By Scotty Boman, Editor
Link to the May Michigan Libertarian
Bath, MI – For only the third time in over a decade the Brass Roots Plaque was put on public display. Brass Roots legacy members positioned the monument just outside the Eagle Eye Golf Club on March 10th, 2018, where the Libertarian Party of Michigan hosted their Summit. The event attracted Libertarians from all parts of the state.
“We are in great need of a statewide movement to place this monument at its intended home,” said Brass Roots legislative liaison Scotty Boman. “Bills to have it placed on Capitol grounds have been introduced on a few occasions in recent history. Each time they died in committee. If only we had activists who lived in the same districts as committee members, we could get the bills before the full House.” In 2005 the Michigan House voted 108 to zero to have the plaque placed on the Capitol grounds, but there was no companion bill in the Michigan Senate.
The plaque is of special significance to Libertarians, because the founder of the Brass Roots organization was Libertarian US Senate candidate Jon Coon, who organized the first Brass Roots rally at the Michigan Capitol in 1994. Coon received 4.2% of the vote in that election.
The plaque was placed on display during the Summit’s lunch break, which punctuated the morning candidate training session from the afternoon National Delegate Nominating Convention. It remained up until the conclusion of the annual Liberty Festival Banquet (BKA Libby Fest) which concluded the Summit.
A Glimpse of History
In addition to the plaque, Libertarians were treated to a glance at photo albums and maps chronicling the journey the plaque has made around Michigan over the years. While the plaque has remained attached to a trailer for portability, this mounting was designed to be temporary and has been used well beyond it’s intended lifetime. “I met Libertarians at the Summit who were among the more than 10,000 at the rally in 1994. They want their kids and grand kids to see this monument on display,” said Brass Roots Executive Director Mike Hoban.
The plaque was built from brass cartridges that were placed in buckets at the 1994 rally. Each gun owner was invited to bring a spent cartridge from a gun he or she wouldn’t give up. The promise was that the brass would be melted into a plaque to be presented to the people of Michigan. Fulfillment of that promise was hoped to include some form of permanent display at the Capitol Building. With the need for placement being ever more acute, legacy members may settle for a compromise proposal of having it on display outside the capital museum, near the Capitol Building.
“There are thousands of people from all over Michigan who have brass in that monument. It’s beautiful and the message is powerful,” said Hoban.
Brass Roots legacy members are corresponding with legislators on reloading legislation to give the plaque a permanent home. When it is loaded, Libertarians can join with others around the state and fire off emails, phone calls and letters to legislators and committee members. When that time comes, an action alert will be posted at: www.BrassRootsPlaque.com.
