Finding freedom in Windsor - not quite
By Michal Tellos
News Editor
August 26, 2009
The land of the free may be the U.S., just don’t try and leave.
Since April, Pete Eyre and Jason Talley have been traveling together, under the guise of the Motor Home Diaries (MHD) searching for freedom in North America.
Eyre and Talley met while working at a libertarian think tank in Washington, D.C., and they soon agreed that they could have a much bigger impact through a project such as MHD.
Shortly after, they split the cost of a used motor home, repainted it, and hit the road with the message that individuals should be free to act so long as they don’t initiate force against another.
The group has met with thousands of people across America, and has received support from many different political groups and individuals, including Republican congressman Ron Paul of Texas.
The duo, along with a fellow traveler, attempted to find freedom in Windsor but claim they were turned away at the border because of a prior offence. They were allegedly in possession of beer in a dry county.
Thus, a handful people from Windsor attended the Sterling Heights, MI, love-in.
There, a group of about 20 people met to discuss liberty amidst big governments, to meet Eyre and Talley, and to see the motor home, which is named MARV - short for mobile authority resistance vehicle.
People who attend meet-ups are encouraged to sign the roof inside MARV, which is adorned with signatures and slogans from across America, while the walls are decorated with bumper stickers of all creeds.
Although Eyre and Talley come from strong libertarian backgrounds, as do many MHD meet-up attendees, recent UWindsor graduate Matt Bufton notes that their message goes beyond politics.
“The crew could just as easily be hitting the road to share their love of Karl Marx or searching for the best burger in America,” said Bufton.
“The idea of being totally free from the usual obligations and being able to connect with those who share your passion has an intuitive appeal.”
Eyre even described the project as “anti-political,” as the group favours natural law and morality over man-made legislation.
Although several of the meet-up attendees were non-students, Eyre notes that the project has a multi-faceted appeal to students, most notably the cost of tuition, which is largely regulated by the government.
“For students, one of the most clear examples of the harms caused by government intervention is the cost of tuition,” said Eyre. “Many students love the fact that the government provides school loans, but this only artificially increases the demand for college, which drives up the cost,” he said.
Eyre also added that the war on drugs in America is an area of great interest for many students. Eyre believes it should be his decision on what to do with his body, making the war one of the most rights-violating programs.
Eyre and Talley, who are traveling entirely on donations, plan to do so until April to make it an even year.
Afterward, they plan to write a book based on the journals they have collected, and make a documentary based on the video footage they have collected. The footage includes a recording of every signature ever collected inside MARV.
For more information on the Motor Home Diaries visit motorhomediaries.com, or find them on Facebook or Twitter.
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