If you’ve been reading this blog you know that the people calling themselves the “City of Keene” have been threatening me over a couch in my tenants yard. The latest on the situation? They are demanding that I come back to their court on October 29th at 10am for a “trial”, that I did not consent to. When I tried to ask questions in their court, I was threatened with arrest. I was however, able to successfully make my offer to the “City of Keene”: I agree to remove the couch if they’ll agree to discharge this issue, to only prosecute me in the future if they have a victim, and if the original complaining party comes and meets me and talks to me, like an adult. Couch Enforcer Carl Patten says he attempted to persuade the woman to meet me, but she refused. A reason for her reticence might be that she’s frightened that I will find out who she is and retaliate against her by snitching her out to the government people. It’s quite a sad commentary on the state of neighborly relations these days. In case she’s reading this blog, I’d like to make it clear that I would never complain to the government people about anything she did on her property. If I cared about my neighbors’ property I would live in a deed restricted community.
With this in mind, I’ve scheduled a meeting next week with the assistant city manager who also acts as the head of the “code enforcement” department. I will be making another offer, as the complainant is allegedly unwilling to meet me, and I want to give the “City” an easy out from this situation. As no one from the “City of Keene” responded to my request for proof of obligation to obey their “ordinances” (that’s because no agreement between us exists), I will agree to remove the couch if they agree to discharge this issue, only prosecute me in the future if they have a victim, and acknowledge the truth that no contract exists between us. Hopefully they will accept my offer and we can make this whole issue go away.
Otherwise, I will visit their court on October 29th. I will make it clear I am not consenting, attending under duress, reserve all rights, ask lots of questions they would rather I not ask, and refuse to pay any “fine”. I do not want conflict, it is they who are insisting on it. If they insist on railroading me through one of their “trials” without my consent, the ball is in their court as to how to handle this situation. Will they brush the situation under the rug and let me go mostly unmolested? That is the next best option for them if they refuse to discharge this issue and cancel the “trial” in advance. Will the “judge” attempt to “fine” me? If so, I will not pay. Will that noncooperation lead the “judge” to throw me in a cage? Does the “City of Keene” really want that sort of publicity?
Is this government really by the consent of the governed or are the elections and courtrooms nothing more than a cover to obscure the violent threats of men and women who refuse to act on consensual basis? As more and more of us move here, choose freedom, and decide to noncooperate, the answer will become clear. The choice to initiate force is theirs. Will they continue to victimize peaceful people as attention to their violent actions increases? Time will tell.
Between now and my next update on this situation, enjoy these pictures of the “Freedom Couch”. Many of you have been asking to see it, so here it is. As you can see, my tenants are actually utilizing the couch for their Halloween decorations. It seems the character they have placed on it does not appear very happy about the threats to remove his perch:
Facing north:
Facing South:
Medium shot:
Close-up:
