Saturday • July 4 • 2009
Vol.I • No.V
Manchester, N.H.
In protest of government people’s continued aggression against peaceful human beings, I decided to pay the latest Keene property tax bill, over $2700, in all ones. I brought pizza to share with those who were inconvenienced, gave a short speech, and Sam from the Obscured Truth Network brought his video camera. As usual, the bureaucrat aggressors did not like the cameras:
Click here to view the embedded video.
Dale Everett's Anarchy in Your Head http://anarchyinyourhead.com
Three months after the Keene city council voted to steal 4 homes for not paying property taxes in 2005, they’re at it again; this time, preparing to steal 12 homes for unpaid property taxes from 2006. According to a memo in tonight’s city council meeting agenda, “the City would take deed to properties with unpaid taxes for the 2006 tax year or earlier” on November 12, 2009.
The city can choose to not steal a property if “taking deed to the property would for any other reason be contrary to the public interest”, according to the memo. Do you think it’s in the public interest to steal the liberty and property of peaceful people?
The memo is on page 43 of tonight’s city council agenda. We’re discussing the issue on the Free Keene forum here.
It’s funny; the enforcement agency of the City of Keene says this in its statement of ethics:
We will not lie, cheat, or steal, nor tolerate those who do.
If the police choose to enforce the City of Keene’s home thefts, I for one will be reporting an ethics violation.
Click to Enlarge
It was suggested that I be more tactful in my criticism of minarchy, so I took it into consideration… for about 4 and a half seconds.
In the Porcfest closing speech I discussed my recent arrest and imprisonment. along with the journey that lead up to this adventure:
Click here to view the embedded video.The speech is 35 minutes long, followed by a Q&A Session that lasted the remainder of the hour. .
THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE FROM IMF-WB AND INTERNATIONAL BANKERS
Of The Imperialism Of Debt Money System.
To be declared on December 18, 2010 , Roxas City, Capiz Province , Philippines
Drafted
By
Eric Verzo Encina
‘THE STATE SHALL DEVELOP A SELF-RELIANT AND INDEPENDENT NATIONAL ECONOMY EFFECTIVELY CONTROLLED BY FILIPINOS.” – Sec. 19, Article II, The 1987 Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines
I’m getting asked a certain question a lot lately. Why pick on minarchists? We’re on the same side! Why aren’t you picking on socialists more? I’m glad I was asked because it made me put some thought into best how to express this with words. What is it about the philosophy of minarchism that really gets up in my craw?
And then it occurred to me. Anarchists and minarchists in one key respect are polar opposites. I’ve said before that there is an ocean between an anarchist and a minarchist, but only a creek between a minarchist and a socialist and I can finally nail it down succinctly. An anarchist believes that a monopoly government is the source of our enslavement. A minarchist believes a monopoly government is crucial to protecting our liberties. Exact opposites! So why do people keep saying we’re on the same side? Presumably it’s because we have similar preferences. We both love liberty.
Toby and Nick interview several guests live at this past weekend’s Free State Project’s Porcupine Freedom Festival 2009. A few of the guests are Free Keene’s bloggers!
Click here to view the embedded video.
Here’s your chance to sell me on the notion so make it good. Bare in mind, however, that I’m a critical thinker and I’m looking for logical arguments without the usual presumptions like “It’s always been done this way.” If we invented really efficient and clean-running hovercrafts, it would be silly to cling to the idea of wheels just because that’s how it’s been done for thousands of years. I’m also tired of arguments from need which are irrelevant. It doesn’t matter how much we need unicorns if they don’t exist or voodoo spells if they don’t work. There’s no point in having a discussion about the benefits of unicorns and their healing and purifying magical powers until someone convinces me they exist or they can create them.
(Read On…)
Thanks to Jeremy Couch, here’s the brand new Free Keene Facebook page - be sure to click “become a fan”!
By Kat Kanning
Dave Ridley continues his fight for freedom of the press in Keene. He was tried in Keene on June 22nd for filming in the Keene District Court lobby. Public trials are a hallmark of a free society; secret trials a hallmark of tyranny. Dave Ridley, an ex-mainstream media reporter, now runs an independent news stream, The Ridley Report, via YouTube.
Dave Ridley
Click to Enlarge
I would just like to take a moment to clarify something since there seem to be a lot of different interpretations of what I mean when I poke fun at “minarchists”.
When I use the term “minarchism”, I’m referring to an individual belief system, someone who believes a small government is necessary, and perhaps evil. A minarchist believes that government has a role in protecting life, liberty, and property. By itself, that wouldn’t be worthy of ridicule, but where it falls apart is when they insist that it must be an authoritarian monopoly on violence, i.e. that it must exert a supreme authority over a certain geographic region and individuals cannot choose to act apart from it. By its very nature, such a thing will never protect life, liberty, and property. Such a thing is inherently contradictory to such values. If, on the other hand, you can let go of the idea of it being a monopoly, then it is subject to the controls of the free market and regains the accountability that’s essential for it to ever do more good than harm.
A PA town has more surveillance cameras than anywhere in the US, wiretapping and the NSA, the Downiszer Dispatch, a British man eveicted from his cave dwelling, states fighting the federal government, journalist Dave Ridley sentenced to 6 days behind bars, and rubber rooms for bad teachers in NYC.
This news just released on KeeneSentinel.com was likely also published today, Friday, in the paper. Though out of jail, the story of Sam’s detainment and trumped up charges is far from over. His courage has gained him and liberty activists in general a lot of public attention and opened a lot of eyes. It looks like that will only continue, as Sam and supporters reveal to people who otherwise wouldn’t be paying attention the corruption within the system.
Jailed Free Stater a free man
Judge orders his release pending trial on misdemeanors
By Anika Clark
Sentinel Staff
Published: Friday, June 26, 2009 1:01 PM EDTEach year, thousands of people are forced into jail and prison cells throughout the country.
Few of them must be pushed out.
But after a nearly two-month standoff, local authorities recently kicked Keene resident Sam A. Miller out of the Cheshire County jail in Westmoreland.
“He was just refusing to leave jail,” said jail Superintendent Richard N. Van Wickler. “We eventually talked him into walking with us to the lobby where he was greeted by some of his friends.”
On June 9 — still wearing his tangerine-orange jumpsuit — Miller left the building a free man.
That is, depending on whom you ask.
A participant in the Free State Project — an attempt to draw 20,000 “liberty-loving people” to New Hampshire — Miller, 33, goes by the name “Sam Dodson” because he says his birth name has been usurped by a tyrannical government.
On April 13, he opposed that system by using a video camera in the Keene District Court lobby — defying an unsigned order, which he disputes, against photography in the area.
After allegedly refusing to turn off the camera, Miller fell limp in a sign of noncompliance. People in the lobby could hear him screaming behind a closed conference room door before police carried him out of the building.
Authorities also arrested or issued summonses to several fellow activists for allegedly failing to follow orders to leave the room.
Miller’s arrest touched off a fierce battle of wills, which led to his nearly two-month detention.
Despite the fact that court and jail officials had Miller’s Texas driver’s license and knew his real name, Judge Edward J. Burke ordered that Miller’s trial not be scheduled until he gave identifying information about himself.
That changed on June 9 when Burke ordered his release.
On June 4, Miller’s legal counsel, Ivy Walker — also known as Sharon Ankrom — was arrested, accused of having a suspended registration and two false inspection stickers and being a fugitive from justice for embezzlement charges in Rhode Island, according to a Laconia District Court employee.
A “significant consequence of those actions is that the Defendant is now deprived of counsel,” Burke wrote.
Burke then called Miller’s detainment up to that point the result of his refusal to provide a physical address, and said the “Court stands by this requirement.”
But, he wrote, “Under the unique circumstances now before the Court, the appropriate course of action is to allow the Defendant to be released (from) custody to allow him the opportunity to prepare his defense outside of his jail setting.”
Burke said he couldn’t comment about open cases.
Miller’s pending release sparked yet another showdown, when he refused to sign the bail bond because he said he couldn’t agree to the bail terms — among them that he provide his physical and mailing addresses — and wanted to wait for the arrival of his attorney.
Still, Van Wickler said, “As soon as the judge gave that order I no longer had any authority to hold Sam.”
Miller said he told authorities he wouldn’t change his clothes until he saw the terms and later wasn’t given the opportunity to change.
He now awaits a July trial on reduced, Class B misdemeanor charges of resisting arrest and common law criminal contempt.
In addition, Miller is also set to be tried for violating a city ordinance for allegedly refusing to be processed by police, according to Keene police Prosecutor D. Chris McLaughlin.
In the meantime, Miller’s new attorney, William L. O’Brien of Mont Vernon, has filed a motion to suppress on the grounds that authorities allegedly failed to read Miller his Miranda rights.
And because Miller’s arrest occurred at Keene District Court, O’Brien also filed a motion for a change of venue and a motion for Burke to recuse to himself from the trials.
Instead of the possibility for incarceration, each misdemeanor charge carries a maximum $1,200 fine, according to McLaughlin. The ordinance violation carries a maximum fine of $1,000.
But even if Miller is slapped with the highest penalties possible, this will still be less than what taxpayers probably paid to keep him in jail.
At what Van Wickler called a conservative cost estimate of $64 per day, Miller’s confinement would have cost more than $3,600.
This is a price tag that’s rankled some people who have commented on The Sentinel’s Web site.
In response to an earlier article about Miller, one reader wrote, “Perhaps showing you dont (sic) like our tax dollars being spent foolishly and giving your name just to SAVE the taxpayers which you seem to always be so concerned with would make more sense.”
So why did he do it?
“My decision to stay in (jail) was based on a number of things,” Miller said. “I was asserting my rights … and I was being held indefinitely without trial for that.”
The showdown also brought attention to the ideas of Libertarians and people affiliated with the Free State Project, according to Miller.
As for the allegation that he was sticking it to the taxpayer, he said, “I agree that it’s a total waste of money – of tax dollars and government resources — to jail peaceful, nonviolent people who haven’t hurt anybody. …
“I’m sorry,” he said. “That’s the system these people have asked for. And I agree. I think it’s terribly wasteful and inefficient, and that’s why I’m doing things to change it.”
Anika Clark can be reached at 352-1234, extension 1432, or aclark@keenesentinel.com.
http://www.keenesentinel.com/articles/2009/06/26/news/local/free/id_361218.txt
As members, supporters, and followers of FreeKeene know, the Keene District Court has been the site of several high drama situations. From Ian’s arrest for contempt of court, Dave Ridley’s arrest, Sam Dodson’s arrest, and the detainment, arrest, and citations of 6 other activists. So at minimum, we are at the Keene District Court at least twice a month. That will be increasing in the next few months as more activists face ridiculous charges from local police and prosecutors. However, according to the Keene Sentinel, the court could lose it’s legal legitimacy in those same few months if serious issues are not taken care of.
Unfortunately, the issues they speak of are not judicial or ruling related, but rather security related. Anyone who’s been to the Keene District Court knows it has no metal detectors, x-rays, or real “security” outside of a few officers with wands. However, I would go out on a limb and say many activists believe that “security” is more often “security theater”, despite what sort of intricate setup any court appears to have. The best security would be to allow everyone and their handguns into the court. The police are allowed, why aren’t we?
Keene District court is in trouble
By Anika Clark
Sentinel Staff
Published:
Thursday, June 25, 2009 12:46 PM EDTFor years, Keene District Court has been the target of complaints about its lacking facilities — an overcrowded space with little security or privacy for those who use it.
Now, a state commission says the issues are so bad, it plans to yank the court’s accreditation, a move that a judicial branch spokeswoman believes hasn’t happened to a court in years.
And local officials say they don’t know what the commission’s plans mean for the court’s future.
N.H. Supreme Court Chief Justice John T. Broderick Jr. provided official notice of the commission’s intent in a June 16 letter to Judge Edward J. Burke, Mayor Philip Dale Pregent and Keene City Manager John A. MacLean.
But, he wrote, the downgraded status wouldn’t become official for at least 90 days.
According to state judicial branch spokeswoman Laura A. Kiernan, this determination follows a routine security assessment of Keene District Court, which was completed by the U.S. Marshals Service and court security officers from the state’s Administrative Office of the Courts.
Broderick — who serves as chairman of the accreditation commission — wrote that on June 12, the commission heard “extensive testimony about serious deficiencies in the Keene District Court facility” and lists security among several problems.
In his letter, Broderick also said the commission voted to have state staff prepare a request for proposals either for a new Keene District Court facility or for a building that would house superior, probate, district and family courts.
Pregent attended the June 12 meeting with City Attorney Thomas P. Mullins, District Court Clerk Larry Kane, Judge Burke and Executive Councilor John D. Shea, whose district includes several area towns.
Pregent said he expects the city will receive a copy of the security report soon but that “the ratings that they gave us verbally, right there, were very low.”
In the meantime, he said, Broderick’s letter “just kind of puts us on notice. … We know (District Court is) unsafe.”
One of the main problems with security is that Keene City Hall — where the court is located — is a public space.
And since the courtroom also doubles as chambers for public city government meetings at night — with no security officers — it diminishes security even further, Pregent said.
But while it’s well acknowledged that Keene District Court doesn’t cut it, numerous members of a local task force of lawyers, judges and city, state and county leaders — a group that formed to consider the future of Keene’s courts — had questions about Broderick’s letter.
Among them is, “What does losing one’s accreditation mean?”
State statute sheds little light on the matter but says “not accredited” is the lowest of three designations.
Judge Burke referred to the issue as “uncharted water.” And Kiernan said she didn’t recall a court losing its accreditation in New Hampshire.
This latest development follows months of uncertainty about Keene District Court’s future, which was sparked by Gov. John H. Lynch’s recommendation in February that several district courts in the state be joined with existing facilities to shave costs.
Keene District Court appeared on the list, and in March, Broderick outlined a plan to move Keene District Court into the Cheshire County Court House building on Court Street.
Although the latter facility is already cramped, Broderick said room could be created there by moving cases involving families and juveniles into a yet-to-be-created family division in the Jaffrey-Peterborough District Court building in Jaffrey.
Still, several local figures railed against the idea of moving any of Keene’s court proceedings out of the county seat.
Among problems, they said, was the added cost lawyers, litigants and police could face in being forced to travel to Jaffrey.
The matter was muddied even further when the N.H. House passed a budget that called for Keene District Court to be merged with Jaffrey-Peterborough.
However, in May, the Executive Council approved a lease extension to enable the District Court to stay in its current digs for nine months.
In June, the Senate amended the state budget to allow Keene District Court to stay in the city. This was upheld in the state budget that passed Wednesday, and Sen. Molly M. Kelly, D-Keene, said despite the lease’s term of nine months, the budget contains 12 months of funding for Keene District Court.
“That’s quite a bit of time to see where we’re going to go,” she said of the nine-month lease term. “I think the ultimate goal is that we have a safe, secure court system here in Keene.”
In the meantime, with the Court Accreditation Commission scheduled to review the District Court’s accreditation status in September, local leaders are left with a major question:
What now?
At Wednesday’s task force meeting, members directed County Administrator John G. Wozmak, City Manager MacLean and John G. Dugan, president of the private nonprofit Monadnock Economic Development Corp. to examine building options and funding strategies for Keene’s courts.
In an interview with The Sentinel, Wozmak described city and county input in the process as key to ensuring that whatever’s determined for the courts’ future, it is favorable to local interests.
Options include using space in the city-owned complex at 350 Marlboro St. and expanding the Cheshire County Court House, according to Wozmak.
In addition, he said, converting the soon-to-be-vacant Keene Middle School to house court proceedings is “not inconceivable.”
Regardless, County Commissioner Stillman D. Rogers urged haste in the matter:
“I think it’s critical that we move forward as fast as possible,” he said.
http://www.keenesentinel.com/articles/2009/06/25/news/local/free/id_361333.txt
Dale Everett's Anarchy in Your Head. Visit http://anarchyinyourhead.com to see all 10 Causes of Minarchism!
It’s fair to say I have a bad case of the wanderlust. Hopefully this year as a Motorhome Diaries crew member I’ll get a bit of that out of my system as we criss-cross North America. I’ve known that one day I’d decide to settle down somewhere but when looking into the future I couldn’t picture where that would be. After spending too-many years in Washington DC, I can confidently cross that off the list.
During our “search for freedom in America” we’ve met a lot of great people and have been to many beautiful places but for me, one sticks out: Keene, New Hampshire. Our friends at FreeKeene.com cover the vibrant pro-freedom activism scene in great detail that got my attention and inspired me and Pete to make it one of our first stops. This is my second visit and if one can fall for a community, I’m smitten. I’ll explain.
Appearing at trial Monday before Judge Burke, activist Dave Ridley was to face charges from when he was arrested for refusing to turn off his camera in the courtroom lobby. Originally thought to be a disorderly conduct charge, activists were surprised to learn at the beginning of trial that Dave was actually facing a class B Misdemeanor contempt of court. The prosecutor brought forth one witness and one piece of evidence to prove that Dave had knowingly broken a “court order”.
The legality of a judge issuing orders that have effect outside the actual courtroom is in question among activists, but Dave was found guilty on the charge. He made it obvious before and during trial that he had no interest in participating in a legal defense of himself, and would take the punishment the court handed down. His caveat though: he would not pay a fine so to not have his money funding further prosecution of victimless “criminals”.
With Ridley’s guilty charge was a $250 fine. Ridley refused and asked the judge about community service. Unlike in the past, where Burke has offered it to people like Russell Kanning or Andrew Carroll without question, Burke questioned Ridley about his financial situation. When Ridley was unwilling to disclose any information regarding it, Judge Burke eliminated the option of community service and said the only other option was jail. After a short conversation, Ridley agreed to turn himself into jail for a 6 day sentence beginning on July 6th.
One final notable question came when Ridley asked the judge about the man who recently died in the House of Corrections in Westmoreland, where Dave will be staying. All these events can be seen in the video below.
Here Dave Ridley broadcasts live after the trial where Edward Burke refused Dave’s offer of community service and sentenced him to six days of imprisonment for daring to record video in the public lobby of the Keene district court. (They call it “contempt of court”) Keep watching FreeKeene.com for the trial footage, coming soon.
Click here to view the embedded video.