Official Thank "Who" or "What" converted you to Ron Paul Thread

[arkana]

Hopefully the mods will agree with calling this 'official'. I'm feeling particularly inspired this evening.

This movement has come a long way, but we can always use a little inspiration. I don't post much but I'm as avid as they come. Lets list whatever it was or whoever it was that converted you to Ron Paul so new people can see, old members can remember, and we can keep the fire burning.

For me:

Personally I say thanks to my old college buddy Jarrod Storms for your incessant Facebook updates throughout 2007. I honestly didn't understand what true freedom was before reading about Ron Paul. I stumbled across a video you posted and the rest is history.

I campaigned in 2007. Mailed out 300 letters to my neighbors, of which my girlfriend at the time graciously helped stuff, at the time not quite understanding the fervor. She has since gone on to even show Ron Paul's constitution videos to her 2nd grade children.

Fast forward to now. I've converted at least 15 friends and family to Ron Paul. Numerous of which have told me they have converted several people themselves. I'm almost maxed out in donations, will be attending Mises University in Auburn this summer, and will hopefully be a Ron Paul delegate this fall.

I have been able to wake up, realize true freedom, and help others do the same simply because one of my friends caught the Ron Paul bug early on and said something about it.

Stay inspired my friends, keep spreading the word, it's working.

Please share your story, would love to hear it.

[rnestam]

I was a Chomsky reading anti-war Liberal, knew it all. I was extremely well intentioned and passionate, I was positive I was working for the "good guys". Late one night on C-Span I caught the "neo-conned" speech from Dr. Paul...I always gave Democrats a pass as if deep down inside they were fighting the good fight but just couldn't say certain things out loud. After listening to that speech and googling Ron Paul everyday since my bar has been raised to the level it always should have been and can't name a single Dem that meets it. I've learned so much since it's like a completely different world now.

why I believe no one is too far gone...every person on this planet is one good book, article, video, vocal friend or family member away from joining us. Thank god I turned the tv on that night, changed my life.

[pauladin]

In 2007, I was on youtube and I clicked on a video of Ron Paul arriving to the Daily Show and lots of supporters were outside with signs. Googled his name. The rest is history.

[kojirodensetsu]

2007 episode of the Colbert Report + Google

[opinionatedfool]

I became a fan in 2007 when he came and spoke at the University of Michigan. I heard a candidate was coming to speak so I went. I hadn't really heard anything about him before then. He made a great speech and I've been a fan ever since. I still have the cell phone he signed

[ronpaulitician]

Rudy, Rudy, Rudy!

[SovereignMN]

It was the debate where Guiliani went after Paul. I was going to skip the Republican primary altogether and just vote 3rd party but that convinced me to go all in for Paul.

[Texan4Life]

I honestly don't remember anything specific. just found ron paul forums one day cruising the net and was hooked. lurked for awhile and then finally joined.

[ApathyCured]

LOL....I watched the episode "Penn & Teller: Bull$#@!" It was on taxes and they interviewed RP for a bit. I had never heard of a politician against taxes....I googled/youtubed him and the rest is history

[eff]

Guy with a huge red, white, and blue hat handed me a constitution and a brochure at a 4th of July deal in 2007. I had heard just a little about Paul before and would have eventually supported him anyway but that kinda sped up the process.

[playboymommy]

It was this from a Tori Amos music forum in the Politics and History thread:


12-29-07, 04:46 PM #1
PoetIncognito
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Land of Olive Oil
Posts: 339
Rep Power: 493

IF YOU WANT LIBERTY BACK...
VOTE RON PAUL!


I am a Libertarian and I would have never voted for a Republican until now. Congressman Ron Paul is like a modern-day Martin Luther King, even Gandhi if I must go so far. Go to youtube.com and type in Ron Paul, Ron Paul debates, and google interview with Ron Paul.

For those of you who live in America, we must protect ourselves for our right are going to be taken away shortly. We must reclaim our name and save ourselves. If you're not an American, you are still part of this world and we all affect one another.

Ron Paul supports/voted for:

- Gay Marriage
- All personal liberties that are not inflicting harm upon others.
- Trading and keeping open relationships and communication with the rest of the world.
- Personal protection, which includes the right to bear arms.
- Treating a drug addict like an addict, not a criminal. We don’t put alcoholics in prison.

Ron Paul voted/is against:

-Policing the world.
-Invading countries
-Racism
-The IRS
-The War in Iraq

This man is being supported by grassroots campaigns and has raised over 18 million dollars without asking for it. He has raised over 5 million dollars in 24 hours two different times. The mass media is trying to keep him off the television because the rich senators will no longer profit off of us if he is elected president.

He must win Iowa and New Hampshire in the next 2 weeks to move on.

Just listen to what he says and the truth he speaks even when being booed off stage.


If the words he says does not win you over, nothing will.

Peace and much love,

Luis

www.ronpaul2008.com

I googled Ron Paul around 5 pm and watched youtube after youtube and by 1:15 am this is what I said:

12-30-07, 01:14 AM

Default Re: IF YOU WANT LIBERTY BACK...
So I've been watching this guy on youtube all night and he has to win the next election, imo.

Too bad that member never comes around yessaid any more...

[Pawl2012]

Joe Rogan, in 08. He said "he's saying something different". It peaked my interest, I youtubed him speaking to Bill O`Reilly. I didn't hate Bill O`Reilly until that very interview. The bull $#@! was literally dripping off of the screen for me. Literally changed my life.

[James Madison]

Alex Jones back in 2006.

[Albyint]

at first it was the drug war policy, then it was everything else.

Yea, im one of those people. LOL

[ChristianAnarchist]

I need to thank Liberty Lobby and "The Spotlight" (now represented as "American Free Press" - http://www.americanfreepress.net) for introducing me to the good Dr. way back in the 80's. As a long time subscriber to those publications, I learned long ago how far off the track we have been going for decades (one can argue centuries even - Lysander Spooner wrote about the failed constitution in 1860'ish).

[ShaneEnochs]

I voted for Obama in the general. I loved listening to his give speeches, and I thought he'd bring peace to this country. After I saw that he was lying, I became extremely apathetic.

I saw a youtube video here and there of Ron Paul starting in about August. I thought he was a pretty neat guy, but I was still heavily apathetic.

And then I saw the Imagine video back in October, and it excited me that someone finally got it. I began doing research into Ron Paul, and I got excited again. So that's what got me: the Imagine video.

[BLS]

Youtubed the very first Republican Debate back in May of 2007.
Watched about 10 guys say the same thing over and over and one guy say "We need to end the war in Iraq", then "I'd like to abolish the IRS".

I spent the ENTIRE day (at work no less) googling and youtubing him. I was hooked.

[flaversaver]

In 2007 I decided to grow up and research who to vote for in the primaries (actually think for myself for once). Somehow I ended up on youtube and caught a video of Ron Paul. I remember reading all the positive comments about how honest Dr. Paul was and that its too bad for America a person like him would never be voted president because the voting block was too stupid to realize a good thing . Now I am fighting the good fight.

[C_J_Burns]

Starting at the 3:15 mark ...This video was my lightbulb moment.

[RonPaulVolunteer]

Saw a car in Arvada, CO, June 30th, 2007 that had "google Ron Paul" written on their back window with glass chalk. I pulled out my brand new iPhone released the day before (how I remember the exact day), and did just that, google Ron Paul and was shocked to find his website was already iOS optimized. I spent the entire night researching Ron. A week later I started the Ron Paul Video Podcast, which is now better known as Ron Paul Flix.

[kah13176]

Thank you, Borders bookshelf stocker, who put Ron Paul's "Revolution" in a conspicuous location. Thank you, Google search algorithms, who put an essay written by Ron Paul on the first page when I was researching Selective Service.

It was late 2009, and I'd never heard of Ron Paul before.

[badger4RP]

thank you JOHN STOSSEL.

I saw im in the fall of 07 at the union theater in Madison.

[Sal Featherstone]

I saw him in a 2007 debate and was hooked right away.

[anaconda]

Alex Jones 2007. www.prisonplanet.com

[Anti Federalist]

Alex Jones before 2000.

[PRIEST]

In 2007, he was showing up all over Digg. At the time, Digg was my main source of interesting, diverse information.

Hit a couple links, saw a couple videos, and found that he had sound reasoning for every issue. This sent me deeper down the rabbit hole to find out the gritty of his philosophy and it lead me to Lew Rockwell and the Austrian School.

Changed my life. He became a father figure to me and gave me an understanding of the world. Since then, my life has been on a wonderful path including marriage, children, and a successful career.

Thanks, Digg!

[Danke]

Voices.

Still have them.

[archlinux]

06' Aaron Russo's Freedom to Fascism.

[Pauls' Revere]

This article:

http://www.sec.gov/news/press/2007/2007-230.htm



Chevron to Pay $30 Million to Settle Charges For Improper Payments to Iraq Under U.N. Oil For Food Program
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
2007-230
Washington, D.C., Nov. 14, 2007 - The Securities and Exchange Commission today charged Chevron Corporation for its role in illegal kickback payments that were made to Iraq in 2001 and 2002 in connection with the company's purchases of crude oil under the U.N. Oil for Food Program.

Chevron, based in San Ramon, Calif., agreed to pay $30 million to settle the charges brought under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) without admitting or denying the SEC's allegations.

The U.N. Oil for Food Program was intended to provide humanitarian relief to the Iraqi people while Iraq was subject to international trade sanctions. According to the Commission's complaint, third parties under contract with Chevron made approximately $20 million in illicit payments that bypassed the Oil for Food escrow account and were paid directly to Iraqi-controlled bank accounts in Jordan and Lebanon. The SEC alleged that Chevron knew, or should have known, that third parties were using portions of the premiums they received from Chevron's oil purchases to pay illegal surcharges to Iraq. The SEC also alleged that Chevron failed to devise and maintain a system of internal accounting controls to detect and prevent such illicit payments, and Chevron's accounting for its Oil for Food transactions failed to properly record the true nature of the company's payments to third parties.


and this article:

http://www.heritage.org/research/rep...for-food-fraud

Investigate the United Nations Oil-for-Food FraudBy Nile Gardiner, Ph.D. and James Phillips
April 21, 2004

There is mounting evidence that the United Nations Oil-for-Food program, originally conceived as a means of providing humanitarian aid to the Iraqi people, was subverted by Saddam Hussein's regime and manipulated to help prop up the Iraqi dictator. Saddam's dictatorship was able to siphon off an estimated $10 billion from the Oil-for-Food program through oil smuggling and systematic thievery, by demanding illegal payments from companies buying Iraqi oil, and through kickbacks from those selling goods to Iraq--all under the noses of U.N. bureaucrats. The members of the U.N. staff administering the program have been accused of gross incompetence, mismanagement, and possible complicity with the Iraqi regime in perpetrating the biggest scandal in U.N. history.


essentially we demonized Saddam Hussein and ultimately ended up invading Iraq yet our Big Oil CEO's of Chevron walked off with a fine. The double standard hypocrisy and the twisted foreign policy we have. I heard the sirens call when I heard Ron Paul speak in 2007.

[goldpants]

It was around 2005/2006 I was investing in commodities, mostly gold mining stocks. People on different stock message boards would speak of Ron Paul's positions. From there I found Lew Rockwell's website and Austrian Economics and there was no going back as my thirst for knowledge was insatiable.