Alicia Dearn has an amazing story. She is the embodiment of libertarianism. She has had her slights from government intrusion, yet has found success and happiness in self-determination, how much more libertarian can you get than that? Below is an interview I conducted with Alicia Dearn after her amazing performance in the debate at the Libertarian Party convention for the VP nomination.
Alex Merced:Â Now that the convention is over, what is next for Alicia Dearn?
Alicia Dearn: I haven’t decided what role I will take in pushing Liberty forward, but I’m weighing several options. In the next week or two, I’ll be moving ahead to support our candidates in some fashion or another. I’ll be sure to make an announcement once my plans are firmed up.
Alex:Â What was you favorite moment from the convention?
Alicia: That’s a hard question. I enjoyed most of the convention. The energy on the morning of the voting on Sunday was electrifying. I loved all of our quirks and rituals being displayed on CSPAN. I think we are hilarious. I love this party and I was loving it on Sunday morning.
Alex:Â Least favorite?
Alicia: Giving my speech on Sunday afternoon, asking for the delegation to consider unity and Gov. Johnson’s wishes. It was my least favorite because it came with great personal pain for me. I set aside my own feelings, my own ambitions, and upset a lot of people whom I care about. I struggled with what was the right thing to do, in front of the entire party and on national television. That was not enjoyable in any way.
Alex: Anyone you met at the the convention that stood out?
Alicia: I enjoyed meeting hundreds of Libertarians (either for the first time, or seeing them again). It’s hard to pick anyone out in particular. I will say that I think Johnny Adams and Heather Nixon of the Johnny Rocket Launchpad are awesome. If only we could all make Libertarianism so cool.
Alex:Â Now that a few days have passed and Gary Johnson has been all over the media, what’s your thoughts on his post convention campaign so far?
Alicia: I hope we can keep the momentum going with all the excitement and attention around the LP ticket. We’ve made a splash and the several party switches of elected officials around the country is very positive. Gov. Johnson has been very energized in his appearances, too.
Alex:Â Same question but regarding William Weld?
Alicia: The campaign has been one and the same, mostly. I would say that Gov. Weld has pleasantly surprised me on how well his media appearances have gone, so far… except that I wish he had said that Hillary Clinton is a criminal (my legal opinion differs completely from his).
Alex:Â Do you think you’d want to run for POTUS in 2020?
Alicia: Right now, I’m focused on growing the party in 2016. But I would consider a POTUS run in the future. Few things have given me more joy in my life than talking publicly about Libertarianism.
Alex:Â Where can people go to support your future efforts?
Alicia: You can contact me or sign up for my newsletter at http://dearn2016.com. I’ll be updating the site soon. The fight goes on!
Alex:Â Anything else you’d like to mention to the readers?
Alicia: When I first got active in the party in 2011, I thought of myself as a moderate or pragmatic Libertarian. I was new the culture of the party and was bewildered by the convention in 2012.
Somewhere along the line, I became more of a Libertarian Libertarian. I feel deeply protective of the party and what we all stand for. It wasn’t a conscious move but rather something that became part of my identity over the years. When you give so much to a cause, it becomes who you are.
I saw an article in Slate yesterday saying that Libertarians are nuts and that is why we can’t win. I think that anyone who isn’t Libertarian is nuts. I spoke to that journalist at the convention and thought, he doesn’t get us. A lot of people don’t, though.
I think it does us good to remember that and to try to take it easy on newcomers. There are going to be more now. We have to give them time. It is important for us to recruit and grow the party. We have to bring more Americans to Libertarianism because this place of freedom, liberty, love, and acceptance – it’s amazing and beautiful.
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