STATEMENT:  In 1850 the Fugitive Slave Act was passed by the United States Congress.  This law made it possible for the government to use violence to solve the non-violent “problem” of having cheap/free labor for a particular industry.  Like all laws, this one was enacted after lobbying from players in the industries that used slavery.

It is my opinion that the United States Marshal and various other law enforcement organizations should have completely ignored this law.

QUESTION:  Do you agree with me or do you think that the government agents “just doing their jobs” should have continued to do what the law stated. 

I am particularly curious about the opinions of anti-FreeKeene.com’s readers.

Thanks to the Union Leader’s Melanie Plenda for the Free Keene mention in her article about this weekend’s Live Free or Die Festival:

JAFFREY – Call them liberty lovers, Libertarians, radicals or rogues — just don’t call them Tea Partiers.

Those are fighting words — metaphorically speaking — for the peace-loving folk who came out to rally for four days in a field at the 5th annual Live Free or Die Rally this weekend.

Rally organizers and the group that helps sponsor the event — The Citizens Alliance Against Creepy Politics — describe themselves as a non-profit, non-aligned, pro-freedom organization that addresses a wide range of political issues.

Those in attendance may not agree on everything, but the one area there’s consensus: They are not the Tea Party.

“I agree with some of it,” said Stacy Coutu, of Jaffrey, of the Tea Party movement. “But I think with them, if you don’t think just like them, you become an outcast. With us, it’s just the opposite.”

The rally is meant for everyone, said Tiffany Marler of North Conway.

“The tea parties have been hijacked by the more neo con Republicans,” said Marler. “Personally, I’m an anarchist.”

Marler and others maintained the event is somewhat apolitical. They said it was simply an event to speak one’s mind and enjoy the right to peaceably assemble and openly carry firearms just because they could.

Other rally goers echoed the sentiment. Joan Bastek of Manchester said she’s part of the 9/12 party, but that she likes coming to the rallies to mix with Free Staters, Keeniacs (members of the Free Keene movement) and others who may not think exactly as she does.

Participants stressed a big-tent philosophy, saying “even leftists like liberty.”

Not to mention, they said, Live Free or Die has been around for years before the Tea Party movement started grabbing headlines.

Coutu’s husband, local handyman Jean Coutu, started the Live Free or Die Rally. About five years ago he had become disenchanted with what he was hearing when it came to free speech and liberty.

“He just came home one day and out of nowhere he said ‘I think I want to have a rally,’” she said. “At first I was like, ‘A rally? What do you mean a rally? . . . But I was like, ‘Great. Who doesn’t love a party?’”

The first year was anything but a party. Some people in Jaffrey dismissed the event as racist and anti-Semitic and tried to stop it from happening.

“Nothing could be further from the truth,” Coutu said. “None of us are racist, everybody is welcome . . . But it was new, and that scared people.”

Picketers protested the event.

“But I watched them,” Coutu said. “And the more they saw what was going on and what people were actually saying and that no one was hating anybody, by the end of the day, those people with the signs were walking around with us eating hot dogs.”

Coutu said that’s the biggest difference between their event and Tea Party rallies.

“I want people to feel free to come here to say what’s on their minds,” she said. “And we are not going to hate you for what you think. We aren’t going to hate you if your views are outside of the box of what we think. You are still welcome at the rally.”

After all, she said, that’s what America is about.

“The people who built this country did so by standing on a stump and shouting their ideas,” Coutu said.

“This is grassroots. This country is made up of us. We are the ones who will make change.”

Free Keene blogger Meg McLain is the subject of a recent Ridley Report:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Capuzzo has written another letter from the jail in Mass. You can give him something to do in there by sending him (and other NH activists) mail via mail-to-jail! Thanks to Aida for the transcription:

Friends in Liberty,

Some of you know me already, but many of you do not. I thought it would be interesting to write letters to have posted on line and give everyone the chance to hear about life in jail. The difference being, I’m here long term. This idea is from Kurt Hoffman’s letters from jail. He is my inspiration in this and also a big part of me becoming an activist from the same letters.
I have been in the Franklin County Jail in Greenfield, MA for a month and a half, estimated. I don’t know anyone here but they knew me fairly quick with the nickname of “Hippy”, being an activist and because of all the shit they found in my car when I was arrested with fellow activist and great friend, Rich Paul, and my friend Jackie. Luckily, I get along with most everyone pretty well.
Most of my time passed fairly quickly because of letters from friends, mail to jail, watching TV, and reading. The latest books of interest being the biography of Gandhi, Harry Truman, and the essay from Henry David Thoreau titled Civil Disobedience.
The last couple weeks have been a little tough to handle. The idea of nonviolence is still fairly new to me and in this environment, for me, it is hard to carry through, but I have done well with it thus far.
Also, the stress is finally starting to kick in. I guess you can say that I’m institutionalized. Now that I have the idea of freedom, I’m at a crossroad. I am comfortable here and I spread the word of liberty as much as possible, but I find it difficult to stay comfortable now that I know that there is a real world, so to say, waiting for me, one that can use my help. I’m doing all I can while here to spread the message, but I can tell that this is not what I am meant for like I thought before. I’ll take my leave of this letter now, but I hope it was enjoyed.
To end this letter, here is a quote that I enjoy very much. “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but habit.” -Aristotle

Your friend in liberty,
Edward Dantez

Mark Capuzzo
160 Elm St
Greenfield, MA 01301
If you would like to write directly.

The first of the “Trespassive Twelve” faces trial for the horrible crime of walking on “public” property. Of course, he was found guilty, but is appealing.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Liberty-minded people called “Talkback” on WKBK last week to discuss negativity in politics, fiat currency, world policing, consequences of cracking down on activists, police discretion, insults toward liberty activists, free market schools, and correcting misunderstandings. A local critic calls in about the city council drinking game and a former cop calls in with paranoid and violent statements about activists.

Grab the archive.

Please join us for our weekly chat and calling sessions on Saturday mornings from 9a-12p. If you’re in the Keene area you can tune in to WKBK 1290 AM or 104.1 FM. The Talkback discussion thread is here on the Free Keene Forum.

I was at the attorney genital’s office to support Ivy Walker in her hearing for “practicing law without a license”, but they would only let one other person into the hearing. I had questions, so Dick Tracy (really!) was sent to speak to me, but decided against it when he saw my camera. He then came out again several moments later only to repeat his earlier actions. Enjoy Dick in full HD:

Her’s a friendly discussion Luthor and I had with the group before the bureaucrat’s meeting  where they upheld their ban on the freedom to possess an  open container of alcohol:

Here’s another perspective, thanks to Free Keene form the Free Keene Stigma’s Jeff:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Thanks to the Keene Sentinel’s Kyle Jarvis for this piece on last night’s committee meeting and the discussion outside:

A challenge to the city’s open alcohol container ordinance by a member of the libertarian Free Keene group didn’t cause any action, but did produce lots of dialogue Wednesday night.

Much of that discussion happened outside City Hall, between Free Keene members and members of a new group started on Facebook, Free Keene from the Free Keene Stigma, before a City Council committee meeting.

The Facebook group’s members say they want to combat Free Keene tactics, which the group deems ineffective and harmful to the city’s image.

Members of the Free Keene group staged drinking games during two City Council meetings earlier this month.

At the first meeting, two members of the group were arrested during the meeting and charged with disorderly conduct for refusing to allow police to inspect whether their beverages were alcoholic.

Inside City Hall Wednesday, the council’s municipal services, facilities and infrastructure committee discussed a letter submitted by Free Keene member Heika M. Courser, asking the council to consider overturning the open container ordinance.

The ordinance states that no person shall carry or be in possession of an open container, made of any material, containing alcohol on any public way in the city.

“As an adult, I feel we should be able to make our own decisions on public property, property that we all collectively own,” said Courser in the letter. “It is unfair to tell a person of legal age that they may not enjoy a beer while watching a sporting event in a public park. It is unfair that I cannot quench my thirst on a nice summer day with a beer that I bought while walking home from the store. As adults, we should be allowed to make our own decisions, as long as it is not hurting anybody.”

Courser said after the meeting she felt there was little chance the committee would overturn the ordinance, but it appeared they were sympathetic to her cause.

“Thirty years ago I’d have probably been right out there with you guys,” said Councilor Terry M. Clark during the meeting. “I applaud your idealism … but as you get older, you discover things about yourself and about other people. I’m not as responsible after three or four drinks as I am right now, that’s just the reality of life.”

From the audience, resident and former councilor Frederick B. Parsells told the committee he agrees with Courser, to an extent.

“I do believe that responsible individuals should be allowed to drink in public,” Parsells said. “But the unintended consequences of irresponsible people will happen.”

Due to “public urination, fighting, littering, and otherwise disorderly behavior,” merchants, shoppers and residents downtown would be victims if the ordinance were reversed, Parsells said.

Clark and Parsells referred to the 1970s, before Keene had an open container law.

“Behavior in certain areas of the city at that time was not what you’d expect of adults,” Clark said. “I think this was the main reason the council passed the ordinance.”

Parsells, a former Keene police officer, agreed.

“I witnessed those behaviors 30 years ago, and it will happen again (if the ordinance is overturned),” he said.

Free Keene member Sam Miller, who goes by Sam Dodson, questioned whether comparing modern-day issues to those of 30 years ago was appropriate.

“We live in a world today that’s a lot different than it was in the ’70s,” he said. “For example, everyone today has a cell phone with a camera. If you see someone urinating in public, you pull it out and record them and post it on the Internet … that’s how you stop it.”

The fact that most people have cell phones now also makes it easier for concerned residents to call the police when they see something out of line, Miller said.

The committee voted unanimously to file Courser’s letter under “informational,” which means it’ll be kept on file.

But committee members also thanked Courser and those in attendance for engaging in healthy dialogue.

“Thank you, Heika, for bringing this to committee,” said Pamela R. Slack, chairwoman of the committee. “I’ve admired the way you all acted tonight. It was a very respectful discussion.”

Courser said she was both impressed and disappointed by the meeting’s developments.

“I think everyone was very respectful,” she said. “But I feel they already had their minds made up before the meeting.”

Courser said she was “very impressed” by the Free Keene From the Free Keene Stigma Facebook group’s support of her letter.

Respectful discussion was the theme Wednesday night, even as members of the Facebook group demonstrated outside City Hall before the meeting.

“We’re not here to debate politics,” said co-founder Jeffrey M. Petrovitch, 27, of Keene. “We just want to promote positive and effective ways to create change.”

The group held signs expressing support for Courser’s letter as such an example of positive activity.

“Some of the recent tactics of the Free Keene group … we don’t think it’s good for the community’s image, and it hurts your cause,” said the Facebook group’s other founder, Annie F. Callaway, 19, of Keene.

Miller said his group’s more positive actions, such as writing letters to police when Free Keene members feel officers have done a good job, don’t garner the sort of coverage the group seeks in order to get its message out.

Kyle Jarvis can be reached at 352-1234, extension 1433, or kjarvis@keenesentinel.com.

Pretty much just the bureaucrats came out to speak against repealing the ordinance. The committee, while cracking jokes about being tipsy, declared the hearing “informational”, and apparently that means they will do nothing at this time. Thanks to Nick Ryder for the video:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Brewbaker’s owner James Callaway aka “the cup guy”, has called me out for having “zero integrity” for revealing a detail of a conversation with him I had agreed to keep private. (I did this in the comments here, number 104.) Here’s the voicemail James left me this morning where he calls me out and makes a vague threat against “you guys”, (presumably Sam and I, or perhaps all liberty activists) “You guys really like to play games, and unfortunately you’re gonna learn. Goodbye.”

One of the fundamental tenets I live by is to honor my agreements, so why would I reveal a conversation I’d agreed to keep private?

Before I answer, I’d like to give you a little more detail. This weekend, I received a message from James via facebook:

I just had an interesting talk with the Keene PD. You may want to talk to me privately. Send me a phone number where I can reach you.

I gave him my number and a little while later he calls from an undisclosed phone number. He asked that I keep our conversation private, and I agreed. I also agreed with him that Sam was out of line in how he behaved and that James should receive a new cup to replace the one Sam damaged. James insisted he was assaulted and was very careful to say in one breath that he didn’t want to see Sam go to jail, while in another breath talking about how he believes Sam would go to jail for a year if he was arrested and that he has a full year in which to file charges against Sam. His “suggestion” (he denies it was a demand) was that Sam work 50 hours at the local battered women’s shelter in addition to his earlier and more reasonable demand that his cup be replaced. He wanted me to pass this info along to Sam and play mediator, and as much as I didn’t relish that role, I agreed as I wanted to help the two of them come to an amicable agreement. Despite James’ veiled threat against Sam, I felt I should keep the conversation private in the hopes that an agreement between the two could be reached.

By the time I talked to Sam about this he had already had time to reflect, with the help of attending the local Quaker meeting, on his previous refusal to replace the cup. He had changed his mind and was willing to replace the cup for James complete with writing the phrase “FREE KEENE FROM THE FREE STATERS”, as per James’ original request. He wrote to James and expressed his willingness to provide this restitution and requested a sit-down with James where the restitution could be made and a conversation could be had. Here is the message I sent back to James from Sam:

I have been discussing this with friends and at the Quaker meeting this morning. I would be happy to replace the cup that was damaged … I’ll even rewrite the message he wrote on the cup, provided we can meet to discuss the situation. Again, this can be private or public, on camera or off.

If the meeting is without cameras, I will require a witness to accompany me, and this person can be agreed upon in advance. Let me know if this works, and of course James can contact me directly at contact at obscuredtruth.com.

This was James’ reply, sent directly to Sam:

Sam, you really don’t seem to get it, do you. The Keene Police are chomping at the bit to lock you up for a year. And they would laugh till they piss their pants if it is for something as minor as this. But make no mistake, the assault occurred when you got in my face. I don’t think you are in a position to set conditions on an apology. If I were you, I would admit guilt, apologize and offer something to show you are serious. I suggested 50 hours community service working at a battered women’s shelter. That would go a long way to show sincerity. But you decide. I have a year in which I can file charges. If you want to have a short conversation about this instead of email, send me a number where you can be reached.
James

You can clearly see what James is up to. He is not interested in building bridges via a private conversation with Sam or even accepting the original restitution that he himself suggested. He’s interested in having Sam do what he wants, or else.

Having given James the opportunity to remedy this outside of public view, and considering the threats he is making, it is clear his request for privacy was to cover for his tacking on an additional demand (I mean, “suggestion”) and his threatening of Sam. His image as merely the annoying cup guy would be tarnished further if people knew about his shenanigans going on behind the scenes.

The irony is that in his voicemail to me he accuses us of being the ones playing games! Sam apologized, but James wasn’t happy with the apology as Sam did make an excuse at the time for crushing the cup. That’s understandable on James’ part as Sam didn’t own up completely. However Sam reconsidered and agreed to make restitution if a conversation could be had. James refused, because he wanted Sam to do all that he’d “suggested”. I think it’s clear who is playing the games here. James was the one fooling around and interfering in Sam’s interview, tacking on increasingly absurd demands (first it was replacing the cup with the words on it, then it was having Sam write the words in front of James, and then the 50 hours), making veiled threats, and being unwilling to sit down and talk when presented with a reasonable restitution offer.

I honor my agreements, but only with those who act honorably. James Callaway is not one of those people.

So, should I have protected James’ threats and kept them private or did I do the right thing by revealing his true nature? Please post your thoughts.

Liberty on Tour investigates the St. Louis Bread Company’s awesome experiment in charity. Guess what? Turns out people really do care about each other and that we don’t need a violent monopoly to facilitate helping the poor:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Cross Posted at Destroy The Ring.

You may have read that Meg McLain is selling off her body. No, not for that. She’s selling a 2″x2″ tattoo. To help out I’m collecting donations to buy either a Free Keene, Free Talk Live, Freedomain Radio, or Center for a Stateless Society logo tattooed on Meg.

Donations can be made via ChipIn. If no one organization has the winning bid, the bids will be pooled, and whichever organizations ChipIn was the largest will be the logo used in the tattoo. If that doesn’t win a tattoo, all funds raised will be sent to their respective organizations.

Head over to The *OFFICIAL* Tattoo Auction thread to place a bid!

He began in Keene and is making his way across the country to remind you that you owe him your money and obedience! Here’s Uncle Sam’s stop in Philadelphia, courtesy of Liberty on Tour:

Activists converged on a state liquor store on 8/20 to redress their grievances regarding the insanity of prohibition:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Thanks to FreeGrafton.com for the coverage. Here’s more of what you’ll find at Free Grafton – the chalking spreads to the Concord fed building!

You know….  as I read all the insults and hatred that is directed at both myself and fellow Free Keene contributors, I can’t help but think the vast majority of you making these rude remarks haven’t the slightest clue as to what exactly this blog is about.  I think this because I’m fairly sure that if people really knew the logic behind things here that we would be supported, joined, and encouraged.

I think this because at one time I vehemently disagreed with Ian Freeman’s (the owner of this website) view of how a society can function without institutionalized violence.  Not only do I now agree with him, I volunteer to help him by writing for his blog.

I am a native New Hampshire-ite.  I am also a former NH law enforcement officer with eleven years of  service.

Why am I here?

Why did I quit a decent paying job and walk away from an excellent retirement plan that people in the private sector could only dream of?

Why do I voluntarily subject myself to the vitriolic comments which this and my previous blogs attract?

Why did a girl who grew up in the Keene community decide to voluntarily swan dive her reputation in a similar fashion?

It’s simple.  Our slowly increasing numbers don’t think violence is an appropriate solution to solving non-violent problems….  and we have the gonads to say it.

Every ordinance (no matter how trivial) that the Keene City Council enacts is a threat of violence or violence itself as a solution to a largely non-violent problem.

The alcohol ordinance is the hot topic.  You think that people peacefully drinking alcohol in public is a problem?  Okay, solve the problem without authorizing, threatening, and using violence and I guarantee you the Free-Keene-movement-minded people (like me, Heika, Ian, and Sam) will shut up about it.

The current non-violent “problem” of open alcohol containers is currently “fixed” by a police baton, a can of pepper spray, a taser, a cage, and ultimately a gun.  Don’t you get it?  I’ll tell you stories about how I turned to “legal” violence against people who did non-violent things if it better helps you understand.

We’re loud, persistent, and to some of you annoying BECAUSE we are hell bent on eliminating institutionalized violence as a solution to solving peaceful problems.  It is amazing that being opposed to the **initiation** of violence is such a controversial position to take.

Is violence REALLY such a good thing that people who don’t want it to be socially acceptable deserve to be insulted, attacked, and opposed?

Do you believe that violence should be used to solve non-violent problems?  I would have answered “NO!” seven years ago as I pushed around a Crown Victoria.  My answer would have been “NO!” because I didn’t know any better.  Once I knew better… I had to quit.  I never want to be violent to the non-violent.  But I was…  40+ hours a week.

Imagine how differently history would read if violence were never an acceptable solution to solving non-violent problems.

Imagine how different and peaceful the future could be if violence stops being an acceptable solution to solving non-violent problems.

The Earth doesn’t have to stay flat.

Par for the course around here: Advocate a society without institutionalized violence against peaceful people = get toasted in the comment section

“First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.”
-Mahatma Gandhi

After finally showing up at this week’s city council meeting to protest liberty activists, locals who oppose FK’s “methods” have formed a facebook group and planned a protest for Monday August 23rd at 5pm at Central Square.

Exactly what methods they oppose are not made clear. FK supports all peaceful methods of achieving a voluntary society including civil disobedience and noncooperation, media creation, outreach, and political action. Do they oppose all of these? Discussions are occurring on their facebook group and also the Free Keene Forum.

I’d like to thank opposition group founder Annie Callaway for encouraging her participants to join the Free Keene Forum. More conversation between us is a good thing. The FK Forum is a tolerant place where we only prohibit violence and racism. We shall see if their facebook group is as tolerant as our forum. The last facebook group that was formed to oppose FK kicked out anyone they could identify as being associated with Free Keene. However, that group was formed by someone else, not Annie. I welcome the discussion.

Liberty-minded people called “Talkback” on WKBK last week to discuss KPD’s targeting of liberty activists, police brutality (during this call, they hit the dump machine on something this local supporter said – who knows what it was), and the futility of trying to change federal government. A local paranoiac calls suggesting that “he” (one of us, presumably) is making money off of all this. Not sure to whom he is referring. Other locals call to express anger and confusion regarding liberty activists.

Grab the archive.

Please join us for our weekly chat and calling sessions on Saturday mornings from 9a-12p. If you’re in the Keene area you can tune in to WKBK 1290 AM or 104.1 FM. The Talkback discussion thread is here on the Free Keene Forum.