And she was right about Clinton.
Thanks, ‘Pod!
We appreciate the word of mouth, and we’re taking pre-orders now. :)
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