Movement Trends: Writers for Liberty

Two days after my interview with Elizabeth Nolan Brown, across the river from the offices of Reason, Nick Sibilla is telling me the story of how he came to the ideas of liberty. “Milton Friedman’s Capitalism and Freedom, The Economist, and Reason magazine,” he lists, animatedly. “It was difficult in print publications to come across anyone discussing ideas that weren’t mainstream. That was how I came across Reason– they were talking about things that no one else would, such as the War on Drugs. Now a lot of what they once covered isn’t even controversial.”

As a writer for the Institute for Justice, Sibilla still relies heavily on his voracious appetite for reading and the research skills he’s honed over several years and half a dozen internships. “On a typical day I might be researching legislation, writing an op-ed, or looking for new examples of government overreach. Anything from higher-level content to Breaking Bad references.”

The fusion of complicated legal issues with pop culture may seem strange, but the unique approach appears to be a winning strategy. One of Nick’s most surreal experiences started with an email to IJ communications coordinator Nico Perrino from a producer of the yet-to-be-aired “Last Week Tonight With John Oliver.” He was interested in doing a segment on civil asset forfeiture abuse- an issue the Institute for Justice has battled valiantly. Along with information about the laws and IJ’s cases, Sibilla’s Buzzfeed list of ridiculous purchases made by police with civil forfeiture funds was sent in response. Excitement dissipated over time when the organization heard nothing more for weeks, then months. When the exchange had almost been forgotten, an email arrived. Tuning into the next show, Nick saw his work come to life.

When I ask Nick about the times he has felt most rewarded by his work, a name immediately bursts from Nick’s lips, “James DuPree” – an artist in Philadelphia. Under eminent domain, the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority had seized DuPree’s studio. Nick discovered this case, and brought it to the attention of the attorneys at the Institute for Justice. The city was set to demolish the studio and replace it with a grocery store, although they had yet to find a business willing to use the lot. Additionally, the city government owned several vacant lots in the nearby area. DuPree’s case was a clear example of eminent domain abuse, and IJ took on the case.

For over a year, he and his colleagues at the Institute for Justice worked on DuPree’s case. While attorneys fought in the court of law, Nick and IJ’s activism team turned to the court of public opinion. After Nick wrote a successful column at Forbes.com, Fox News did two segments on DuPree’s case, and Reason made a video on it. The Institute for Justice also helped organize two events in Philadelphia to mobilize the local community. But even as DuPree’s case garnered more ire and attention, the city of Philadelphia remained undeterred.

Finally, Sibilla received a call from Melinda Haring, IJ’s Activism Manager. “‘Are you sitting down?’ she asked me,” says Nick, shaking his head at the memory. “‘He’s getting his deed back.’” Though overjoyed with the outcome of the case, he took special pleasure in the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority’s mention of the media attention DuPree’s case had received. “That’s when I really felt like I had made an impact.”

“People might look at places like the Institute for Justice and think, ‘I could never work there.’ But I don’t have a law degree. I have experience, which you can’t get in a college classroom. If you want to write, and you want to advance freedom, hone your craft. Keep examples of your work. And take every opportunity that you can.”

This is the third article of the AF Movement Trends blog series. Sloane Shearman is a writer for a  non-profit organization in Arlington, VA and an AF Ambassador. You can follow her on Twitter: @SloaneSays.