Young Americans for Fascism ...err Freedom and William F. Buckley, Jr.

[John Bevilaqua]

History

1960's









About 90 young people at the Sharon, Connecticut estate of William F. Buckley, Jr. gathered to lay the groundwork for a new national conservative youth organization. It is here that Americans for Freedom is born and our statement of principles, the Sharon Statement, is drafted. New Guard magazine makes its debut as the official magazine of YAF.

YAF spearheads the campaign of Barry Goldwater for president. Goldwater's run for the White House catalyzed YAF more than any other event in its history. A highlight of YAF's movement to make Goldwater the Republican nominee is an astonishing rally in New York's Madison Square Garden where 18,500 conservatives gather to show their support for Senator Goldwater. Lee Edwards, former New Guard editor, said "Barry Goldwater made YAF, but YAF also made Barry Goldwater."

Ronald Reagan joins the YAF National Advisory Board in 1962 and continues today, 40 years later, as Honorary Chairman.

The first national YAF convention was held in 1963 at the Gault Hotel in Florida. With over 450 voting delegates in attendance. Hotel management at the Gault Hotel refused accommodations to Black national board member Jay Parker. As word of this spread around the YAFer's in attendance, all 450 delegates and numerous others began gathering in the lobby of the hotel demanding that either the Gault Hotel allow all the black YAFers to stay and the hotel change their segregation policy or YAF would move its convention down the street. From that day on any person was allowed into the Gault Hotel.

"STOP RED TRADE" becomes a hallmark of YAF's 40-year history. IBM, Mack Truck, and Firestone Tire and Rubber are targeted for engaging in high visibility trade with the Soviet Bloc. YAF successfully stops Firestone's attempt to build a synthetic rubber plant in Communist Romania through letter-writing campaigns, boycotts, and demonstrations. YAF's plan to distribute 500,000 flyers at the Indianapolis 500 is seen as a key to the decision by Firestone executives.

YAF goes on the offensive against radical left-wing groups like Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) and New MOBE in support of a U.S. victory in Vietnam. These fights carry YAF into its second decade.

1970's







YAF begins and continues a number of projects to support Vietnam veterans and their causes. "Project Appreciation" gives YAFers the opportunity to write, visit, and provide needed supplies to hospitalized veterans. YAF works on various POW/MIA issues and treasonous "Hanoi" Jane Fonda becomes a target of YAF attacks. While U.S. soldiers are fighting in the fields of Vietnam, YAF is fighting on the college campuses and in communities across the country. YAF, though opposing the draft, supports the move to resist communism in Southeast Asia and in American classrooms.

YAF goes on the offensive when President Nixon sells out the free Republic of China and opens relations with communist Red China. A number of YAF projects are started as ad hoc committees and affiliated groups to address specific issues. These groups include Youth for the Voluntary Prayer Amendment, Student's Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms, Young America's Foundation, Free Campus News Service, STOP-NSA Committee, and the National Student Committee for Victory in Vietnam. Today some of these organizations still exist, and continue "to fight the good fight."

In 1974, YAF, along with the American Conservative Union, sponsors a modest but ambitious gathering called the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC). CPAC has become the largest annual gathering of conservatives and is still growing 26 years later.

The Carter Administration is an easy target of YAF. With huge, unprecedented government growth the order of the day, Carter's policies fly in the face of all that YAF stands for. YAF is active in opposing the give away of the Panama Canal and the SALT treaties. The Iran Hostage Crisis opens the eyes of many people to the failures of the Carter Administration and provides YAF a rallying point in 1979. YAF holds a campaign to generate thousands of letters of encouragement to the hostages and presses the Administration to take action. 1980's







YAF's long time friend and advisor Ronald Reagan becomes the 40th President of the United States. The election of Reagan ushers in the conservative decade. YAFers around the nation mobilize in support of Reagan's agenda.

Many YAFers receive appointments to the Reagan Administration. Reagan Administration officials and prospective appointees who are targeted by the radical left are strongly defended by YAF. YAFers rally to the support of Labor Secretary Raymond Donovan, Interior Secretary James Watt, Circuit Court Judge Dan Manion, Supreme Court nominee Robert Bork, and NSC staff member Lt. Colonel Oliver North.

During the early years of the Reagan Administration, the residentially challenged set up a quaint homeless community in Lafayette Park across the street from the White House. An Elite squadron of DC area YAFers formed the Lafayette Park Liberation Squad, equipped with a newly appropriated white van the Lafayette Park Liberation Squad tore through Lafayette Park liberating the Park from any would be dwellers. After a summer of liberation runs through the park the DC City Council passed an ordinance banning anyone from dwelling in the park. The DC City Council at the same time ordered that Lafayette Park be fenced in so that no more white vans would be driving through the park.

The conservative decade also brings a new resurgence of left-wing intolerance on college campuses. Radical left-wing administrators, faculty, and students go on the rampage in their attempts to silence conservative student organizations and publications. YAF continues to fight to bring First Amendment rights to our college campuses.

YAF scores a victory for free speech when the Supreme Court renders its decision in Boos vs. Barry. The ruling overturns an ordinance in our nation's capitol that forbids demonstrators against a foreign government to carry their protest within 500 feet of the nation's embassy. YAF stands solidly behind the Reagan Doctrine and supports Freedom Fighters around the globe through campus activities. YAF sponsors a variety of speaking tours by representatives of the Nicaraguan Resistance, the Mujahaddin of Afghanistan, UNITA from Angola, and the ARENA Party of El Salvador.

1990's



































YAF Opens the decade after launching the most successful Fall Offensive in recent history. YAF recruiters were active in 16 states and on over 75 college campuses. The drive centered on a push to pardon Oliver North and generated tremendous response in support of this American hero.

In August 1991, YAF held its 16th National Convention in Washington D.C. YAF members from around the country gathered to reaffirm our commitment to conservative principles and heard such speakers as William F. Buckley, Jr., Secretary of Defense Dick Cheney, and G. Gordon Liddy.

YAF National Chairman meets with Vice President Dan Quayle and delivers over 40,000 petitions in support of the Vice President.

YAF launches Anita Hill truth Squad to expose the lies of Anita Hill. YAFers confront Anita Hill on college campuses across America.

YAF pushes 1992 Republican National Convention to continue strong support for conservative issues.

In CPAC 1995, YAF holds a "Colloquium on Revolution." Over 1000 Young Americans for Freedom rallied around speakers such as YAF founding elder Howard Phillips, Congressman Robert Dornan, Joseph Sobran, and other speakers motivating the young crowd to continue YAF's conservative charge to preserve freedom and individual liberty. In 1996, National chairman Jon Pastore led a delegation YAFers to bring national attention to a group called the North American Man/Boy Love Association (NAMBLA). NAMBLA members got quite a surprise at one of their events in Washington DC in 1996 when compassionate YAFers held banners warning the effects of deviant and un-natural sexual practices.

In 1997, Brian Park, National Director and state Chairman of California YAF, organized support for the rights of American Indians when their tribal sovereignty was being encroached upon by Governor Pete Wilson.

Full page newspaper ads centered on YAF’s resolution to support tribal sovereignty were place in every major newspaper across the state of California to pressure the Governor. The negotiations failed and the historic Proposition 5 was place on the ballot in 1998. YAF made over 1 million voter contact with direct-mail pieces to educate the public on American Indian Sovereignty issues and the measure passed overwhelming with bi-partisan support of 62.4% to 32.6%.

Proposition 5 was eventually challenged in the courts and YAF filed a “Friends of the Court” brief (case number S074850) with the State Supreme court in 1999. While we lost, our leg work assisted in a passage of Proposition 1A in year 2000 with no real opposition to fix the legal problems with Proposition 5.

In 1998 Cigar-Man was launched against President Bill Clinton. YAFer dressed in a Cigar-Costume followed President Clinton to various fundraising functions to highlight Clinton’s presidential achievements.

At the 1999 Academy Awards in Los Angeles, YAFer's rally in support of the Academy of Motion Pictures decision to award famous director Elian Kazan with the lifetime achievement award. Confronted by over 600 commies, union thugs, and other leftists YAFers continued with their peaceful pro-Kazan rally. When the rally turned ugly YAFers defended themselves and assisted the police to apprehend the typical violent leftist perpetrators.
2000 National Board Member Chad Morgan leads the national charge to impeach Attorney General Janet Reno when she helped force Elian Gonzales back to Communist Cuba. Utilizing the vast power of the Internet the website www.impeachreno.org generates millions of visits, and thousands of petition signatures to Congress urging Congress to take actions against an Attorney General who routinely violates the Constitution. Two and a half months into the crusade against Janet Reno the Congress calls for a low-grade investigation into Ms. Reno's actions as Attorney general. National political insiders eyed the ideological battle in Orange County, California in the year 2000, which had national implications and garnered national press because OC is one of the most politically conservative areas in the nation. YAFers came to the aid and became one of the biggest donors to beat back limousine liberal Republicans bent on replacing conservatives with “moderates” in the Republican central committee.

Unprecedented amounts of money were poured in against conservatives for a central committee race (reported to be $200,000 to $500,000), but conservatives and YAF were able to score a near unanimous victory.

This small ideological battle was carried on nationally where “being pragmatic” trumped standing by conservative principles that eventually led to the condition we are in today.

YAF, as an organization, has never compromised on conservative principles or taken political positions that were based out of convenience. We are not shy about pointing out in public individuals or organizations that have betrayed our movement. Help us in our fight to bring national focus back to standing up for conservative principles over politics.