If We Want Liberty, We Must Make Some Noise
Malcolm X’s Life Lesson Could Save American Liberty Today
In his autobiography, civil rights leader Malcolm X details a moment in his childhood that shaped his outlook on activism and fighting for justice and freedom. It comes when he describes how, when he was a young boy, he learned how to get what he wanted from his mother and other adult figures in ways some of his siblings had not figured out.
“I learned early that crying out in protest could accomplish things,” he wrote.
“My older brothers and sister had started to school when, sometimes, they would come in and ask for a buttered biscuit or something and my mother, impatiently, would tell them no. But I would cry out and make a fuss until I got what I wanted. I remember well how my mother asked me why I couldn’t be a nice boy like Wilfred; but I would think to myself that Wilfred, for being so nice and quiet, often stayed hungry. So early in life, I had learned that if you want something, you had better make some noise.”
More than 60 years after Malcolm X lived, it is clear he put this advice into action every single day as he fought against the government’s racist policies intended to destroy black America. If anyone knew how to make noise, it was him.
When I heard his account of learning how to “make some noise,” it occurred to me that Malcolm X’s advice applies not only to the civil rights movement but to anyone seeking to effect positive change.
Today, America finds itself on a precarious precipice that could lead us further down the pathway to more authoritarianism, government control, and the further enrichment of an elite class that profits at the expense of regular folks like you and I. Liberty is under attack in this country and if something isn’t done, the powers that be will succeed in further eroding what freedoms we have left.
It’s time for us to make some noise.
Those who love liberty need to get louder in our local communities. Focusing on the cities, towns, and areas in which we live is the only hope left for a free society. The federal government is irredeemably corrupt and is intent only on expanding its power and influence in our lives. However, local and, to a lesser extent, state governments are still areas of opportunity.
I’ve covered plenty of examples of how local and state governments are abusing their citizens on a daily basis. I’ve written about how the city council in Gastonia, North Carolina, is targeting a pastor for feeding and clothing the homeless. Last year, I spoke at a protest against the city of San Antonio, which was using eminent domain to steal a man’s business and livelihood. I’ve discussed Georgia’s corrupt and faulty child protective services regime, which has snatched children away from families under false accusations of child abuse.
Each of these stories, along with others I’ve covered, involves the vicious and cruel treatment of everyday people by their local government. In each of these cases, there were liberty lovers who were willing to stand up and say, “enough!”
I’ve had the pleasure of collaborating with an organization called You Are the Power, an advocacy group that helps those being abused by their local authorities. We have helped to give these people a voice by, you guessed it, making noise. Some of these fights are still ongoing. However, the organization has won critical victories in multiple states through their noisemaking.
It’s an excellent start, but we need more of this.
Democrats and Republicans have shown repeatedly that they are not concerned with liberty or protecting our natural rights. They don’t have to actually follow through on their promises because they know they have a virtual monopoly on political power in America.
Liberty-loving Americans have struggled to pierce through the uniparty’s control of the country, which is increasingly difficult because Republicans and Democrats have rigged the system in their favor. However, focusing locally is a way to break the control they have over the nation.
I’ve often stressed the importance of focusing on our local communities as a way of shoring up a bulwark against government overreach happening at the state and federal levels. But we have to start by fighting for people’s rights on the ground.
Here’s why:
The level of influence the liberty movement will have is directly tied to the value we offer to the American people. People will not follow us if they do not value us. But if we want to be valued, we must be valuable. This is why we need to be the noisemakers.
I brought up You Are the Power and these stories because they are examples of how making noise can be an effective weapon against government corruption. By and large, Democrats and Republicans are not concerned with opposing this corruption on the ground. This is where we come in.
By showing the people that we are here to fight for their rights and way of life, we will gradually amass more influence. It’s a long-term proposition that will not happen overnight. But if we stay the course and become more valuable, we can slowly begin to take over local areas and create the bulwark necessary to fight back.
So, what does making noise look like?
The great thing about this is that everyone can play a part, depending on their resources and abilities. There is no one way to make noise. Perhaps you’re the type who likes to show up and protest against government abuse. One might also have a large following on social media, where you can bring light to local injustice. Maybe you excel at organizing people and bringing them together for a worthy cause. Some might not be interested in any of these, but they have money to help fund these operations.
There are limitless ways in which people can help to advance liberty at the local level. If you are concerned about the future of our country and the liberty we are supposed to enjoy, I invite you to join me in making some freakin’ noise.