Tent City is a voluntary institution that exists as the result of local supporters and mutual aid, saving the taxpayers 1-2 million dollars a year! It is a perfect example of how more can be accomplished on a voluntary nickel than on a dollar that has been stolen from the taxpayers by the corrupt and inefficient racket called the Welfare State! The government here has done nothing to help the homeless, and everything that it could think of to try to shut this place down... The film covers the personal stories of several individuals, as well as the never-ending harassment from the local government.
Destiny's Bridge is an authentic look into the lives of otherwise-homeless individuals living in a little village of about 100 tents and shanties - a homestead that has been built on "public" woodland over the past 7-8 years. This film will be particularly enjoyable to people interested in off-the-grid living, agorism / homesteading, the small house movement, government corruption, protests / civil disobedience, and voluntary charity. It also explores some very complex issues, like the underlying causes of homelessness in America, artificial scarcity, sustainable living, personal responsibility, addiction, love, hope and despair.
When this documentary is a success, it will attract donor and volunteer attention to help set up another voluntary village for the homeless, someplace where the government wouldn't be quite as oppressive as it has been in Lakewood, NJ. (I'm obviously promoting the idea that the best place to do this is the Free State of New Hampshire.) The name of this new project (a 501c3 charitable organization), like the film, is Destiny's Bridge.
Libertarians are often mindlessly attacked for "not caring about the poor". Tent City is living proof that the very opposite is true - it's the government that hurts the poor, and it's the voluntary sector that has the power to help them! My quixotic efforts to keep the government from shutting down this existing Tent City will continue, but that is a separate battle - Destiny's Bridge is an idea whose time has come!
Please help me spread the word about this documentary film! Please share the trailer with your friends. Visit DestinysBridge.com for more info, and subscribe to it on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Pinterest.
About the author: Alex Libman is currently a resident at the Lakewood Tent City. Alex was born in Russia. He came to America when he was 10 years old, and has lived in various cities in Central New Jersey ever since. He had a successful career as a computer programmer / database administrator / Web developer in the early 2000s but has come upon hard times. He currently manages the website for Lakewood Tent City.