Notice of Nonconsent and Affidavit of Truth

December 6, 2008 by Ian
Filed under: Announcement, Economic Freedom, Personal Freedom, Response

The City of Keene actually put dollar signs on their property tax bill this time around! Since they never answered any of my questions I included with my check last property tax time, this time I drew my own conclusions and invited their rebuttal. I stapled the check to the following document indicating on both the document and the check that their depositing of the check would constitute their agreement with my assertions. Now, obviously I understand that they are just going to use violence on me anyway as was recently proven in the “freedom couch” situation. I don’t believe these are magic words that will save me from their violence or anything, it’s just fun to give these bureaucrats something to think about. I think my next step will be to contact the state attorney genital, record the phone call, and ask some questions about the “consent of the governed”. So, in case you’re interested in what I wrote to the violent monopoly called government, here are the contents of my “NOTICE OF NONCONSENT AND AFFIDAVIT OF TRUTH” (.PDF):

The men and women d.b.a.
“City of Keene”
3 Washington St.
Keene, NH 03431

To whom it may concern,

I’m sure you’re a good person just doing your job. It is unfortunate that you have to deal with this matter. Let it be known that I as a sovereign seek only harmony with others. I reserve all rights and do not intend conflict with you or the “City of Keene” or the “STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE”. It is to that end of harmony and peace that I write in regards to recent events. Specifically, agents of your organization attempting to create conflict with me which I did not and do not want.

Based upon my interactions with your organization’s agents and particularly your agency’s lack of response to certain questions, I have come to certain conclusions which I will outline in this document. If you disagree with my conclusions and assertions, you are welcome to rebut them at any time by mailing them with delivery confirmation to my mailbox agent at the address above. Until rebutted, the following will be treated as fact:

• At this moment in time, no representative of your organization has responded to my recent for proof of obligation for me to obey your “ordinances”. Therefore, it is publicly known that no contract between us exists. Additionally, the “City of Keene” is in dishonor as your agents have refused to provide proof of obligation in the form of a contract with my signature and the signature of one of your authorized agents. Your agency is also in dishonor as you continue to pursue conflict with me, which I do not want.
• Your agency claims to be acting under the “New Hampshire State Constitution”. Article one of your constitution’s “Bill of Rights” states that “All men are born equally free and independent” and that therefore, all government of right originates from the people, and “is founded in consent”. This means that in regards to your society’s “statutes” or “ordinances”, consent is required. I do not consent to your governance. As a sovereign free man I take responsibility for my actions and will do no harm to others or their property.
• I am not a member of your society but instead a member of the Shire Society.
• If your agents are not acting by the consent of the governed, then they are acting coercively. This is not “government of right” but instead raw criminality. Expect peaceful methods to be used to bring those men and women acting coercively under color of law to justice.
• As I am an honorable man, I am more than willing to pay for services and products for which I have contracted. At this moment I explicitly consent to paying market rates for water and sewer services from the “City of Keene”. As your agency monopolizes other services such as road maintenance I am willing to voluntarily contribute to those services I find valuable and I reserve the right to withhold contributing to those I do not. As no agreement exists between us, there is no penalty for not paying the requested amounts that appear on your “property tax” bills.
• I am the true owner of the property commonly known as ************* Keene, New Hampshire. It may not be sold without my explicit consent. It may not be liened in the absence of a damaged, complaining fellow human being whose person or agency is under contract with me.
• As I do not consent to your governance, if you or your agency continues to send notices, complaints, or other paperwork to me that do not involve at least one damaged, complaining fellow human being, they will be ignored. Consider them refused for cause in advance.
• As I’m a very busy man, my time is very valuable. My previously noticed fee schedule is in effect.

It is my solemn oath that I will be honorable in all my agreements and will do no harm to others or their property.

I hope you will also pledge to do no harm.

I have attached a check to this document. Your act of receiving these funds will be construed as your agreement with my above assertions and conclusions.

All correspondence is subject to being posted on the blog at FreeKeene.com.

Signed this _____ day of November, 2008.

http://webryders.net nick

Did you bill them according to your fee schedule for your time in jail?

Further comments on this post may call Ian ridiculous or spinning his wheels, but he has given the City chances to show that they are a legitimate organization, and they haven't taken that opportunity. Ian has every right now to call them out for what they are, but he is still dealing with them in a friendly manner.

I also don't think he would be unprincipled to put the city on notice that he is dealing with them only because they will hurt him if he doesn't. Were slaves unprincipled for working the fields when they knew they were being forced to?
charley hardman

I’m sure you’re a good person just doing your job.

c'mon. that's just rot, and you know it. you begin an already strained and perhaps impossible exercise (i.e., explaining mutual liberty in one letter to the criminally brainwashed) with an implicit embrace of the nuremberg defense. it's the nuremberg defense you're fighting. you can be fully sure that the intended recipient of your letter is not a good person; that's why you're writing.

if the state's criminality may be fobbed off with "just doing your job", nobody in this world is responsible for anything. the state will remain untouched so long as moral men pretend order followers aren't culpable via the same several and collective liability they force on others. they are willing to have you killed for the continued delivery of their salaries.

not good. opposite of good.
Daniel

Hi all! I'm new to the site, but I'm a listener of Free Talk Live so I do know what it is you guys are talking about. I just thought I would throw out a couple of things:

Quick question: What exactly is the "Shire Society"?

If I may offer a bit of a critique: I think that the idea of sending these people a letter is good, and I like some of what you wrote, but I think you're being a bit too confrontational about it. Remember that anyone reading your letter (if anyone actually at "The City" actually reads it, which is doubtful) doesn't necessarily understand the things that you do about liberty and freedom. Most of this letter, if not all of it, would go way over the head of the average Winston Smith. Not only that, but even if someone at "The City" did read the entire thing and understand what you were trying to say, the letter is expansive and would take so long to rebut that they would probably rather just crinkle it up and try to make a basket in their trash can.

I would try a little harder to keep it short and simple. What you are saying isn't complicated, and writing such a long letter detailing the finer points of what you are "asserting" is just going to make people the government people think that you're a loon. Also I would take out the bit about the fee schedule – while I understand where you are coming from there, "The City" isn't going to honor that agreement, and all you are doing is alienating people. The city people are just going to look at this and laugh… it might even become an "office joke." Even if it isn't absurd, they're going to look at it that way. If the reason you're writing these letters is for the shock-and-awe factor when you post it on this website, then you are on the right track, but don't think that this is going to be taken seriously by anyone outside of that audience, and don't think that it's going to convince anyone of anything.

Obviously, you don't have to take what I say into account. Just one man's opinion, I suppose. Just thought I would throw that out there.
http://freetalklive.com/ Ian

Thanks for your thoughts. They are the ones doing the alienating by threatening violence. The purpose is to put out my assertions and invite a rebuttal, which will not come. It's not my problem if they have reading comprehension issues, nor do I care if they throw the letter away. I will be taking this up the line in hopes of getting some sort of response from these violent monopolists.
http://speakoutdanville.org/bbs Curt Springer

Undoubtedly they prefer your letter to some of the verbal abuse they get from some tax payers who pay in person. You know you won't get a response locally. If you take it "up the line" you will get the same response you got from the tax collector when she replied to your letter, was it this summer?

If you take it up the line to the AG office you will probably get a polite response from Bud Fitch, the deputy. He's really nice. He got involved when I had an issue with an absentee ballot a couple of years ago.

It reminds me of how much I resented paying Mass income tax when I first started working there more than 25 years ago. When I had to send them a top-up check with my return I would write stuff like "45 hard-earned" next to the preprinted "Dollars". Eventually I realized that nobody cared as long as the check cleared the bank.
Zeus

Isn't it about time to stop with the letters and the couches and the protest signs and acknowledge what we already know to be true?

They are the state and they will use violence against you regardless of morality, justice or plain logical sense and no amount of protest signs, letters or arguing with them is going to change that.

It is time to move on and ask yourself the next question: "What am I going to DO about it?".

Often, Ian, you say you want to "be the change that I seek". Your stated and definable goal is to have a Voluntary Society with Zero Government.

So then I must ask: What is your plan to achieve that goal? If fighting over couches, protesting and sending letters is the extent of the plan, then I submit that it is plan without substance.

Other than spreading the message of liberty ("education"), none of the other activities that have been used thus far (civil disobedience, protesting, arguing with local bureaucrats, flag-burning, running for office, etc.) are conducive to actually achieving the intended goal.

Isn't it about time we had an actual plan (i.e. a structured series of steps to be carried out that will achieve the intended goal)?

Right now, it just seems like we're all pissing in the wind.

As it is, FTL has completely replaced the FSP as the driving force behind getting people to even move to NH. The complacent and inert FSP doesn't even have a plan, just a goal. "Get to New Hampshire.". That's it. They don't even care to ask "Then what?". "That's not our bag," they say.

"Bogus", says I.
elkheart

…what was the name of that psychotically violent keene cop who came at dave ridley at the top of the stairs by the door on the "keene cop/pigs harrass…" video??? He's a relative rookie, poorly trained, & dumb as a box of hammers…you guys need to train yourselves in passive resistance/positive response to "command voice directives"…the cops own slapdash, slipshod training is the best weapon to turn to re-use against them…better than a verbose&bullshit letter…zeus is soooo correct…FSP + FTL = STP/FLF…(…sometimes poor folks laugh freely…)…we natives enjoy your clown show…SIGNED: A Native American, Native New Hampshire **EDITED FOR RACISM**
http://freetalklive.com/ Ian

Why don't you come up with the plan, Zeus. We're all waiting for you…
Zeus

Why don’t you come up with the plan, Zeus. We’re all waiting for you…

Your response is a complete avoidance of the questions I posed. I thought there was a chance you might do that, but I hoped you would actually take my questions (and valid criticism) seriously.

Instead of flailing in the dark and hoping we find a match or a light switch, it would be more useful to plan ahead and bring a flashlight.

Again, I ask: How can you achieve your goal if you don't have a plan? Throwing things against the wall to see what sticks might be fun for awhile but it's not the best path for actually achieving the stated objective.

Maybe I'm in the minority here and maybe waving signs and getting jailed are what most Free Staters are looking to get out of the movement. But if there are others who believe as I do that there's value in having a plan, they should be free to offer their input in creating one and free to choose what parts of it they wish to participate in.

Looking to me to solve the problem single-handedly is no better than looking to Barack Obama or John McCain to do so. You have no authority to crown me "official plan maker" and I have no right to accept it nor do I have any delusions of grandeur that I can create and execute a successful plan all by myself.

If my input were requested, however, the first thing I would advocate is the creation of a PR department of the FSP that actually does PR. Perhaps this would breathe some life into what is a currently a stagnant organization.

The next thing I would advocate is reaching out to the local populace and finding a way to clear up the misconceptions they have about Free Staters and finding a way to spread the message, live how we wish to live and yet still co-exist with them peacefully. As the old saying goes, you catch more flies with honey than you do with vinegar.

There's two steps right there. I'm sure others would have even more useful ideas were there a concerted effort to create plan of action to achieve liberty in our lifetimes.
http://freetalklive.com/ Ian

I've already built some level of relationship with some of the govt people around here. I plan on doing more of that, so that's being done at least in Keene.

In regards to the PR thing, the FSP is always looking for volunteers – step right up!
Zeus

In the recent mp3 of WKBK's Talkback posted here on this site, I found that there is quite a bit of work to be done when it comes to getting Cynthia and Fred (and their listeners) to understand where Free Staters are coming from. Just listening to the clip, it's proof positive they suffer from quite a few misunderstandings and misconceptions.

I don't know how much contact with them you've had but maybe someone needs to try talking to them one on one over lunch and try a different tact with them than what you've already tried.

If no one else has plans to do that, I'll make that one of the first things I do when I'm in Keene.

I'll go check out the FSP website and see what else is available to do and I hope others will do the same. Even if there is no Ultimate Plan, it would still be productive for Free Staters to think about what their personal goals are and come up with ideas to push forward the change they seek to achieve.
http://freetalklive.com/ Ian

I've had lunch with Fred. He's playing naive on the radio. Good to know you're coming to Keene!
http://speakoutdanville.org/bbs Curt Springer

Looking in from the outside, I suggest that you guys discuss your attitude towards the court system.

On the one hand you have Ian who fought the court as much as he fought the city, perhaps more. On the other hand you have Ivy who with her husband dressed up and argued legal motions quite adroitly.

Generally people seeking freedom and liberty have looked to the court system as an ally, or at least an impartial arbiter, not as an enemy.

And Ian, aren't you also "playing naive" on the radio? You know perfectly well what the answers will be when you ask questions about consent and all that.
Tim

Ian,

I think your tactics are fantastic. You are creating a paper trail in regards to your personal sovereignty, whereas there is not much of a paper trail regarding your complicity with or acceptance of the government. What if the government cites your voter registration, however? I do not know how voter registration works in New Hampshire, and I do not plan on joining their voting society when I move to New Hampshire (ASAP), but I imagine that you did indeed have to sign something to join their voters' club. I suppose you could argue that you didn't understand what you were signing, but that is just a cop-out. The easiest solution is to engage in non-cooperation, i.e. do not willingly agree to partake in their system. Certain things, such as vehicle registration and code violations, may create undue hardship that hurts your overall ability to work at achieving freedom, but not registering to vote is the first and easiest form of non-cooperation. Ultimately it is all semantics, though, as they will cash the check without any regard to what I am sure they consider a waste of time and paper.

It isn't a waste, however, since I think that average people can see that the government uses their own language (legalese) to justify whatever they please, and you are just turning it around on them.

Keep up the good work, Ian. Every step you take, however small, is a step in the right direction, and everything has to start somewhere.

-Tim