268000 Raised at Chicago Atlas Shrugged Revolution Dinner
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aynrand.org/impact Volume 19, Number 7, July 2013 ARI Participates $268,000 Raised at Chicago in Foreign Policy Atlas Shrugged Revolution Dinner Discussions n May 9 ARI awareness of Ayn O hosted its second Rand’s ideas in the lan Journo, ARI fellow annual Atlas Shrugged Chicago area. Eand director of policy Revolution dinner in Prizes were also research, recently partici- Chicago. Held at the awarded to winners pated in three panel discus- Ritz-Carlton Hotel, the of the Chicagoland sions on issues involved in event raised $268,000 Atlas Shrugged essay foreign policy. to advance ARI’s contest that was held In April Mr. Journo mission. last year. This contest spoke alongside Daniel “We are deeply judged a subset of Pipes of the Middle East appreciative for the the essays submitted Forum and Larry Greenfield support we received in to ARI’s worldwide of the Claremont Institute at an event titled Chicago, both financial Atlas Shrugged essay “Islamists Rising in the Middle East: Where and spiritual,” said contest last year. Next for America.” The panelists discussed the Yaron Brook, ARI’s executive director. “It’s the Essays authored by students in Illinois, Indiana trends that have emerged in the wake of the so- fuel we need,” he continued, “to maintain and and Wisconsin were considered. The contest was called Arab Spring movement, how the United expand our various educational and advocacy sponsored by Dash Financial of Chicago. States should approach these changes and the efforts at ARI.” An auction of Ayn Rand memorabilia and status of Israel amid a sea of hostile states. More than ninety people attended the Chicago other items was also held at the event. Proceeds Mr. Journo argued for the need to reorient event and heard keynote remarks by Ken Moelis, from the auction totaled $52,000, an amount that American foreign policy in the region toward founder and CEO of Moelis and Company. Mr. was then generously matched by members of the a new conception of the national interest, one Moelis spoke movingly of the role Ayn Rand’s ARI Chicago Chapter board of directors. predicated on rational egoism. novels and ideas played in his career successes. The remaining funds raised at the event were The event, held at the University of Cali- Also on the program a result of table sponsorships and fornia-Davis, was hosted by a club on campus, were Connor Jeffers of Loyola the purchase of individual tickets. the Ayn Rand Society. A local Fox network University Chicago, who spoke Join us at Atlas sponsors ($50,000) included affiliate recorded the event. about the support ARI has The St. Regis Dmitry Balyasny of Balyasny In June Mr. Journo was invited to speak at provided him as a high school Asset Management LP (who a conference organized by the American Free- and college student; Lauren sponsored two tables) and Tim dom Alliance in Los Angeles. The event, titled Kulig, a high school teacher Blum of HSA Commercial, Inc. “Europe’s Last Stand? Debt, Demography, and in Chicago, who expressed Scott Schweighauser of Chicago the Abandonment of National Sovereignty,” the value ARI’s educational contributed at the Event sponsor featured an array of commentators, including programs, such as the Free level ($25,000). Geert Wilders, leader of the Party for Freedom Books to Teachers and essay ATLAS SHRUGGED REVOLUTION See the graphic, at left, for in the Netherlands, and noted author George contest programs, offer her New York information about ARI’s next Gilder. students; and Dr. Brook, who September 26, 2013 fundraising event—the fifth Mr. Journo participated in two panel dis- outlined ARI’s plan to develop More information will soon be available at annual Atlas Shrugged Revolution cussions at the event. In one he discussed the targeted initiatives to spread events.aynrand.org. dinner in New York City. importance of understanding the character of the Islamist movement and of upholding free- dom of speech as an absolute. In another he commented on the collectivist nature of anti- Taking the Message to Capitol Hill Semitism and some of the reasons this attitude persists today. RI regularly hosts educational briefings for Capitol Hill staffers on A issues related to the morality of capitalism. “The theme we are try- Yaron Brook Meets with ing to stress this year,” says Yaron Brook, ARI’s executive director, “is that the principle of individual rights should guide policy.” Interns in DC The purpose of these briefings is not to shape legislation but to achieve an important educational goal. Congressional staffers often go on to become the next generation of political thought leaders, either by taking political office, working at think tanks or entering journalism. Through these briefings, we introduce congressional aides and assistants to Ayn Rand’s moral principles, we indicate how to apply those ideas to current issues and we stress the real-world impact of approaching policy issues from the framework of Rand’s philosophic thought. The following briefings have taken place so far this year: • “What Does a Pro-Individual Rights Immigration Policy Look Like?”—Yaron Brook, June 20 On June 21 ARI hosted a luncheon for summer interns from various free • “Post-Arab Spring: What Is the Basis for a Proper Foreign Policy?”—Elan Journo, ARI fellow and market think tanks and advocacy groups in the DC area, including the director of policy research, May 30 Cato Institute, Freedomworks, Institute for Humane Studies, Institute for • “Is Regulation Moral?”—Eric Daniels, research assistant professor at Clemson University, April 25 Justice and the Koch Institute. ARI’s executive director, Yaron Brook, engaged in a spirited discussion about the morality of capitalism with the • “Why Is Antitrust Targeting America’s Best Companies?”—Thomas Bowden, ARI analyst, March 28 forty-eight attendees. • “How to Promote Individual Rights and Win the Sequester Debate”—Yaron Brook, February 28 Ayn Rand’s Work on Display at Nation’s Largest Book Fair What One Can Do principles to concrete problems, to recognize the In this section, Impact highlights writings from principles in specific issues, to demonstrate them, Ayn Rand’s corpus for fans who wish to learn and to advocate a consistent course of action. This more about her philosophy, Objectivism. does not require omniscience or omnipotence; it is the subconscious expectation of automatic yn Rand’s ideas have changed the lives of omniscience in oneself and in others that defeats A millions—and have inspired many readers many would-be crusaders (and serves as an excuse to try to change the culture. In her essay “What for doing nothing). What is required is honesty— Can One Do?” (reprinted in Philosophy: Who intellectual honesty, which consists in knowing ARI’s booth at the book fair Needs It), Ayn Rand gave her answer to the ques- what one does know, constantly expanding one’s tion of what an individual can do to help create a knowledge, and never evading or failing to correct or more than a decade, ARI has hosted a rational culture. a contradiction. This means: the development of Fbooth at the annual Los Angeles Times “If you are seriously interested in fighting an active mind as a permanent attribute.” Festival of Books, a weekend-long event dur- for a better world,” Ayn Rand writes, “begin by Once one understands one’s own position, ing which booksellers, publishers and cultural identifying the nature of the problem. The battle Miss Rand continues, one’s means of having a organizations can display and sell their books is primarily intellectual (philosophical), not politi- positive influence on the culture consists of one to the public. This year’s festival was held cal. Politics is the last consequence, the practical simple but crucial action. “[W]hen you ask ‘What April 20–21 at the University of Southern implementation, of the fundamental (metaphysi- can one do?’—the answer is ‘SPEAK’ (provided California’s campus in Los Angeles and drew cal-epistemological-ethical) ideas that dominate a you know what you are saying). more than 150,000 visitors. given nation’s culture. You cannot fight or change “A few suggestions: do not wait for a national Anu Seppala, ARI director of cultural the consequences without fighting and chang- audience. Speak on any scale open to you, large or outreach, commented, “It was wonderful to ing the cause; nor can you attempt any practical small—to your friends, your associates, your pro- be able to connect one-on-one with Ayn Rand implementation without knowing what you want fessional organizations, or any legitimate public fans and hear their stories about how they to implement.” forum. You can never tell when your words will first discovered her, their reaction to her ideas To fight an intellectual battle, Rand held, reach the right mind at the right time. You will see and the lifelong inspiration she has provided requires waging an educational campaign. But to no immediate results—but it is of such activities to so many.” do that, one must first make sure one understands that public opinion is made. ARI’s booth was stacked with copies of the ideas one seeks to advocate. “If you want “Do not pass up a chance to express your Ayn Rand’s novels and nonfiction works, to influence a country’s intellectual trend,” she views on important issues. Write letters to the available for purchase at discounted prices. writes, “the first step is to bring order to your own editors of newspapers and magazines, to TV and In addition to selling books, ARI staff ideas and integrate them into a consistent case, to radio commentators and, above all, to your Con- members discussed with visitors Ayn Rand’s the best of your knowledge and ability.