Navy medic Daniel Lakemacher found a copy of Atlas Shrugged among the used books in his base quarters at Guantanamo Bay and it changed his life, literally. He left the military within a year as a conscientious objector, and has since been speaking to groups across the country about his experiences and his emboldened belief that “initiating force or fraud against other people is always wrong, every time. It doesn’t matter what costume you’re wearing, or who told you to do it, it’s still wrong.”
In the spirit of Lakemacher and others who have opened their minds to new ideas about war and peace while in the war zone, the gals over at LOLA (Ladies of Liberty Alliance) (disclosure: I’m on the advisory board) have been raising money to send care packages to troops overseas. According to LOLA development coordinator Nena Bartlett, each care package will contain the basics — snacks, candy, shaving kits, Q-tips — plus a copy of Atlas Shrugged and a pocket U.S Constitution, donated by Cato.
Bartlett said that while Lakemacher was certainly an inspiration, they don’t aim to shove any ideology down anyone’s throat — they just want to give liberty a chance. “We do not expect that anyone else will become a conscientious objector, nor is that our goal. We merely intend to inspire liberty in the minds of other soldiers."
For more info — and if you know a soldier who might appreciate such a gesture — contact Allison Gibbs at allison@iamlola.org.
