Eric Garris: Difference between revisions

{{Use mdy dates|date=JuneApril 20132022}}

|name = Eric Garris

|birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1953|12|24}}<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.antiwar.com/blog/2010/12/23/happybirthday/|title=Happy Birthday Antiwar.com|first=Angela|last=Keaton|date=December 23, 2010}}</ref>

|birth_place =[[ Paris, France]]

|death_place =

|occupation = Activist, journalist, writer

|party = [[Peace and Freedom Party]] (1960s-19751960s–1975)<br />[[Libertarian Party (United States)|Libertarian]] (1975-19831975–1983)<br />[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] (1983-present1983–present)

|restingplace =

'''Eric Garris''' (born December 24, 1953) is an activist in the [[Libertarianism in the United States|libertarian]] movement in the [[United States, reaching back to the [[Vietnam War]]. He is the foundingfounder and [[webmaster]] of twoa prominentdaily libertarian websitesnonpartisan, news source [[Antiwar.com]] which was launched in 1995.<ref>"Exclusive Interview: Eric Garris on Anti-War Activism, Military Adventurism and the Future of Economic Liberty," ''The Daily Bell'', November 14, 2010 [[LewRockwellhttp://www.thedailybell.com/exclusive-interviews/anthony-wile-eric-garris-on-anti-war-activism-military-adventurism-and-the-future-of-economic-liberty/]].</ref>

Garris was born in [[Paris, France]] and raised in [[Southern California]] from the age of 2. He became politically active at an early age, organizing rallies and distributing leaflets in his Los Angeles high school and actively resisting the [[Vietnam war]] and [[Conscription|draft]]. As a [[red diaper baby]], Garris marched in civil rights demonstrations at age 8, was expelled from high school for instigating a riot at age 16, and became a Vietnam War draft resister by the time he was an adult.<ref>Eric Garris, "Once a Peacenik, Always a Peacenik," ''Antiwar.com'', April 6, 1999</ref> He considered himself a leftist for most of his early years, but that political position changed by the time he turned 20.<ref>Linton Weeks, "Waging War on War," ''Washington Post'', April 15, 1999</ref>

While living in [[Venice, California]], in the 1960s, Garris became active in the [[Peace and Freedom Party]], serving as National Committeeman and Vice-chairman before forming a libertarian faction within the party in 1973. In 1975, he left the Peace and Freedom Party to become active in the [[Libertarian Party (United States)|Libertarian Party]], eventually co-founding the [[LPRadicals|Libertarian Radical Caucus]] with [[Justin Raimondo]]. In the 1980s, Garris and Raimondo left the Libertarian Party to engage the [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican Party]]. They formed the Libertarian Republican Organizing Committee (LROC) and backed [[Pat Buchanan]] in his [[1992 United States presidential election, 1992|1992]] presidential run. On November 5, 2018, Garris married Susana Simon Pio from Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Garris cites his [[Anti-war movement|antiwar]] stance as the one constant throughout the evolution of his political point of view and has said that being antiwar led him to libertarianism. His view that war is the greatest violator of human and property rights is reflected in Antiwar.com's mission to lead the non-interventionist cause in the United States and abroad.<ref name="Who we Are">{{cite web|url=http://antiwar.com/who.php |title=Who we Are |publisher=Antiwar.com |accessdate=November 29, 2011}}</ref><ref>http{{Cite web|url=https://www.thedailybell.com/all-articles/exclusive-interviews/anthony-wile-eric-garris-on-anti-war-activism-military-adventurism-and-the-future-of-economic-liberty/|title=Eric Garris on Anti-War Activism, Military Adventurism and the Future of Economic Liberty|date=November 14, 2010}}</ref>

In 2000, Garris described his history with the Libertarian Party (LP) as follows:<ref>Garris, Eric (June 26, 2000) [http://archive.lewrockwell.com/orig/garris2.html Irv Rubin and the Libertarian Party], [[LewRockwell.com]]</ref>

When [[Murray Rothbard]] and his supporters began to feel that the Libertarian Party, through outfits such as the [[Cato Institute]], was becoming too cozy with the Republican Party and its policies, they founded the "[[LPRadicals|Libertarian Radical Caucus]]" which was led primarily by Garris and his most consistent collaborator Justin Raimondo.<ref>[https://mises.org/journals/lf/1979/1979_05-06.pdf "LP Radical Caucus 1979 statement of principles"], ''[[The Libertarian Forum]]'', May–June 1979 issue (pgp. 6)</ref> After the Libertarian Party's major schism of 1983, they began an entryist strategy into the Republican Party, and during the 1990s they became strong backers of Pat Buchanan.<ref>Anderson, Lessley (December 10, 2003) [http://www.sfweekly.com/2003-12-10/news/intrepid-antiwarriors-of-the-libertarian-right-stake-their-rightful-claim-to-power/full Intrepid Antiwarriors of the Libertarian Right Stake Their Rightful Claim to Power], ''[[SF Weekly]]''</ref>

Eric Garris first ran for public office in 1972 when he ran as a Peace and Freedom Party candidate for the [[California State Assembly]] in district 61. He received 3,488 votes<ref name="Eric A. Garris">{{cite web|url=http://www.joincalifornia.com/candidate/1775 |title=Eric A. Garris |publisher=JoinCalifornia |accessdate=November 29, 2011}}</ref> for 3.8% of the vote.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.joincalifornia.com/election/1972-11-07 |title=11-07-1972 Election |publisher=JoinCalifornia |date=November 7, 1972 |accessdate=November 29, 2011}}</ref> Garris ran for office a second time in 1974. Running as a [[Peace and Freedom Party]] candidate in the 22 State Senate district, Garris received 4,316 votes<ref name="Eric A. Garris"/> for 2.3%<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.joincalifornia.com/election/1974-11-05 |title=11-05-1974 Election |publisher=JoinCalifornia |date=November 5, 1974 |accessdate=November 29, 2011}}</ref> In 1980, Garris ran as a libertarian for the 5th district [[California State Senate]] seat. In a two-way race, Garris received 21,162 votes<ref name="Eric A. Garris"/> for 14.6% of the vote.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.joincalifornia.com/election/1980-11-04 |title=11-04-1980 Election |publisher=JoinCalifornia |date=November 4, 1980 |accessdate=November 29, 2011}}</ref> In 1983, Garris ran as a libertarian in the special election for [[California's 5th congressional district]].<ref name="06-21-1983 Election">{{cite web|url=http://www.joincalifornia.com/election/1983-06-21 |title=06-21-1983 Election |publisher=JoinCalifornia |date=June 21, 1983 |accessdate=November 29, 2011}}</ref> He received 408 votes<ref name="Eric A. Garris"/> for 0.5% of the total vote.<ref name="06-21-1983 Election"/> In 1990, Garris ran as a Republican for the California State Assembly in the 21st district. He received 25,695 votes<ref name="Eric A. Garris"/> for 29.1% of the vote in a two way race<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.joincalifornia.com/election/1990-11-06 |title=11-06-1990 Election |publisher=JoinCalifornia |date=November 6, 1990 |accessdate=November 29, 2011}}</ref>

Early on, Garris saw the potential of the [[internet]] to advance freedomhis and offer hope for humanity'spolitical progressbeliefs.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://archive.lewrockwell.com/orig/garris3.html |title=The Internet vs. the State by Eric Garris |publisher=Lewrockwell.com |date=November 22, 2005 |accessdate=November 29, 2011}}</ref> In 1995, he founded Antiwar.com in response to the [[Clinton administration]]'s intervention in [[Bosnian War|Bosnia's civil war]].<ref name="Who we Are"/> Founded on [[Randolph Bourne]]'s idea that “War"War is the Health of the State,”" Antiwar.com aggregates foreign policy news links from a variety of perspectives to inform the [[American people]] and the world about the overseas plans of the American government and serve as a research tool for “‘citizen"'citizen experts.’”'"<ref name="Who we Are"/>

InFrom 1999 to 2012, Garris becamewas the webmaster offor [[LewRockwell.com]], the webmagazine of libertarian political commentator [[Lew Rockwell]]. He is also webmaster for ''[[Ballot Access News]]'', a news site published by activist [[Richard Winger]] that raises awareness of restrictive ballot access laws.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ballot-access.org/ |title=Ballot Access News |publisher=Ballot-access.org |accessdate=November 29, 2011}}</ref>

[[Category:American male non-fiction writers]]

[[Category:American political activistsjournalists]]

[[Category:MembersAmerican ofopinion the Libertarian Party (United States)journalists]]