Sentinel Reports on Open Container Hearing

August 26, 2010 by Ian
Filed under: Issues, News, Update

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.

Comments

15 Comments on Sentinel Reports on Open Container Hearing

Nick Ryder on Thu, 26th Aug 2010 12:53 pm

Again they go calling Heika a “Member of Free Keene”. I’m so confused where they get this information from.

Is the KingOfKeene a Free Keene Member? Because he hangs around us and posts comments online. In fact, Heika is hardly ever even on the forum.

Lpviper on Thu, 26th Aug 2010 2:42 pm

They just like the word ‘member’….

Kit on Thu, 26th Aug 2010 3:00 pm

“I’m not as responsible after three or four drinks as I am right now, that’s just the reality of life.”

I hope that Terry M. Clark can find a way to deal with that control issue which doesn’t involve projecting it onto others. There are already laws against public urination, littering, and so forth. I can drink water and suddenly feel the need to urinate in public.

If I could get up there before the next drinking game, I’d like to drink non-alcoholic beer from a milk container and sort of double up.

Heika Courser on Thu, 26th Aug 2010 3:09 pm

Wow, an article in the sentinel NOT bashing me? I think Hell may have frozen over:) Way to go, Kyle!!!

theKINGofKEENE on Thu, 26th Aug 2010 3:27 pm

I have no freakin’ idea if I’m a freekeener! I’m only the KING of KEENE, I’m not like, God, or something…gimme a break, Nick. (Freddie Parsells wasn’t even here 30 years ago. What does he know?) It is a good question, though. How does one become a “member” of a website/blogpost???…Here’s the real funny stuff: “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.” Thank-you, daughter of coffeecupguy! “Freekeene” is so, So, SO grateful that you care about whether “our cause” is helped or hurt…(If folks who don’t like “freekeeners/staters/whatevers”, keep reminding us we’re “not helping our cause”, or what, oh, crap, even I can’t pretzel my brain that much!…

Puke on Thu, 26th Aug 2010 4:19 pm

What a surprise; cops against freedom.

max allison on Thu, 26th Aug 2010 5:28 pm

does that group anywhere actually say that they want to “combat” free keene?

max allison on Thu, 26th Aug 2010 5:39 pm

i went and looked up the group’s mission statement, this is what is states:

“The purpose of this group is not to belittle the efforts of the Free Keene Movement, or to insinuate that they don’t have the right to protest in any way which they seem fit or effective. Rather, the purpose is to let people know that most people in Keene do not support their methods of protest, nor do we wish for our community’s image to be continually linked with the seemingly negative image which this group is perpetuating in the media.

i think that by saying that this group wants to “combat” free keeners seems really unfair and inflammatory. i

holy_canole on Thu, 26th Aug 2010 6:15 pm

The article doesn’t say that the group wants to combat Free Keene, rather it wants to combat Free Keene *tactics*

Also, a lot of you guys get upset when people use the words ‘members’ or ‘associated with’ or the like. What would you like to be used instead?
I don’t think it’s fair to say that we can’t associate people who clearly associate themselves with this group…

Paul on Thu, 26th Aug 2010 6:32 pm

To me, I think “associated with the free keene movement” or perhaps “individuals in the FK movement” is fine. The main thing that’s important to me is the word *some* — e.g. *some* activism by *some* individuals is in poor taste. I know lots of folks who are associated with the FK movement who do very good, positive activism.

Of course, your mission statement is totally up to you, but if you were to ask me, I’d probably suggest something like:

“The purpose of this group is not to belittle the efforts of those in the Free Keene Movement, or to insinuate that they don’t have the right to protest in any way which they seem fit or effective. Rather, the purpose is to let people know that most Keene residents do not support some of the methods of protest chosen by certain individuals in the FK movement, nor do we wish for our community’s image to be continually linked with the seemingly negative image created by those methods.

Hopefully this group will serve as a place for organization. We hope to have demonstrations and counter-protests which will *not* antagonize the Free Keeners, or what they believe in, but rather will start getting the word out that not all Keene citizens condone the actions of all Free Keeners. We also hope to help liberty activists select activism which will be more positive, to work to effect change while not impinging on the lives of other residents.”

I basically just added the word “some” to be clear that all FKers are not the same, and added the extra goal of reforming/influencing liberty activism in Keene — because I think that’s a productive and realistic goal, which it sounds like you’d be happy to achieve.

i think that by saying that this group wants to “combat” free keeners seems really unfair and inflammatory.

I agree. Welcome to the world of press coverage

theKINGofKEENE on Thu, 26th Aug 2010 7:35 pm

Everybody who has ever even LOOKED AT these pages is now an OFFIciaL MEMBER of “FREE KEENE OF THE FREE KEENE OF THE FREE KEENE STIGMA” group. No, that’s really NOT a “typo”…Read it carefully…Anybody want to see me, & raise me one???…Try: “Free Keene of the Free Keene of the Free Keene of the Free Keene Stigma group.” Have we gotten ridiculous enough for you, yet, kids???…You’ve all sure gotten ridiculous enough for me! Love it! Yassuh!…AYUP!…

dingdongdugong on Fri, 27th Aug 2010 12:05 pm

Im curious, what has made people move to keene more then the FSP?

Paul on Fri, 27th Aug 2010 12:17 pm

Hey ddd,

Actually, the overwhelming majority of those who have moved as part of the FSP are not part of FK. They’ve moved to Concord, Manchester, or one of many other places, and most of them are working mainly within the political system, with organizations like the NH Liberty Alliance, and many others. A number have already been elected to the state house.

FK tends to attract those folks more interested in CD.

dingdongdugong on Sat, 28th Aug 2010 10:43 am

Paul-

I know the difference between the FSP and FK. Your reply really didnt answer my question =)

KEENENATIVE on Sat, 28th Aug 2010 11:02 am

I don’t think it’s fair to say that we can’t associate people who clearly associate themselves with this group…Hey, “holy_canole”, what ARBITRARY & therefore subjective/imaginary “group” are you referring to???…Aren’t YOU in the PEANUT GALLERY GROUP???…or the “ANNOYING-BUT-LOVABLE-PSYCHO”group???…You don’t do enough typos to be uneducarted, maybe you are in fact OVER-EDUCARTED???…(Hey, only 50% of my typos are unintentionally left uncorrected pre-posting…WORK THOSE BRAIN CELLS! FEEL THE BURN!!!…

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