Curious. When did you *first* hear about Ron Paul?

I first heard about Ron Paul in 1988, when he was running for President on the Libertarian Party ticket.

The next time I heard from him was when reading columns based on his speeches, around 2001. He was sounding the alert against the Patriot Act at that time.

Then I read up on him on LewRockwell.com. His columns and speeches were superb. I was pleasantly shocked when he announced his candidacy for President last year.

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I heard about him in June 2007. There was no moment when I thought he was a 'kook' or a 'nut.' He spoke straight to the core of everything I have believed in since I had beliefs on government and public policy.
I have since spoken to him on the phone (CSPAN rules), watched pretty much every video of every speech I could find, read every article he has written, read most of the books he has written, and followed every move of his campaign.
I am against voting and being involved in the political process as a follower of The Way, but that being said there is no one in national politics that better represents the values and integrity a follower of Christ should have then Dr. Ron Paul. He is a hero of mine for his solidarity, courage, and unwavering strength to stand against evil and for what is right and just.

It was in 1991 or 1992 when I learned of Ron Paul when I saw him mentioned favorably in the old Spotlight newspaper. Ever since then I’ve followed him.

I was ecstatic when he announced his campaign for President in early 2007. I even wrote Dr. Paul to tell him that he was the presidential candidate I had been waiting for seemingly forever.

The proudest vote I have ever cast in my life was for Ron Paul this past winter. The sense of joy and pride I felt when I circled his name and then dropped my ballot in the box was almost indescribable. When I was later involved in counting the ballots in my district another rush hit me whenever I unfolded a ballot with Dr. Paul’s name circled. It was so nice to see that so many people “knew the secret” that I had known so long. It encouraged me, that I was no longer alone in my convictions, which is how I had felt for many years. I love that man. Seriously and absolutely, I love that man.

A couple of years ago when I was about done with college I began researching income tax. Frankly, I didn't know much about it but just knew that it was an absolutely repugnant thing to me. And I didn't/don't want to comply. I mean obviously I do, but boy does it just eat me up inside. Realizing everything about that just made me even more anger about the disparity between the ideals the country is presumed to operate from and the reality of how much that isn't true. Anyway, so in doing my research about the income tax and just learning more about it and its history/legality and what not I can across Paul's name on the internet. Didn't really learn too much about him but just remember his name and face.

I'm an old hand in the freedom movement; I walked precincts for Ed Clark in 1980 (he was the Libertarian Party presidential candidate that year), and of course I supported Dr. Paul in HIS run for president on the LP ticket in 1988.

What this thread made me think of is the solid, unchanging respect for human liberty, for honesty, and for simple decency that Paul has always displayed.

Dr. Paul is a special man; a humble yet powerful soul. We are lucky to have him.

If you are enjoying these stories---go to the Campaign for Liberty Site blog site so you don't miss all of those!
http://www.campaignforlib...

Here are 2 of my favorite:

Krista from New Jersey Says:

July 29th, 2008 at 9:30 am
I’m very embarrassed to say that the first time I heard of Ron Paul was on The View. I’m a stay at home mom so I watched that show religiously. Joy Behar said that she watched the republican debates the previous night and really agreed with a man by the name of Ron Paul. She was so convincing that I turned on my lap top and googled Ron Paul. I watched “A New Hope” and cried. I became an ardent Ron Paul supporter immediately. I must of sat there for hours reading and watching everything about Ron Paul. I turned my two brothers and their friends into Ron Paul supporters, my sister and mother. My husband turned his work friends into supporters as well. We joined Ron Paul meet-up groups and held Ron Paul signs in the streets. We attended the Philadelphia Rally and donated money to each money bomb.

Dr. Paul changed our lives. I must say that in the past, the media told me who to vote for and I complied. I haven’t watched “The View” or any news program since.

Dr. Paul changed our world for the better! May God Bless Dr. Paul!!! We Love You!!!

P.S. The View episode that introduced me to Dr. Paul was before they actually had him on the show.

NEXT
matthew varner Says:

July 29th, 2008 at 2:16 am
from a lunch tray…….

I moved back home to indiana from to buy a drive in movie theatre. Didn’t work out so I picked up a job at the Carmel High School cafeteria. I did all the jobs in the lunch room, which included running the lunch trays thru the dishwasher. Some student at the high school had wittern ron paul in black letters on a tray. I must have washed that tray about 20 times, before I brought it up to a wonderful co-worker. She said “you should check out ron paul on the web, he’s the man”. As many have stated, explored what he was about, and have been much more awake about current events since. I am grateful to ron paul for educating me on things that I should have ALREADY known about. I was able to meet him in my hometown of Fort Wayne, Indiana which was quite an honor.

ps. The blue tray was seen in October 2007

-----me, I saw him on C-Span and started getting
myspace bulletins at the same time...

Musician, Blimpographer...Hear my music: www.myspace.com/americanp...

I think that the concept of a just-war theory is a concept that most people are born with when the Iraq war began I wondered why we were getting into it in the first place. I debated my 8th grade english teacher about it and she said "we have to attack them before they attack us" I even argued with her about legalizing marijuana. The "live and let live" philosophy has always been something I embraced but it was just never manifested in any political organization. I was planning to vote democrat just because they were the opposition party (some opposition huh?) but then my US history summer school teacher encouraged all of us to watch the debates so that we could inform ourselves. Although I knew the democrats were superficially against the war Ron Paul spoke out against it with such clarity and resolve in the face of massive opposition in the party. After that I fully supported him.

My husband had been telling me that the candidate with the most Constitutional positions was Ron Paul, and I believed him. What turned me from someone who would consider voting for him to an ardent supporter was the answer he gave concerning legislating away other group's freedoms. This sort of legislation always back-fires (If you need evidence, go look at California and Massachusetts)

(I was also greatly disappointed by both the format, and the lack of common courtesy shown by many in the crowd toward Ron Paul)

Libera me, let the truth break, what my fears make--Leslie Phillips

I heard about him from Alex Jones a little bit before he announced his candidacy. I think this movement owes a lot to Alex Jones. I know some people here don't like Alex but it just goes to show you that a lot of Alex's listeners are intelligent people. Yes, some might be a little too analytical about things or view things from other dimensions but those people usually are the smartest ones, right?

Alex and Dr.Paul definitely have the most intelligent and eclectic fans which makes this all a lot more fun....

I saw Ron Paul on my absentee ballot (I was living in Germany) as the Libertarian Party candidate. I blew him off because I can't stand the LP or any of the Libertarians I had ever known. And being overseas during pre-internet days, I had no way of knowing what Dr Paul was really all about.

In the spring or summer of 2007, some people I respect were talking about Ron Paul, and one of my friends had a link on his blog to Daily Paul, so I clicked on it and found out what he was really all about. I'm still here.

Then after one of the debates I watched the video clip, probably on youtube, where Dr Paul shouted, "No, I take my marching orders from the Constitution!" I marveled, "What a guy!", as my hair stood on end as he faced down the wannabe tyrants with his knowledge, honesty, character, and courage. He was the only manly man on the stage; all the others were just slimy, smarmy, simpering, greasy, ill-bred jerks (OK, Huckabee wasn't rude) who were there vying for who got to serve their evil masters.

After that came the reading through the on line Ron Paul library, and then the money bombs that were so much fun. Those were good times, but the best is yet to come.

I first heard about Ron Paul when I was 12 or 13 in late 70's as he was one of 10 US Congressmen with 100% score in Conservative Index in "The Review of the News" Magazine (replaced with The New American in ~ 1985). I used to scan each Rep to look for those with scores 90% or higher as based on Constitutional ranking. Ron Paul was always 100%. Unfortunately, today, ONLY Ron Paul is 100% in Congress.

-Tony

My Dad was almost killed by the Secret Service for exposing fraudulent activity (the old Federal Reserve crimes, for example).

--Cliff, Sioux City, Iowa

announced on Alex Jones

I was peeing at a bar and I saw his name written on the stall...then I went home and went online to check it out cause I was really F-ed up, and I have been a REVOLUTIONARY EVER SINCE!

Pee's, just like freedom, brings us all together and doesn't divide us...

On a (love him or hate him) Alex Jones Video.

Someone below has it posted. One of my favorites. It always makes me tear up. (I'm a 41 year old man, wiping tears from my face as we speak.)

It gets to me for 2 reasons...

#1 He is such a great hope for America.

#2 He won't be the candidate this year and that makes me angry and sad for the American people.

I first learned about Dr. Paul on the internet back in the beginning of this year's election... about a year ago. I was that he was for ending the drug war and the Fed and I was all about him from that point on.

1988, after being ticked off about the lack of constitutionality since about 1972...

1988.

I voted for Ron Paul.

Alex Jones,about a year ago

"Observe the masses,and do the opposite."

I learned about Ron Paul shortly after his most recent return to Congress. Interestingly enough, I voted for his '88 running mate, Andre Marrou in '92 after abandoning the GOP due to George the Elder.

I voted for Reagan in 1984. When he signed IRCA I was very disillusioned. I then discovered the Libertarian Party and Ron Paul.

I can proudly say I voted for Ron Paul for President.

Support our republic and the liberty it provides - Todd

I had heard of Ron Paul in name only,I had never heard his posistions,his Contitutional values,or his speeches.But I did know he was running for President in 2008.But major media prevented me from getting a handle on the issues and his Presidential bid. But that all changed when I was looking for the similarities of the 9/11 incident and the Reichstag fire. I came across some very potent documentaries of Alex Jones,the information I found some of it I knew or suspected but it confirmed to me at least we were in big trouble in the United States.I began to look over the candidates and saw no hope. Until one day on one of Alex's programs there was Ron Paul talking with Alex.I saw real clarity in Ron' s speech of knowing the situation of the Country and knowing the solution.I became a instant convert.I bought the book and began spreading the message.I saw a buzz around here and logged in here.That's pretty much the long and the short of it.

my mom of all people recommended rense dot com to me, which in turn led me somehow to rumormill news where I stumbled upon a link to an article about Dr. Paul. I was immediately blown away, and hooked for life. This happened last October. Never once did I stumble upon him in the MSM. If it wasnt for good ole mom I dont know where I'd be.

I come from the other side of the pond - a lifelong democrat. My Mom and I made fun of my brother for voting Bush. I was pro-welfare, pro-manmade global warming, pro-choice, pro-zoning laws, pro-government education and pro-environmentalism.

Three years ago a friend of mine showed me a video clip of World Trade Center Bldg 7. After a moment of denial - I was blessed with a wake-up call and started down the path to figure out where things went "wrong". Its alarming to discover ones own reflection; It all went "wrong" when I blindly allowed others do my thinking for me.

I first ran across Ron Paul on Devvy Kidd's website. It was a letter written by Congressman Paul in 1979, where he refers to the Federal Reserve as a counterfeit operation who basically adds water to the economic milk in a way that will delude production without alarming the general population.

I am forever changed and Dr. Paul has been pivotal to my understanding of the Constitution, honest money, home schooling, the Civil War, life at conception, the just war theory, private charity, a Republic vs. Democracy and in general what it means to have true American principles.

He really does lead by example.

"The truth is treason in the Empire of Lies" ~ Ron Paul

Before any of the debates aired on TV, my friend asked me if I was going to watch them? Nope, I left the party a long time ago. Not a party person, I preferred to vote my conscience. None of the candidates being touted appealed to me. I had been turned off by so much corruption in politics, none of them could be relied upon. Then during the debates, she called me and told me I had to turn it on and watch and listen to a guy named Ron Paul. I did. That was it. The Champion of the Constitution! He had me there. I take my marching orders from the Constitution! There, too, he captured my heart and mind.
I had watched America: Freedom to Fascism the summer of 2006, but at that point Dr. Paul didn't really resound in my head. My friend says that is when I disovered our good Doctor, but really, that is where I discovered Aaron Russo and his message. Bless his soul.
I went directly to the internet to find out all I could about this Congressman. His congressional record was sterling! I was amazed and shocked that this man was not to be the GOP darling! I voted in the MSM polls on my cell-phone, (never in my life...) and I became a "spammer". For the first time in my life I gave all I could to a candidate. I got mad at the TV and MSM. I joined Daily Paul, and Myspace. I started a meetup group. I bought a Culpepper flag. I found out I am a "young people" at 53. I put my entire life on standby (happy to do so) to help promote his ideals and educate the apathetic masses. For my grandchildren, for my Country, for my deceased WWII Veteran parents. For Freedom and Liberty. To restore our Republic. See you all in Minneapolis!!!

Vali

'...truth is loved in such a way that those who love some other thing want it to be the truth, and precisely because they do not wish to be deceived, are unwilling to be convinced that they are deceived." --- St. Augustine, Confessions (10:23), 5th c.

to be in Killeen and Austin Texas so I
loaded up the Betacam and decided to
check him out.....Here is how I feel about
the good Doctor...
http://www.youtube.com/wa...

I first learned of Ron Paul from an email from a member of the John Birch Society. I was ticked off for a while by the anti-war stance until I learned that the World Bank and International Monetary Fund were running the war on terror through the Council on Foreign Relations. I also saw Aaron Russo's FREEDOM TO FASCISM in early 2008 and became an opponent of the IRS, along with Ron Paul. Now I know what makes him tick and concur with him! (However, I admit that his economic knowledge is so beyond mine that I don't understand half of it.)

"[The lost causes] are the only causes worth fighting for." Jeff Smith on MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON

Here is the reason why:
http://www.oldamericancen...
Not. I picked this up ages ago and I hope others did too?

'I always think of all you canvassors and precinct leaders and delegates at the front line and caucuses.
Good luck out there &Thank you. You're a gift.

I saw him first on "The truth and Lies on 9/11" I was amazed that he was a Republican. I always knew I would support him for whatever he impressed me that much!

on a homemade banner hanging from an overpass in my town. This was in the fall of 2007. So I did what the sign said! It didn't take me long to figure out that Dr. Paul was a different kind of candidate.

We watched Aaron Russo's America: Freedom to Fascism in the fall of 2006.
Couldn't believe there was a politician that actually knew the Constitution and stuck with it.

Heard about him from Alex Jones, about the same time I learned about Zeitgeist and The Federal Reserve.

That would be last September.

Via mercola.com newsletter

the media was reporting that RP had soooo many people donate soooo much money to his campain in two seperate days.
I Google'd Ron Paul and basically learned about him and the Daily Paul on the same day.

People might forget what you say,
People may forget what you do.
But people will never forget how you made them feel!

Thanks Mr Nystrom, I for one needed that...

Ron Paul and Libertarian were only dim concepts to me a year ago. I thought they were just radical/weirdo fringe elements. A Ron Paul yard sign and disgust with the platforms of the major candidates for president triggered the first search for Who is Ron Paul? It didn't take long to find out what he stood for and how powerful the message is!!! I'm as committed, now, as anyone can be. But I think that's the "problem" with whole campaign, the whole message: one must actively LOOK for the info in contrast to the spoon-fed slogans that the major political parties keep repeating until a passive audience absorbs them. You have to think about this stuff, and I'm not sure the mainstream really wants to .....

Ron Paul was a guest speaker at the California Libertarian Convention a few cycles ago, reaching out for support for his campaign for Congress, I think. He doesn't like to ask for money, but he does network like crazy.

His mailing list must be a very big asset, even before the last two years. I know it's the envy of his colleagues on The Hill. His presidential campaign in 1988 was certainly, by that measure, a success.

Back in 1988, I had barely heard of the LP and I don't know if I voted for him or not, because in those days, I avoided politics like the plague.

Thank goodness for the Internet and the ("small-l") libertarians who run it! There was no way I could miss his candacy this time around, not in the circles I travel in, now. I wore my Ron Paul hat to the LP convention without too much fear anyone would object--and they didn't, and I wasn't the only one. Freedom brings us together. (And so does the DailyPaul!)

IMissLiberty

He recommended RP. I was leary because I've been a Democrat most of my life. Then I started to learn and learn and learn...and I'm still learning. I've converted at least 1/2 my co-workers to vote for Dr Paul.

I grew up homeschooled, so was taught about politics by my father, who was involved with Constitution Party. I knew about Ron Paul and that he was the only honest, constitutionally-minded person in Congress.

When I heard, March of 2007, that he was launching an exploratory committee to decide if he should run for president, I knew right then and there that I would fully support his candidacy. I'm hoping to go to the Rally, but it is a very crowded few weeks (fairs, college, and sheep & wool festival).

Reason ran an article about him that I saw, some time before he ran for President on the Libertarian ticket.

-jcr

I first read about him on cnn.com...there was an article about this dark horse raising money and eyebrows.

I spent the next week reading all he has ever had to say...for a great site with lots of Ron Paul quotes...read here

http://www.house.gov/paul

I guess you could say, he had me at "we can live without the income tax"