This fascinating photo is on the website of the Wisconsin Historical Society.

Here is the caption: "Students for a Libertarian Society march on State Street and burn their selective service registration cards in an anti-draft protest."

Although I was active in the UW-Madison SLS chapter at the time, and participated in one anti-draft march there, I don't remember the people in the photo.

I am not even sure that the picture is from 1981. It could have been a year or two earlier (when I was attending the University of Minnesota). Can anyone help me fill in the blanks?

By the way, anyone who has documents related to Students for Libertarian Society for any part of the country, I urge you to donate them to the Wisconsin Historical Society collection for that organization. Here is the inventory.

The much anticipated call to arms for a left/right/libertarian antiwar coalition, ComeHomeAmerica.US, is now available. The book is edited by Paul Buhle, Bill Kauffman, George O'Neill Jr. and Kevin Zeese. It includes selections from the editors as well as yours truly (on the American Anti-Imperalist League), Jesse Walker, Doug Bandow, Bill Kauffman, Cindy Sheehan, Ralph Nader, and many others.

Here is the product description:

This book was prepared for a meeting of people from across the political spectrum who oppose war and militarism. The book presents views from the right, left and radical center, views that reflect those of many Americans which are not represented in the political dialogue in Congress or the White House, or the mainstream media. Throughout American history there have been times when movements developed that were outside the limited political dialogue of the two major parties, such as the abolitionists, the Anti-Imperialist League, the Non-Partisan League, and aspects of the Old Right and the New Left. Sometimes those movements have broken through and created paradigm shifting moments. Some of the materials in this book describe the Populist Movement of the late 1800s to provide an example of the type of movement that can influence politics, even though it starts outside of the"acceptable" political spectrum. Our hope is that this meeting will be the first step toward building effective advocacy against war and militarism which pulls in the majority of Americans who recognize that war should truly be a last resort limited to the real defense of our Nation. Of all the enemies of true liberty, war is, perhaps, the most to be dreaded, because it comprises and develops the germ of every other. War is the parent of armies; from these proceed debts and taxes; and armies, and debts, and taxes are the known instrument for bringing the many under the domination of the few.-James Madison

My article for the Independent Review (co-authored by Linda Royster Beito),"Selling Laissez-faire Antiracism to the Black Masses: Rose Wilder Lane and the Pittsburgh Courier," is now available. Lane (who was the daughter of Laura Ingalls Wilder, author of the Little House on the Prairie books) combined zealous support for free markets and lmited government with a hard-hitting critique of racism. Many thanks to Damon Root for his commentary.

Here is the first paragraph of our article:

The ideals of liberty, individualism, and self-reliance have rarely had a more enthusiastic champion than Rose Wilder Lane. A columnist and popular [and daughter of Laura Ingalls Wilder, author of the Little House on the Prairie books], she held firm to her beliefs when faith in big government was at high tide. Through her book, The Discovery of Freedom, ([1943] 1984a) became a key transitutional figure from the Old Right of the 1930s to the modern libertarian movement. Of equal fascination but much less known today is Lane's sustained effort to promote laissez-faire ideas in columns for the Pittsburgh Courier, the largest black newspaper in the United States. Although Lane was white, she used this unusual venue creatively to promote the philosophy of limited government, During World War II especially, her outspoken activism generated headlines. She was not only investigated by the FBI for"subversive" remarks, but denounced by Walter Winchell, the leading national syndicated columnist, journalist and radio commentator in the country.

Stan and Ollie and other castaways decide to form a government. They write a constitution which stipulates that there will be no taxes, laws, and money. After doling out all the top positions, such as president and foreign minister, however. Stanley is upset because he does not get an appoitnment. Ollie reassures him with the classic line: "Stanley, you're the people."

In the picture shown above, yours truly is posing with Robert Higgs, and Alina Stefanescu Coryell (the heart and soul of the Liberty and Power Lectures) just after his talk,"Rise of the Warfare State." It was the second installment in the series at the University of Alabama.

Despite a lack of media coverage, we attracted a lively crowd of about fifty. As usual, Higgs delivered the goods in a hard-hitting historical analysis of the military-industrial complex. I'll be able to post an itune of the talk in the next couple of days.

The Rise of the Warfare State from Carly Palmour on Vimeo.

I am delighted to announce that our own Robert Higgs will be appearing at the University of Alabama on October 5 to do what he does best. He will offer his legendary insights into the origins of the American Military-Industrial Complex. The talk will be in Room 205 at the Gorgas Library at 6:00 pm. He will be featured as part of the Liberty and Power Lectures.

Higgs is a Senior Fellow at the Independent Institute and editor of the Institute’s quarterly journal the Independent Review. He is the author of such path-breaking works as Depression, War, and Cold War, Crisis and Leviathan and Competition and Coercion.