"Free Minds and Free Markets" Aren't Free!: Announcing Reason's First-Ever Fundraising Webathon!

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Founded in 1968, reason is celebrating its 40th year of championing "Free Minds and Free Markets," of arguing that political, economic, and cultural liberty are inherently connected, and that the best society is one in which people are free to the greatest extent possible to live however they want to.

A quick survey of the past 40 years suggests just how far we've come in terms of freedom: the Soviet Union and widespread belief in command-and-control economies reside in the dustbin of history; the military draft is dead, even during a time of war; trade is freer now than it has been in our lifetimes; women, gays, blacks, and other minorities enjoy greater rights than ever; scientific and technological advances proceed apace despite attempts to stultify them; and more.

And a quick look at the equally uninspiring and essentially undifferentiated choices in the coming presidential election; continuing attempts to suppress peaceful creative expression; the disastrous foreign policy of the past decade or two (or three or four); the looming, sure-to-be-ineffective regulation and even nationalization of economic markets; the demonization of drug users and immigrants; and much, much more underscore just how far we have yet go in achieving anything resembling true freedom.

This coming week, we're asking admirers of the print edition of reason, reason online, and reason.tv to support generously our continuing efforts to provide a uniquely libertarian alternative to conventional right-wing and left-wing perspectives on politics, culture, and ideas. When reason started 40 years ago, we promised "Logic, not legends. Coherence, not contradictions." Since that first issue, we have stayed true to that pledge by delivering gutsy commentary and investigative journalism that never hesitates to challenge the status quo and insist that individual liberty is the rightful starting point of all discussions in politics and culture.

"Free Minds and Free Markets" aren't free, and god knows the fight is only going to get tougher.

If you enjoy what you read here at the award-winning Hit & Run (named by Playboy, Washingtonian, and the Los Angeles Press Club, among others, as one of the very best political blogs in the country) and the other reason sites, please help make our next 40 years as effective as possible by donating $25, $50, $100, or more to our cause.

Watch this space over the coming week for more information and donation pitches.  And go here right now to see what you'll get with different levels of contributions.

All donations to Reason Foundation, the 501(c)3 nonprofit that publishes reason, are tax-deductible.

We thank you for reading our work. And for supporting it with your contributions.