[PRESS RELEASE] Free State Project Now Accepting Bitcoins

[evoorhees]

Contact: Christopher Lawless, Free State Project                  

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Email: clawless@freestateproject.org
Phone: 603-738-9213

NON-PROFIT GIVING MONEY AWAY TO RAISE MONEY
Project is sending digital Bitcoin currency to thousands of members

Oct. 8, 2011
Manchester, New Hampshire - The Free State Project is using the new online currency Bitcoin as a creative new promotional tool – ironically giving away free money, literally, to every subscriber on its mailing list.

In one week, the non-profit organization – which is an effort to encourage 20,000 “liberty lovers” to move to New Hampshire to work toward greater individual and economic freedom – will send a fraction of a Bitcoin to over fifteen-thousand subscribers on its mailing list. Each recipient will get exactly 0.01 Bitcoins, worth approximately $0.04 at current exchange rates.

The goal, as stated by Christopher Lawless, a Free State Project participant, is “primarily to inform our members that we are now accepting Bitcoin as a payment method for donations and event registration fees, but also to raise awareness of this new currency, which should be of interest for anyone who advocates liberty and voluntary exchange – principles at the core of our project.”

Bitcoin is a decentralized digital commodity, which emerged as an open-source project in 2009. Its supply is controlled by a hard-coded mathematical formula, as opposed to a central bank, and no person, company, or organization has monopoly control over it (in contrast to every other online payment method). The system enables instant, direct transfers between any two people, anywhere in the world, with avoidance of any bank or financial institution – and all those fees.

“The key is that this system is not transferring dollars, or euros, but instead an entirely new form of currency with a floating exchange rate based purely on supply and demand,” explains Ira Miller of BTCinch, the Denver-based company which built the email system for sending Bitcoins being used by the Free State Project. “Bitcoin is becoming an international phenomenon, and we’re happy to see the Free State Project staying ahead of the curve.”

“This simply couldn’t have been done with US dollars and traditional banking systems,” says Roger Ver, the FSP member who donated the Bitcoin funds for the promotion.  “I currently live in Japan, and this initiative required transferring the donation internationally, and then dividing that money into thousands of micropayments, all going to different people in different places. A bank wire from Japan to the US would’ve taken at least three days plus fees. With Bitcoin it took less than three seconds with no fees. Try to send someone a nickel with Paypal and you’ll find the fee itself is more than a nickel. ”

Bitcoin also permits recipients to maintain their financial privacy – a big concern in an age of identity theft and online bank scams. In fact, the Free State Project doesn’t need any financial information of its members in order to send them Bitcoins – all it needs is an email address.

“We’re hoping some of the gifts will be sent back as donations to us, but the more important goal was to find a creative way to announce this new donation method to our members. Our eyes are on the long-term, the future, and Bitcoin is very exciting for our project and human freedom in general,” says Lawless.

#  #  #

The Free State Project is an agreement among 20,000 pro-liberty activists to move to New Hampshire, where they will exert the fullest practical effort toward the creation of a society in which the maximum role of government is the protection of life, liberty, and property.

For further information, please contact Chris Lawless with the Free State Project at clawless@freestateproject.org
Press Release:  http://bit.ly/qQevfP

I'd like to have this Press Release posted on the major Bitcoin news outlets and will be contacting some of you for this purpose. If you'd like any details, please contact me for any relevant info (erikvoorhees  [a t] gmail).  Original link to the Press Release is here: http://bit.ly/qQevfP  and I can provide PDF version to any interested parties.

FYI this will be announced on nationally-syndicated Free Talk Live this evening. The "Bitcoin Blast" will be sent next weekend. Free State Project's Liberty Forum will be accepting Bitcoin as a payment method for registration (this event occurs in February at the Crowne Plaza in Nashua, New Hampshire - past speakers have included Ron Paul, Judge Napolitano, John Stossel, Cato staff, etc.). Bitcoin will have a large presence this year, and if you'd like to be a speaker or vendor at the event please contact me. Further, future events and FSP's online store will accept Bitcoin shortly.

BIG THANK YOU to Roger Ver of Memory Dealers who is funding this blast next weekend, and Ira and Victor of BTCinch.com for the email/payment/ewallet system - they've been extremely attentive and helpful as we get this launched.

And PLEASE DONATE to Free State Project if you care about liberty! The project is becoming a great ally of Bitcoin, so please show your support! Or better yet, sign up and get your ass out here!  Donate here: http://freestateproject.org/getinvolved/donate.php

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[bulanula]

Hoping this news raises the price ? Fat chance. Sorry 

[BitcoinPorn]

Dude, awesome, this is big.  Lots of new holders of Bitcoin coming up

[GoWest]

Posted to my blog.

[MemoryDealers]

Thanks to Eric Voorhees and Chris Lawless as well.
Without them,  none of this would have happened.

Thanks guys!

[bearbones]

Dude, awesome, this is big.  Lots of new holders of Bitcoin coming up

Hope so! We think that the Free State Project is a perfect fit for Bitcoin. It is, after all, one of the freest currencies ever even proposed.

[BitcoinPorn]

I love this spin piece lol

"[Rumor] Evil Conspiracy to Get Ron Paul to Use Bitcoin?" - http://tattlecoin.com/2011/rumor-evil-conspiracy-ron-paul-bitcoin/

[evoorhees]

Dude, awesome, this is big.  Lots of new holders of Bitcoin coming up

Well, more important than being just holders of the coins, many Free Staters will be using them as a currency. They already do this with silver extensively. These are not people who will buy coins to "make money"... they are people who will understand the use case, and they have the ideological backing to become early adopters (the current inconveniences of Bitcoin won't phase them as much).

[doldgigger]

Hoping this news raises the price ? Fat chance. Sorry 

Who cares about the exchange rate? Distributing bitcoins like this will increase the percentage of bitcoiners who actually _use_ them instead of merely speculating. This approach has a greater chance of creating a stable bitcoin economy.

[Andrew Bitcoiner]

This is good.  They have a high profile among alternative political groups.

[qikaifu]

Good news. Is there any way we can make donations?

[evoorhees]

Good news. Is there any way we can make donations?

Well yes, that's the point! =)

Go here:  http://freestateproject.org/getinvolved/donate.php

If you donate, Thomas Jefferson's ghost will visit you while you sleep and bless you with a life of success and fortune.

[evoorhees]

Reddit posted here, please vote up!:  http://www.reddit.com/r/Bitcoin/comments/l5mk5/free_state_project_now_accepts_bitcoin_donations/?utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=Fancy+Show+Tech

[BitcoinPorn]

/r/Bitcoin is preaching to the choir, I urge you all to reddit up on this quickly http://www.reddit.com/r/Libertarian/comments/l5npp/free_state_project_giving_away_money_to_raise/  as I am not sure how /r/Libertarian takes to strangers posting links in their section :p

[bitstarter]

Great news! 

[BitcoinPorn]

Is there a number or estimate on how many people are on their mailing list?

[bitstarter]

Is there a number or estimate on how many people are on their mailing list?

I read 15,000 ? 

[nextnonce]

Free State Project's Liberty Forum will be accepting Bitcoin.  Bitcoin will have a large presence this year, and if you'd like to be a speaker or vendor at the event please contact me.

Promote my free-market browser MMO (which accepts bitcoin) at a Free Stater gathering where bitcoin is a focus?  Can't really pass that up.

[Bitcoin Oz]

Posted.

http://bitcoinmedia.com/the-free-bitcoin-project-fsp-sending-digital

Thanks for everyone who helped make this a reality.

Also submitted to free talk live http://www.freetalklive.com/content/free_state_project_sending_bitcoin_currency_thousands_members

If they mention it on the show can someone send me a clip ?

[evoorhees]

Is there a number or estimate on how many people are on their mailing list?

Roughly 15k on the mailing list... so that many people will be getting a tiny microdonation in one week. Most will ignore or not care. Some will be marginally interested, and some very interested.

[ineededausername]

Is there a number or estimate on how many people are on their mailing list?

Roughly 15k on the mailing list... so that many people will be getting a tiny microdonation in one week. Most will ignore or not care. Some will be marginally interested, and some very interested.

While it may be true that most people wouldn't care about bitcoin for 4 cents, these people know the importance of obsoleting the fed.  To them, bitcoin should have more meaning than 4 cents or even lower transaction fees.  The idea is what counts.

[evoorhees]

Also submitted to free talk live http://www.freetalklive.com/content/free_state_project_sending_bitcoin_currency_thousands_members

If they mention it on the show can someone send me a clip ?

Chris Lawless called in tonight and mentioned it on the air, roughly 1/3 through the three hour program. The podcast will be available in a day or two for free.

I think when this bitcoin blast goes out next weekend, it'll be mentioned on the air again.

[Bitcoin Oz]

Now we need someone to setup a bitcoin table at the next porcfest?

http://porcfest.com/

Just like the FSP if we have a concentration of bitcoin users in one area its more likely that small businesses in the area will accept bitcoins.

Bitcoinland

[evoorhees]

Is there a number or estimate on how many people are on their mailing list?

Roughly 15k on the mailing list... so that many people will be getting a tiny microdonation in one week. Most will ignore or not care. Some will be marginally interested, and some very interested.

While it may be true that most people wouldn't care about bitcoin for 4 cents, these people know the importance of obsoleting the fed.  To them, bitcoin should have more meaning than 4 cents or even lower transaction fees.  The idea is what counts.

Yeah, the monetary value is irrelevant. The important part is that these people will A) know that the Free State Project accepts Bitcoins and B) be given a free ewallet (via BTCinch) to get started on their magical journey toward monetary sovereignty.

Many of the Free Staters are fully supportive of any kind of free market currency. But, they're understandably skeptical because Bitcoin is so new and they're not crypto-geeks, so it may take time for them to learn the system well enough to begin adopting it.

Also, this promotion is excellent because it demonstrates how Bitcoins can be used in ways which Paypal or other online payment methods cannot. We could not send a nickel's worth of value to 15,000 people using Paypal. Send someone a nickel and see what happens =)  Furthermore, we don't need any financial or private information of the subscribers to send the money... just their email address. We have no delay in payment transfer from our donor in Japan, and the fees are... zero. Basically, Bitcoin kicks ass and this was a fun new way to use it.

[gnar1ta$]

How do you send bitcoins through e-mail?

[error]

How do you send bitcoins through e-mail?

I'll let you know when I get mine.

Now we need someone to setup a bitcoin table at the next porcfest?

I hope you mean MORE tables than at the last PorcFest.

[bearbones]

How do you send bitcoins through e-mail?

I'll let you know when I get mine.

No need to wait. You can send Bitcoins through email through BTCinch. https://www.btcinch.com/wp-login.php?action=register

What we're doing with FSP is a bit different, however. Evoorhees mentioned that we only need the email addresses of the recipients, but I'd like to be more specific. The FSP is able to send this out through our service without giving us a single email address. We credit the accounts and give them recovery codes, then they send the claims out themselves.

[evoorhees]

Update on Oct 15 - Newsletter today sent to FSP mailing list of 15,000

Free State Project now accepts Bitcoin! (and you get some for free!)

READ THE SEPARATE PRESS RELEASE HERE

Some Free Staters have been hearing about Bitcoin – the new digital currency that has been gaining momentum, especially within the liberty movement. 

As of last week, the FSP is now set up to accept Bitcoin for donations as well as event registration fees (online store will soon follow). Additionally, everyone on the Free State Project mailing list (ie – anyone who received this newsletter) will be receiving a free Bitcoin donation tomorrow. Read on for more details…

What is Bitcoin?

Bitcoin is a decentralized digital currency – it is not run by any company, organization, or government. It works using peer-to-peer technology, meaning transfers of the currency go directly between two parties instead of a central server. Its supply is strictly limited based on a predetermined algorithm, and there will never be more than 21-million Bitcoins in existence. Unlike fiat currencies, a Bitcoin’s value comes purely from supply and demand within an open marketplace. There is no central bank to inflate or deflate the money supply.

Bitcoins can be bought and sold at many online exchanges for national currencies, and can be used to purchase a growing number of goods and services all over the world.
Unlike gold or silver, Bitcoins can be sent between any two accounts anywhere in the world instantly, and you never need to use a name or any personal details to have an account. Bitcoins are private and generally anonymous. Bitcoins are held on your computer (or at an online “ewallet”) – and nobody can prevent a Bitcoin transaction from happening. 

You may have heard earlier this year when Wikileaks’ funding sources were getting shut down by Visa, Mastercard, and Paypal. Bitcoin cannot be shut down in such a way, meaning Wikileaks now always has a source of private, anonymous funding.

Bitcoin and FSP
Some liberty advocates are extremely excited about the prospects of this currency, and that is why the Free State Project has decided to incorporate it as a payment method for donation and event registration.   

To help you get started with Bitcoin, the ghost of Frederick Bastiat has donated the funds for us to give each of you a tiny amount. You will receive another email tomorrow with instructions. If you wish to claim your gift, you will get a free ewallet account with BTCinch.com (ewallets allow you to store your Bitcoins if you don’t wish to keep them on your computer). 
The more you learn about Bitcoin, the more this new currency may interest you as a tool for voluntary, free-market exchange. Feel free to join the “Free State Bitcoin Consortium” group on Facebook (run by Erik Voorhees). Or to investigate Bitcoin further, a good starting place is WeUseCoins.com

Watch out for the follow-up email tomorrow!

[netrin]

These guys are cool: http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2011/06/29/137478762/the-tuesday-podcast-libertarian-summer-camp

[evoorhees]

Now shown on their homepage in the Spotlight section on top right:  http://freestateproject.org/

Send a donation if you like freedom!

[netrin]

I just donated, but it's not much fun getting a unique anonymous address. The public donation history is part of the motivation in any fund-raising campaign!

[Cryptoman]

Erik, you are awesome!  Now, if someone would just start a free state project in a more temperate state...

[FreeMoney]

Erik, you are awesome!  Now, if someone would just start a free state project in a more temperate state...

Yeah, sign me up for that.

[evoorhees]

Erik, you are awesome!  Now, if someone would just start a free state project in a more temperate state...

Hahaha yeah - many people will dedicate their lives to the cause of liberty... unless it's too cold sometimes! =)

[error]

Erik, you are awesome!  Now, if someone would just start a free state project in a more temperate state...

Yeah, sign me up for that.

What are you talking about? The weather is great here!

[BitcoinPorn]

So awesome seeing it up on their page so prominent, great support from this group.  I will only be saying positive things about New Hampshire in general from now on.

[doobadoo]

Dude, awesome, this is big.  Lots of new holders of Bitcoin coming up

But they are only giving away a trivial value?  They should raise more BTC and set up a claims method.  most on the mailing list won't bother to claim it anyhow.  those who do might claim 1 or 2 btc.  But i can't imagine any one getting excited over a bitcent.   

[netrin]

Is anyone a long term member of the group? Do they tend toward off-the-grid mountain men, silicon valley libertarians, a fair cross section of the population? I crawled around their forum (nearly all posts are pre-2009) and they seem an intelligent, thoughtful bunch. I wonder if our assistance would be perceived as coming from pr marketing infiltration or from like-minded peers.