About Us
What is Liberty Maniacs?
Liberty Maniacs is the place for freedom-lovers who march to the beat of their own drum. Our mission? To serve up truly unique merchandise for those who not only cherish liberty but also wear their individuality with pride.
I'm Dan McCall, the person behind Liberty Maniacs. As an artist and designer who loves liberty and freedom, I started this venture over two decades ago to create something I couldn't find anywhere else. Back then, I was just one guy with a dream; today, we're a global community of kindred spirits.
Whether you're an old friend or discovering us for the first time, Liberty Maniacs is a place where people who value freedom can come together, laugh a little, and maybe even learn something new. Welcome!
Here's what sets Liberty Maniacs apart:
Originality is Our Guiding Light:
We get heard, and don't just follow the herd. Our unapologetic commitment to going our own way is a driving force behind everything we do. We're not here to create more of the same; we're here to craft unique, liberty-inspired designs that stand out in a world of cookie-cutter products.
We're Agnostic to Partisanship:
We live in a world where political affiliations and ideologies often divide rather than unite. We break free from that mold. Our belief in the core values of liberty transcends traditional political boundaries. We're unaffiliated with any party, because we're committed to the pursuit of individual freedom above all else. We're not here to pick sides; we're here to champion liberty.
Defending Free Speech:
In an era where free speech is under siege, we stand tall as fearless defenders. We've taken on legal battles against powerful agencies, including the NSA and powerful political campaigns, to protect all of our rights to express ourselves. We believe that free speech is the cornerstone of liberty and civilization.
Handmade with Pride:
Real handmade stuff. Thousands of our products are designed in Minnesota and handmade here in North America -- or Europe if you're ordering internationally. We're committed to quality, ethical production practices, and are actually more environmentally sustainable than almost all other brands. Whether you're in the U.S. or abroad, you can rest assured that you're receiving the best products with a touch of Liberty Maniacs' excellence.
20+ Years of Defiance:
We're the OGs of the political merch industry. Liberty Maniacs has a legacy of more than two decades of defiance. Our journey began decades ago and remains unlike anything else despite years of being copied.
In a world drowning in conformity, Liberty Maniacs dares to be different and swears by its independence.
Where are you located?
We're just a stone's throw from the mighty Mississippi River, nestled an hour north of Minneapolis, Minnesota. But let's talk shop – your Liberty Maniacs gear is primarily produced and shipped right here in the good ol' U.S. of A. Straight from our hands to yours. Now, for all you international maniacs, we've got a couple of secret bat caves over in Europe. That's where we make the magic happen and ship your liberty-loaded gear to wherever you are.
Liberty Maniacs seems all over the map politically. What's with that?
Liberty Maniacs may seem politically all over the map, but there's a method to our madness. We're fiercely independent and firmly believe that people don't need any other label than their own names. Our products aim to reflect that spirit of individuality.
When it comes to defending liberty, we don't discriminate. Whether it's people, corporations, governments, or organizations acting against freedom, you bet we'll find creative ways for you to wear your thoughts on your sleeve.
We're also nonpartisan. In fact, so much so we that we created the Independent Bison logo and made it our official mascot.
Did you run into some trouble with the NSA?
I did. I actually sued the NSA and the Department of Homeland Security on free speech grounds in federal court over my parodies. Both agencies issued illegitimate cease and desist orders on my designs, causing international outrage that lead to both agencies setting out of court in February of 2014. The agencies agreed to pay my federal court filing fee and admit that their take down letters were wrong. (Using the most byzantine, equivocal legalese possible, of course.)
The way we see it, you can't truly live free without the freedom to speak your mind. Free speech means the world to us at Liberty Maniacs, and we're committed to safeguarding and expanding it.
Weren't you involved in some First Amendment legal battles with Hillary Clinton's and Bernie Sanders' campaigns?
Yeah. As if the 2016 presidential race wasn't weird enough, Hillary Clinton's super PAC came after me for my parodies of her "Ready for Hillary" merchandise. (I made them into "I'm Ready for Oligarchy."
Then later on Bernie Sander's campaign came after me for a joke I did about his being a socialist with my "Bernie is My Comrade" shirts.
Fortunately, thanks to the incredible support of countless free-speech enthusiasts in America and around the world, both candidates eventually backed down from their legal pursuit against us as public outrage swelled.
Throughout it all, we stood our ground and continued to sell those cheeky parodies while the lawyers did their legal thing.
I've heard that term "libertarian" before. Can you explain what it means?
Libertarians are known for their diversity of thought, which means you'll probably get a different definition from each one. It's safe to say they love a good debate.
Libertarianism is a view that upholds liberty as its principal objective. In other words, when something in society is done, libertarian-minded people generally want it to be done in a way that respects, or even increases, everyone's freedom.
Libertarians are also often interested in things like maximizing autonomy and freedom of choice, voluntary association, protecting individual judgment, and privacy.
There is a Libertarian political party in the United States, but we are unaffiliated with it because we're completely independent.
So, are you guys' really just right wingers that hate the left and progressives?
No, there's plenty of material to explore and have a good time with across the spectrum of political views, from the left to the right, and all the nuances in between. Nevertheless, our core principle is that the notion of liberty extends beyond these traditional divides. To be honest, we're not particularly thrilled about conforming to this binary perspective in the first place. Left vs Right is so 18th Century.
The true and meaningful divide in politics lies between those who hold significant power and influence and the everyday citizens. It's a divide between those with authority and privilege, and the average citizen along with their families, who simply aspire to live peacefully and prosperously. This is the realm where our activism is rooted.
It's likely that you've observed yourself that the distinctions between political parties and the left-right spectrum have become increasingly blurred and less meaningful. Our stance aligns with that observation.
Why do you give politicians and government agencies such a hard time?
The short answer is because sometimes they're just asking for it.
We don't make fun of anyone out of hate. In fact, we try and make fun of our own beliefs as just much as anyone else's. But we don't think we're doing our job if we're not doing what the Court Jester was meant to do - speak truth to power through humor.
People are complicated, and often so are the things that people believe and do. We bring a little bit of levity and inspiration to these things in a unique way you can't get anywhere else.
If you ever think I've gone over the line, just let us know! We love to hear your opinions.
Are your products eco-friendly?
Yes. Our printing method is the most environmentally neutral process available in the world. All our shipping products are either 100% recyclable or fully biodegradable. Bubble wraps are made from a minimum of 15% recycled plastic and 10% post-consumer content. Our kraft tubes are made from 70-100% post-consumer recycled content and 0-30% secondary recycled content. Most of our shirts are 100% cotton and use eco-friendly inks.
Liberty Maniacs is all about leaving the world better than we found it. Freer, cleaner, and healthier.
More answers to your favorite questions can be found at our fan-favorite FAQ page.
