'Real world' experiment in LIBERTARIAN community became famous at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Libertarian/message/2259
The famous 'clothing optional' Apartment Complex located in Austin, Texas that started in 1976 and ran for many years was actually an experiment in LIBERTARIAN community; complete with 'physical aggression truce' as part of the lease, though almost nobody there regarded themselves as either a 'nudist' or even 'libertarian' in a formal sense. This 'Liberated Space' was a project that I (Terry Liberty Parker) conceived, organized, promoted, founded, defended and initially managed starting in 1976; as a 'real world' example that a better life via liberty was not only possible for common people, but a hell of a lot more fun as well. My first encounter with the term 'libertarian' was via Kay Harroff's (sp?) 1975 bid for nomination by the Libertarian Party for candidacy for US Prez. (As 1972 LP VP Candidate, Toni Nathan had been the 1st woman to get an electoral vote in US history) Here was a party that was an instrument in a large radically decentralized important movement. Libertarians advocate consistency to the notion that each individual is free to do as each decides, EXCEPT initiate, or do a credible threat to initiate, physical force against the person or justly acquired possessions of another. This is a clear statement of what is observed to be the basis for a free civilized society to the degree that such is seen in the world today and in history. Whatever else people believed they also abided by this 'physical aggression truce' to the extent that their society was free and reasonably safe. But, at that time, the Libertarian Party and that part of the movement immediately around it was mostly being dismissed (when noticed at all) as some sort of little subset of Conservatives/Republicans. Here was a socio-political premise that was spectacularly accommodating of a broad array of lifestyles and perspectives, but was being pigeonholed' and ignored. What to do? I didn't have a lot media resources, or did I..... While 'utopia' (libertopia?) was not an option, perhaps there could be a compelling demonstration to some degree of how a libertarian community could be not only possible and practical, but very universally desirable. This was why I launched New Manor Apts as an experimental demonstration of a libertarian community that was to garner more local, national & worldwide media attention at that time than the LP and the rest of the movement. The physical facility was owned by Tanglewood Properties, with property management by Davis & Asoc (Austin Texas) and myself as manager/consultant for the first year. I returned to that role a year later for a few months to help transition the property to Jack Vincent & Asoc (who in turn sold it again a few years later). The rest of the time I tended to other business interests (photo enlarging service on premise was one) and enjoyed to the max the better than expected environment shared by 150 residents of all ages (25 were kids) and the vast army of visitors from Austin and all the rest of the world. What a spectacular experience! Here's how it worked. Of the 150 residents, only a handful considered themselves to be 'libertarian' in a formal sense. However, the libertarian premise was made part of the lease and termed 'physical aggression truce' with explanation to each prospective renter as to what that would mean. Some got it instantly and some had to think about it for awhile, but virtually ALL decide that this was a damn good place to live and play. The large east Austin grounds were of 'courtyard' type construction with a 20'W x 50'L x 3' & 10'D pool and lots of grass- covered grounds all enclosed with security combination locking gates at each of the 7 entrances. Residents were responsible for truce adherence for themselves and anyone they brought or let in to the community. Consistency to the 'physical aggression truce' was the premise for success. While we still had to live in a general society and could thus not have TOTAL 'libertopia' the community enjoyed a level of libertarian living that far exceeded the world outside the gates. The truce made it possible and practical for very dissimilar people to not only peacefully co-exist, but to beneficially interact. A simplistic example would be a 'gay' and a 'redneck' Normally when in each other's physical proximity, anxiety is experienced. The redneck is afraid that this gay guy might touch him in a way that he doesn't want. The gay guy is afraid that this redneck might haul off and hit him (more common then than now), but with a CREDIBLE 'physical aggression truce' that level of anxiety over being in physical proximity to each other was greatly reduced.Then something natural took over. No, the redneck did not become gay nor did the gay guy become a redneck. But, in the absence of some of the anxiety, each could become more open to experiencing each other as 'persons' instead of stereotypes. Now, repeat this scenario for a broad array of other types of people who discovered the joy of community with each other. And no, 'community' was not coerced, this is libertarian remember. Rather, community was AVAILABLE. This was a libertarian community for which I set the stage, but which I did NOT 'create' The inhabitants did the 'creating' Although the apt community population was aprx 150 at any time, some stayed and some were just passing thru (spreading liberty's light) and a lot of folk visited for variety of reasons. The people who experienced this environment went on to have an influence on the rest of the world that was now modified by their exposure to this community that resulted from a libertarian premise. It went on for many years to 1988. Austin was the heart of the mid 1980s Savings & Loan collapse that pulled a lot of properties into a black hole named Federal Resolution Trust Co. This libertarian community attracted a broad array of types of people that included but was not limited to: conservatives, liberals, greens, objectivists, anarchists, Christians, Jews, Muslims, pagans, atheists, capitalists, socialists, slackers, yuppies, journalists (print & broadcast), artisans, a few businesses (building was zoned 'commercial) like an on site bakery that tested experiments on us (yauumm!), musicians (many; some even sorta famous), politicians (we were VERY tolerant), preachers (we were VERY tolerant) Some of the kids went to an on site 'free school' that made the front page of the Austin American Statesman (www.statesman.com) and apparently scared the bejesus out of the local and state govt education establishments. The parties were great of course, but so were the quiet 'zones' too. Discussions ranged from banal to sublime to esoteric to.... oh, you must be getting the picture by now :) Virtually ALL had a life experience of the world re-creation kind! AlsoSee- MORALITY: Public, Private & Personal at- http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Libertarian/message/47174 -Terry Liberty Parker Find More Free On-demand Playbacks On-line via AustinLibertyInterNet Radio/TV at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LibertyProspects/links VoiceCall 1.512.462.1776 every Sunday 6:30pm (central) to ? I host informal discussion to which all are welcome who want to consider ideas & issues of Liberty & Justice for ALL in Hickory St Grill at 8th & Congress, Austin TX Look for me, MyPicAt http://profiles.yahoo.com/txliberty ONLINE: Look for me (especially Sunday eve) as: TxLiberty on Yahoo Messenger & MSN Messenger Terry Liberty Parker on Skype (supports multiple platforms like MAC & Linux along with Windows) and maybe AustinLiberty on AIM --- In [email protected], "kiddleddee" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > --- In [email protected], sloan@ wrote: > > > > The show has been taped. It will be broadcast in a few weeks. I will > > let everyone know the dates when the producer, Gary Popkin, informs > > me. > > > > When available, it will be posted at > > > > http://www.geocities.com/HardfireTV/ > > > > http://video.google.com/videosearch?q=hardfire > > > > The guests were Paul Nocera of a nudist group, Males Au Naturel, or > > MAN, and Sandy Aldrich, of Clothing Optional Dinners, or COD. > > > > I think the interview went as well as it could be. I had a long list > > of questions to ask them. I thought it would take several hours. It > > turned out that I started to run out of steam. > > > > The guests were nude of course. > > > > One question I asked was whether it should be perfectly legal to > walk > > down the street nude. The man said it should be, the woman was not > > sure. > > > > Thank you to everyone who provided questions for this show. > > > > Sam Sloan > ____________________________________________________________________ > > Sam, I believe it would be legal to walk around topless (for women, :- > ) ), given the breast feeding thing. When I lived at the beach in > North Carolina, there was a woman who came to the beach and sunbathed > topless. The cops said there was nothing they could do about it > except to ask her to move to a more secluded part of the beach if > anyone complained; if she refused (I don't think she ever did) they > had to leave her alone. > ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Something is new at Yahoo! Groups. Check out the enhanced email design. http://us.click.yahoo.com/SISQkA/gOaOAA/yQLSAA/KlSolB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> ForumWebSiteAt http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Libertarian Yahoo! 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