From the Web:
Source: https://freestateproject.org/blogs/mover-stories/origin-stories-goshe-thrives-new-hampshire
By Goshe King
(Free State Project) March 10, 2017
In February of 2008 when I became a U.S citizen, I was led to believe that voting was now my civic duty. Previously, I had been completely apolitical and for the first time I started to read the agendas between the two party lines. Looking back, I was just another ‘one issue voter’. At the time, I could not comprehend how a government could force individuals to purchase health insurance. As disgusted as I was with taxation, it seemed like a no brainer to avoid voting for Obama. I still hadn’t found political home until a new friend from work introduced me to Ron Paul minarchism. This led me to a group of friends involved with Campaign for Liberty in Baltimore, Maryland. Later that year, this new group of friends decided to head to Lancaster, NH for the event of the year that I knew nothing about. It was called PorcFest.
The seven days I spent at PorcFest were some of the greatest days of my life. I met new family, friends, and finally, my political home. Conversations at PorcFest sparked my personal quest to learn about Libertarianism. It turned me into an avid reader, studying subjects ranging from Austrian economics to personal liberty. By the end of PorcFest none of us wanted to go back to Maryland. We decided that we would come back next year and seriously consider moving to New Hampshire.
All of us returned for yet another great time at PorcFest 2011. By the end of the Fest, I had been asking myself one question, “Why haven’t I moved yet?” After we returned to Maryland, within a month, I resigned from my job. In August, I flew in for a job interview and moved to New Hampshire in September of 2011. When I arrived at the apartment in Laconia, I was welcomed by 5 complete strangers (Free Staters). The late Hardy Macia was one of them, may Allah rest his soul. It took them less than an hour to empty out a 29 ft U-Haul truck. A few weeks later, I got sick and on a Facebook “Porcupine” page, I asked if anyone knew of a doctor’s office in the area which was open late. Within minutes, complete strangers wanted to know if I needed a ride to the doctor’s office. I didn’t need a ride, but to this day, the story warms my heart. I am grateful for such community the libertarians have created in the Free State, where strangers have become friends and family. At PorcFest 2015, the national director for Muslims for Liberty honored me with the position of NH Director for M4L.
My fiancé was attending college in Maine at the time and it took her another 1.5 years before she too moved home. We now live in Moultonborough, NH where she is an assistant director to a nonprofit charitable organization, and I am a mechanical engineer for a reputable engineering consulting firm. The Free State Project has transformed our lives.
-Goshe King, Moved September 2011