Liberty Alliance sets sights on rights, local elections

A group of several hundred individuals who first organized to protest a county pandemic-related ordinance intends to keep influencing county politics by winning local government seats and restoring individual rights.

The county’s Liberty Alliance — which organizer Dave Estenson said is unrelated to similarly named alliances elsewhere in the country — now has over 1,300 members who share the group’s commitment to adherence to the constitution and the rights of individuals, Estenson said.

To help advance their objectives, nine members of the group were elected to various public offices in April, including Estenson who is now a member of the Whitehall school board. The Liberty Alliance is backing a resolution to make the county a Second Amendment sanctuary and group members lend their presence to nearby liberty organizations.

“We want the freedom to pursue our happiness in the absence of government,” Estenson said. “We’re not partisan, we’re not crazy, we’re not a militia. We denounce any of that crazy behavior.

“We want to get back to what is laid out in the constitution, things that used to be taken for granted, were common sense, not that long ago. We’re classical liberals or libertarians.”

The social media group that is the foundation of the alliance was formed Dec. 17 by Heather Fritsch, just days before dozens of protesters attended a county board meeting to object to a new ordinance. The ordinance would have allowed health officials to issue citations with financial penalties, limit the size of gatherings and forbid “interference” when inspecting public places.

It was voted down by the board, though several members noted the health director already had some of those powers under state law.

Within 48 hours of the group being formed, it had over 700 members, Estenson said. “It showed us people are starved for freedom.” The restrictions imposed during the pandemic caused citizens to accept the loss of freedom too easily, Estenson said.

“When I just happened to see the ordinance they were considering,” Fritsch said, “I reached out to some likeminded friends to see if there was anyone working against it. There wasn’t. By that Monday (of the board vote) we had 200 people willing to show up.” 

Fritsch said she believes the group brings awareness to the need to preserve individuals liberties and gives people a voice.

“We have a lot of people who tell us they didn’t think they would be heard before.” 

The alliance’s main organizing venue is social media, but core members meet regularly and about 100 individuals will show up for a meeting, Estenson said.

Members are encouraged to pay attention to what municipal governments and school boards are doing.

“Local politics affect you more than anything happening in Madison or Washington,” Estenson said.

Of the 11 alliance members who ran for office, nine were elected to township boards and school boards. The new mayor of Osseo, Josh Pettis, campaigned to the group. The two members who lost had failed to hit a registration deadline and so had to run as write-ins, Estenson said.