On March 18, the Réseau Liberté Québec organised a series of conferences for a full day in Lévis, near Quebec City. The organisers asked me to address the participants for a couple of minutes before a panel and I took this opportunity to encourage them to continue their efforts in defending liberty. Here is the text of my short presentation. — 9 April 2012
Dear friends,
I would like to briefly discuss three ideas with you this afternoon: liberty, tenacity and popularity.
Liberty is the fundamental value that draws us together here today. It is not an egotistic desire to do whatever we want without any constraint. That’s the perspective of those who believe they know what is best for us and who want to force us to adopt it.
Liberty is nothing less than the basis of our civilisation. Human dignity and equality of rights, social pluralism and cultural dynamism, scientific advancement and economic prosperity: all these achievements are impossible in a context where there is no liberty.
We are the defenders of civilisation and we should not be afraid to affirm it. I believe we have the duty to be tenacious and persistent in the defense of freedom. We have a duty to not hide anything to our fellow countrymen that we believe is necessary and true.
How many times have we taken a step back when faced with the false arguments of our critics and those who disparage us? How many times have we hesitated to express our convictions for fear that the left-wing media establishment use this to fabricate a controversy at our expense?
I have personally provoked media controversies when criticizing Bill 101 and calling for freedom of choice, but this had the effect of pushing the debate forward. It’s up to us to bring people to the cause of liberty, so that we can live in a society that is freer and more prosperous.
What is the point of having the best solutions if we keep them to ourselves because we are afraid to displease others? What is the point of embracing the cause of liberty is we dare not fight for it with passion and conviction throughout Quebec?
Ron Paul is a good example of tenacity that we should emulate. He has been defending with conviction, fervour and enthusiasm the values of individual freedom and responsibility for more than 30 years. At first, he was preaching in the desert, but only a couple of days ago, he talked before more than 4000 students at the University of Missouri who hung on his every word.
We should not get discouraged because our ideas are not that popular today and are not shared by the majority of our fellow citizens.
It is not the case that an idea is not just and true because it is not widely accepted. An idea does not become just and true because it is popular. The ideas of individual freedom and responsibility are just and true and will become popular if we stick to our principles, if we continue to defend these universal values, if we remain true to our dream!
What is not popular today can become so tomorrow, whether it be a person or an idea. Ron Paul was not popular at first but he has become popular because he stayed true to the ideals of his youth. This is what I want you to do, to stay true to your dream and your convictions, because the future belongs to you and the cause of liberty will always triumph in the end!
Thank you!
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