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

Click here to view the embedded video.

I apologize for invading your personal space yesterday outside city hall. I should have worked to deescalate the situation, and instead my actions contributed to exactly the opposite. I certainly could have responded differently, and I have learned from this experience. I apologize for my aggressive behavior towards you.

I do not feel I owe you a new cup, as it was a closed container that was put in my face,  and I truly felt threatened. However, I would invite you to sit down and talk about the issues related to Free Keene and the Liberty Activism going on. If you want to do this on camera, I think this would make great footage, and would be happy to film this in front of your coffee shop. Of course your videographer would be welcome to set up as well. This would be great advertising to the people that agree with and support your viewpoint, and I’ll even buy the drinks.

I think this would go a long way to help you understand some of the changes that are happening in Keene and around the state. There is a tremendous amount of  mis-information about the liberty activists, our views, and activism. I would like to explain what we are all about, and how the freedom message naturally works to bring people together.

So James if you would like to set that up on camera or off, please let me know with a private message to me in the forum. I’m glad you joined, and look forward to speaking with you about this.

Sam Dodson

Grab the Archive here to get my perspective on this video:

Here’s an Update based on the comments:

I’m currently editing the video for the event.  The full footage from this incident is shown in the beginning.  This version seems to have cut two previous occasions where he was disrupting my interview by holding the cup in front of the camera. He was repeatedly asked to stop interfering.

He then went over to Puke, and said I think I’ll just stand here. I asked him what his cup said, and what it meant. He read the cup and said he wants to “get you morons out of here.”

That was fine with me, and I started the interview. When he saw that he was unable to prevent me from interviewing Puke, he then again started putting the cup in front of Pukes face. This is Disorderly conduct. That’s when I walked over to him (and this video starts) to again ask him to stop interfering with my business.

He did hit me in the face with the cup; He was obviously hostile and engaging in name calling. I didn’t know what was in the cup, and he had a lid on it. When he hit me with it, that was assault, and I honestly didn’t know if he was planning to throw something on me or hit me in the face while I can’t see past the cup.

I felt threatened by his actions and took steps necessary to ensure my personal safety.

That said, I was also frustrated that there were no Keene Policeman around to inform him that his behavior was disorderly and causing alarm. I was also under a time crunch to get the interview before the meeting started.

The second time when he hit my camera I again grabbed his arm because the camera is very expensive, and he has already shown hostility towards me.  He apologized, and unfortunately because of  his attitude and demeanor, I did not believe  it was sincere.

James was warned about his behavior, and told that he attacked me and my camera with the cup. I informed him that if he touched me again that I would take him down. Meaning remove him from my space because he was threatening me and my equipment with unwanted physical contact while interrupting my interview.

He then went and stood behind Puke (after I repositioned him elsewhere), and as the video will show,the interview was completed, while James was acting irrationally in the background causing a scene. (but not interfering with my interview)

I do agree that in the situation I was angry and did move in close to James after he was warned to stop. I certainly could have responded differently, and apologize for my aggressive behavior. I also apologize for escalating the situation, as I could have handled it better.

I do not feel I owe you a new cup, as it was a closed container you shoved in my face, the writing shows you planned this, and I truly felt threatened.

However, I would invite you to sit down and talk about real issues related to Free Keene, and the Liberty Activists here in Keene. If you want to do this on camera, I think this would make great footage, and would be happy to film this in front of your coffee shop. This would be great advertising or the people that support your viewpoint. I’ll even buy the drinks.

I think this would go a long way to help you understand some of the changes that are happening in Keene and around the state. You seem to be suffering from the rumor mill which has fed you a lot of  mis-information.

You reference a girl stealing my sign at the middle school outreach event. Did you know it was a parent who first stood in front of my sign? I had no problem with this, and simply held it over his head. It was another parent who then came up and attacked me knocking the sign down. Cody (a boy) who was encouraged by the juvenile behavior of the adults, then ran up to rip the sign from my other hand, run off, and destroy it.

So James if you would like to set that up on camera or off, please let me know.

Sam

Where: 2nd Floor Keene City Hall

When: Thursday August 19th @ 6:45 P.M.

Who: Open Container Activists, Onlookers, Press/media

Rules:

All participants drink when:

1. There’s a call to order

2. A bureaucrat claims to do something as “The City of Keene”

3. Everyone stands up

4. The City Council votes for Violence

5. A vote is unanimous

6. A council member says the phrase “master plan.”

7. They plan to  do something “for the children.”

9. Raise your glasses (drinking not needed) if someone suggests rolling back the size, scope or enforcement power of the government IE supports more liberty/freedom

Feel free to join us with the beverage and container of your choice. If you have feedback or input on the event, please join us in the discussion thread or the Facebook event page.

Anyone who wishes to come out in support of this event is invited, drinking or not,  with or without cameras. This week will be bigger and better than the last game. Hopefully the city council will leave us alone.

See you tomorrow night!

After reviewing their city council rules, city ordinances, and state laws; Dale Pregent seems to have made up the rules barring alcoholic beverage containers (not containing alcohol) in order to target free speech. When the Police Chief Ken Meola is unable to determine what is in the closed containers held by Ian  Freeman and Sam Dodson, they were arrested for refusing to consent to search. The video clearly shows, Heika – who consented to the search – being told “your fine”  as she remained in the meeting drinking from her bottle.

Let’s not forget they did all of this on live TV with the community watching.  Plans are in the works for the next City Council Drinking game, Aug. 19th, 7pm. Mark your calendar, it’s going to be a special event.

The donations from signers and money for supplies was ripped off by a US Postal worker who was able to heist 2 rounds of Silver, a 5g & 1g Shire Silver card, and 40 dollars.  After cutting it open, they were nice enough to add scotch tape to the empty envelope which was delivered.

Was it some angry keene postal worker? The truth is, we will never know because the US postal bureaucracy pales in comparison to the tracking capabilities of private carriers. This is the second time I’ve had mail stolen. The first time was about 10 years ago when a postal worker stole a box of checks and went on a shopping spree.

For those of you that think the postal service is an independent The total US mail service pay in taxes bill for 2010: $0.

Do you think that gives them an advantage over FedEx, UPS, and DHL?

Not a Beer

Where: 2nd Floor Keene City Hall

When: Thursday August 5th: 6:45 P.M.

Who: Open Container Activists, Onlookers, Press/media

Rules:

All participants drink when:

1. There’s a call to order

2. A bureaucrat claims to do something as “The City of Keene”

3. Everyone stands up

4. The City Council votes for Violence

5. A vote is unanimous

6. A council member says the phrase “master plan.”

7. They plan to  do something “for the children.”

9. Raise your glasses (drinking not needed) if someone suggests rolling back the size, scope or enforcement power of the government IE supports more liberty/freedom

Feel free to join us with the beverage and container of your choice. If you have feedback or input on the event, please join us in the discussion thread.

Anyone who wishes to come out in support of this event is invited, drinking or not,  with or without cameras.

See you tomorrow night!

Declaration Two:

Here they are as high resolution PDF documents:

Declaration One:
Shire Doc One.pdf

Shire Doc Two.pdf

Grab the Archive