Hikers trek across America sharing conservative views

Mike Jacob, (left), and Matthew Perdie find shelter from the rain while talking with students and faculty. They are headed to Dallas and will continue West to California. Photo by Sarah Baker.

In the midst of their transcontinental trek from Long Island, NY, to Santa Monica, Calif., Matthew Perdie and Mike Jacob stopped in Tyler, Texas, to spread their message of political awareness against ballooning fiscal spending.

On the road since last June, Perdie is using the cross-country trek as material to shoot a mini-series/documentary displaying the American peoples’ idea of “big government” and all the concept entails.

“Do your own research. Listen to your gut,” Perdie said. Advocating political responsibility, he is trying to motivate the American people to find out why their government is spending so much money.

Jacob, who joined Perdie in Monroe, La., said he is becoming more aware of political dealings, “learning from the foundation up and taking a stand on [his] beliefs.”

Perdie left nothing unsaid when it came to expressing his own personal convictions. “Both parties are failing to do what’s right,” he said.

He said the system currently in play is “losing the capitalist system that gave [America it’s success] in the first place.”

Perdie, identifying himself with the rapidly growing Tea Party movement, said actions from both the Bush and the Obama administrations elevated his frustrations and spurred him to become more concerned in what was happening within the government.

The “last straw” was when the excessive bailout plans came into play. He strongly advocates taking responsibility as a nation and said the “problem exists because we’re giving the government so much power in the first place.”

Using this “once-in-a-lifetime event to get out and see the country,” the two crusaders have found the general response to their mission has been good so far. “It seems that there are a lot more people wanting to do something than ever before,” said Perdie. However, as they weave their way to the southwestern coast, Perdie uses his unconventional approach to raise awareness as an effort to shake up those he speaks to.

“People need to realize that these things that are going on are going to affect them,” he said, emphasizing his idea of taking responsibility for one’s own political ideas.

“What’s happening in our culture is that we’re taking a lot of negative things and glorifying them,” he said, speaking of the disconnection of the younger generations and the political world.

When asked the best way to reach them, Perdie simply said one could only “get their interest, grab their attention and get them to realize that these things are affecting them personally.”

It is easy to see the passion driving the energetic Matthew Perdie to take on this mission. Letting his actions speak louder than his words, he humbly said, “the best thing I can do is show my conviction of my beliefs.”

Utilizing some of the many interviews conducted along their trip, the two young men have posted ten episodes of their travels so far at http://www.perdie.com.

After leaving Tyler, the young men are moving on to Dallas and then heading across West Texas toward the Santa Monica Pier.