The Free West Alliance (FWA) is an organization attempting to organize the migration of libertarians and the like-minded into the U.S. states of Idaho, Montana and Wyoming, in order to influence local political policy toward libertarian ideals. It also seeks to mobilize current residents of the states who have libertarian politics.
FWA was created shortly after the selection of the state of New Hampshire by an earlier American political migration movement, the Free State Project (FSP). FWA founders were predominantly either former members of FSP who had "opted out" of New Hampshire in that organization's state selection process, or others who had associated with FSP but not signed on formally.
The reasons for the creation of FWA are many, most prominent being the dissatisfaction many westerners felt over the selection of an eastern state, for simple geographical reasons as well as for the cultural split that became evident in the Free State Project discussion forums between "westerners" and "easterners". Note, some in the "western" faction actually lived in the east, and vice versa.
The Free West Alliance has also become associated to some degree with similar Canadian movements, and with the Free State Wyoming (FSW).
The Montana and Wyoming branches of FWA are the most active. Evidence of prior, small freedom migration movements to Wyoming has also turned up in discussions on the various email lists associated with FWA. Both Montana and Wyoming are often viewed as states with strong anti-authoritarian traditions, and have a history of informal individual migrations for that purpose.
Famous quotes containing the words free, west and/or alliance:
“I had crossed de line of which I had so long been dreaming. I was free; but dere was no one to welcome me to de land of freedom. I was a stranger in a strange land, and my home after all was down in de old cabin quarter, wid de ole folks, and my brudders and sisters. But to dis solemn resolution I came; I was free, and dey should be free also; I would make a home for dem in de North, and de Lord helping me, I would bring dem all dere.”
—Harriet Tubman (c. 1820–1913)
“The west yet glimmers with some streaks of day.
Now spurs the lated traveller apace
To gain the timely inn.”
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)
“Ah! how much a mother learns from her child! The constant protection of a helpless being forces us to so strict an alliance with virtue, that a woman never shows to full advantage except as a mother. Then alone can her character expand in the fulfillment of all life’s duties and the enjoyment of all its pleasures.”
—Honoré De Balzac (1799–1850)