Americans for a Society Free from Age Restrictions

Infobox_Organization
name = ASFAR Youth Liberation
membership = 1,500+ members
headquarters = Chicago, IL
formation = 1996
website =

http://www.asfar.org/

Americans for a Society Free from Age Restrictions, also known as ASFAR Youth Liberation, is an organization dedicated to increasing the rights of youth under American law. The purpose of ASFAR is to "defend and advance the civil and human rights of young people through promoting the elimination and reform of laws that limit the freedom and self-determination of young people in the United States, and empowering young people to act on their own behalf in defense of their rights and freedoms." [ [http://www.asfar.org/articles.php ASFAR Articles of Incorporation ] ] ASFAR is associated with the youth rights movement, which advocates more freedom for young people and protection of their rights under law, in order to allow them the greatest degree of self-determination possible.

History and schism

ASFAR, originally an email list organization, was founded in 1996 by Matt Walcoff and Matt Herman, two individuals who felt that age restrictions in the U.S. had gone too far. The small project grew into what could be called a legitimate organization.

Within a year of its founding, ASFAR developed internal conflicts that would ultimately split the organization. Disputes over internal affairs and over the Declaration of Principles would lead to the creation of two factions. One group, which included the majority of the membership at that time, called for a detailed and radical declaration of principles and a high degree of membership involvement in the formation of policy. This faction took the name of the group literally and insisted the organization oppose all age restrictions as a matter of principle.

The other faction, led by Herman and Walcoff, called for a more traditional organization, led by a board of directors and with a smaller, more pragmatic set of policy positions. This latter group would leave to form the more successful and active National Youth Rights Association (NYRA). [ [http://www.youthrights.net/index.php?title=ASFAR-NYRA_Schism ASFAR-NYRA Schism - Youth Rights Network ] ]

One of the key factors in the schism was the NYRA group's refusal to call for the outright abolition of age of consent laws and its position against the involvement of pedophiles in the organization.

Present activity

ASFAR opposes a wide variety of laws that limit the freedom of young people, such as voting age limits, curfew laws, compulsory education, child labor laws, age of consent laws, minimum drinking ages, and minimum ages for firearm possession. They support a non-age-based alternative to every age-based law, and believe that the rights of all people to freedom and self-determination outweigh the cost of implementing non-age-based laws.

The animosity that led to the schism with NYRA has largely subsided, and ASFAR enjoys amicable and cordial relations with NYRA. While neither organization has gone on record as supporting formal reunification, neither organization has formally renounced the prospect. [ [http://www.youthrights.net/index.php?title=ASFAR-NYRA_Schism ASFAR-NYRA Schism - Youth Rights Network ] ]

ASFAR publishes an internet zine, "Youth Truth", that was nominated for the Utne Alternative Press Award for "General Excellence -- Zine" in 2006. ASFAR has also undertaken several research projects and fundraisers to help bolster the organization and focus it on new areas of activity. ASFAR's opposition to the age of consent continues to attract members to ASFAR, as NYRA objects to taking a position on the issue [http://www.youthrights.org/docs/NYRAChapterHandbook.pdf NYRA chapter handbook; see note in right-hand column of page 4] . Additionally, the intellectual nature of "Youth Truth" led the ASFAR board to call for further research projects in 2007 [link currently down] .

References

External links

* [http://www.asfar.org/ ASFAR web site]