Additional images and interviews available on request.

The Free State Project (“FSP”) has reached its
milestone of having 1,000 pro-liberty activists living in the Granite State. The ultimate goal is to attract 20,000 liberty-oriented individuals to New Hampshire.

“This is an important benchmark” said Free State Project President, Carla Gericke, who moved from New York City in 2008. “It shows people are willing to vote with their feet for more freedom. We are modern day pioneers.”

The Free State Project was founded in 2001 with the goal to recruit 20,000 libertarian-leaning people to move to a single state to concentrate their efforts. New Hampshire was selected in 2003. FSP participants sign a statement of intent declaring that they will move to New Hampshire within five years of getting 20,000 signers. More than 11,500 people have signed the statement of intent.

The ‘First Movers’ have made vast strides. At least twelve are now State representatives, and numerous others serve on school and town boards. State representatives have worked on pro-liberty legislation like Right to Marry, expanding the Castle doctrine, and cutting the NH state budget.

Others have founded or worked with organizations that highlight liberty-oriented issues, such as the NH Coalition for Common Sense Marijuana Policy, the New Hampshire Liberty Alliance which grades state representatives according to their voting records, and Cop
Block, a police accountability organization.

Movers have created a strong independent media presence in New Hampshire. Free Talk Live, based out of Keene, NH, is a nationally syndicated radio talk show. The Liberty Radio Network hosts a number of shows, including ones focusing on LBGT and women’s issues from a
libertarian perspective.

Movers have also started private charities and mutual aid societies, like Shire Sharing which delivers care baskets to the needy, and Fr33 Aid which provides volunteer first aid at events like Liberty Forum and the Porcupine Freedom Festival.

When asked about the reasons for the FSP’s accelerating growth, Gericke said it was a combination of factors, citing the economic downturn, the popularity of Ron Paul and his message of limited government, the growing deficit, the federal government’s overreach on
issues like education and health care, and President Obama’s new wars.

“With its ‘live and let live’ culture, its livability, its low taxes, its relative prosperity,” Gericke said, “New Hampshire is well situated to become the beacon of liberty for the rest of the country.”

Contact: Stephanie Murphy (Free State Project Media Liaison)
Email: StephanieMurphy4 at gmail.com

Sign the online petition to keep Keene Bearcat-free!

Join us this Thursday, February 9th, at 5:30PM at city hall to say thanks but no tanks!

The video below was made by Lenco, the manufacturer of the Bearcat vehicle. The grant request to obtain the vehicle for Keene was submitted to the the federal Department of Homeland Security and signed by John Maclean (city manager, 603.357.9804 – jmaclean@ci.keene.nh.us), Kenneth J Meola (police chief, 603.357.9813 – kmeola@ci.keene.nh.us) and Martha Landry (finance director, 603.357.9805 – mlandry@ci.keene.nh.us).

Hello neighbor,

I know you’re busy but you will probably conclude that it’s worth your time to continue reading.

Many of us choose to call Keene home simply because it’s such an awesome community. That might not be as true in the near future if the Keene Police Department takes delivery of a Bearcat (an armored vehicle) thanks to grant from the federal Department of Homeland Security.

City councilors essentially said ‘why not take it, it’s free!’ Yet you, the taxpayer, are now on the hook for its maintenance and operational costs. I bet you can think of many things you’d rather spend your money on in lieu of being saddled with the upkeep for an armored vehicle.

Do you want to live in a police state? Do you really believe that Keene “needs” a Bearcat? Can you point to even one incident that has happened in town that warrants its acquisition? And why is the DHS, whose mission is aimed to “prevent terrorism” marketing the armored vehicle as a “rescue” vehicle?

Armored tanks have absolutely no proper place in a peaceful society such as we have here in Keene. The corrupt federal government would like for you to believe that your level of safety is somehow higher when the police have military equipment at their disposal, but the fact is that by far the most common use of such equipment remains to be the issuance of warrants against peaceful individuals; often accompanied by the destruction of their property, the death of their pets, and their own imprisonment, all without even the benefit of a fair trial beforehand. Additionally, such raids have resulted in needless deaths not only of the suspects involved, but of police officers, children, and innocent bystanders.

This is the future that the continued militarization of police promises for the city of Keene.

Many police departments in the country now have helicopters and drones in their arsenal of military equipment which is appropriate to nothing but war and death. Where does it end, and where do we as a peaceful group of people stand up and say NO to this tyranny?

Join us in saying “Thanks, but no tanks”

Show your support for a peaceful, not militarized, Keene police

• Join us at city hall for public comment at Finance Committee Meeting, Thursday, Feb. 9th, 5:30pm [Facebook event]
• Sign the online petition
• Share this page with those in your sphere: http://FreeKeene.com/Bearcat
  
• Contact Mike Clark (involvement given below) if you want to help collect signatures on the ground or in another capacity. He’ll get you petition sheets or help you implement your idea keep Keene tank-free.
  via email: flesh dot clarky at gmail dot com
  via Facebook
• Join us at city hall, February 2nd to “Oppose the Bearcat” at the Full City Council Meeting, 7-10pm [Facebook event]

Learn more:

• Read the Scribd document below “Keene Bearcat Grant” to learn how the Keene city council justifies their need for a military vehicle
• February 3rd, 2012 – Sentinel Reports on Upcoming Bearcat Hearing via SentinelSource.com
• February 3rd, 2012 – Is the Bearcat a rescue vehicle, as was suggested by city councilors? via FreeKeene.com
• January 29th, 2012 – Sentinel Reports on Upcoming Bearcat Hearing via FreeKeene.com
• January 29th, 2012 – FLYER FOR DOWNLOAD: Thanks but no tanks! via FreeKeene.com
• January 27th, 2012 – Bearcat Reconsideration Public Hearing is Happening, Thanks to Terry Clark via FreeKeene.com
• January 19th, 2012 – City Council Blows off Anti-Bearcat Petition via FreeKeene.com
• January 19th, 2012 – More on the BearCat in Keene in Sentinel via SentinelSource.com
• January 18th, 2012 - More People Upset over “Bearcat”: Police Armored Destruction Vehicle via FreeKeene.com
• January 5th, 2012 – Locals Livid Over Scary “Bearcat” Armored Vehicle via FreeKeene.com
• March 3rd, 2011 Why do America’s police need an armored tank? via MSNBC.com

Excerpts from an op-ed submitted to the Keene Sentinel by area resident Craig Dallas Rice:

Homeland Security says we better beware. So do the Keene police. So does the Keene City Council. But what do the citizens of Keene say? . . .

I do not believe that we really need this vehicle in Keene. The Monadnock Region is one of the safest areas in the world. As it stands now, the police and rescue personnel do what they do with adequate and modern equipment. They can continue to improve the way they handle situations in the future without military-style enhancement. Policing will still involve the legal use of violence in some situations but if they need a tank or an airstrike, I guess it is still better to call the National Guard.

If we the people still have any say, I hope we will be heard to say no to the BearCat.

Mike Clark, born 27 years ago in Keene, long-time No Job 2 Odd employee and drummer of Keene-based Aggressive by Nature, has spearheaded the charge to say: Thanks but no tanks, Keene!

He wrote and printed petitions imploring the Keene city council to reconsider their pro-tank decision and allow for public discussion on the matter. In just a few days Clark personally collected almost 150 signatures, which he brought to the city council meeting.

Per his conversations with city public officials, Clark expected that by presenting the petitions now, he’d secure a spot on the agenda of the following week’s finance committing meeting. Instead, Keene mayor Kendall W. Lane took the request as “information,” effectively shelving any public discussion. That was on January 12th.

On January 26th Clark’s own father – Terry Clark (the lone city council member that didn’t vote in favor of the Bearcat), put in a motion to reconsider. Apparently a request made by a city council member carried more weight with the council than did a request submitted by a concerned resident as it was agreed to have public discussion:

-on February 2nd, the issue will be raised at the 7pm city council meeting.

-on February 9th, public comment will occur at the 5:30pm finance committee meeting.

Make it clear that Keene should remain Bearcat-free!

Read the Keene Bearcat Grant Request or the synopsis by page below:

Keene Bearcat Grant

• pg. 1 -
  the “Grant Application Instructions” from the Dept. of Homeland Security
  Additional guidelines could be obtained through the URL indicated: a FEMA page
  Also provided, a checklist “for your convenience in preparing, completing and submitting your grant application”
  At the bottom of the page contact information is listed as:
  NH Department of Safety – Grants Management Unit
  Commissioner’s Office-Second Floor
  33 Hazen Drive
  Concrod, NH 03305
  which, according to this site, would mean the grant request was handled by either John Barthelmes, Pamela Urban-Morin or Robert Pragoff
• pg. 2 -
  “Lead Applicant Agency” was identified as the “Keene Police Department”
  “Partnering Cities/Counties/Agencies” listed “All Cheshire County Law Enforcement Agencies”
  House and Senate district were requested
  “Project Name” was identified as “Keene/Cheshire County Specialized CBRNE/WMD Rescue Vehicle” with an “Amount” of “$285,993″
  Later the “CBRNE/WMD” was further detailed as “prevention, protection, response, recovery”
• pg. 3 -
  the name, title, contact information and signatures of three involved with the grant request:
  John Maclean (city manager), 603.357.9804 – jmaclean@ci.keene.nh.us
  Kenneth J Meola (police chief), 603.357.9813 – kmeola@ci.keene.nh.us
  Martha Landry (finance direction), 603.357.9805 – mlandry@ci.keene.nh.us
• pg. 4 -
  The start of the grant submitted for the Keene/Cheshire County Specialized CBRNE/WMD Rescue Vehicle
  One typical sentence: “The terrorism threat is far reaching and often unforeseen. . .”
• pg. 5 -
  The grant submission continues
  Focus shifts to natural disaster and “situations” when a Bearcat “was needed”
  The solidification of relationships between Cheshire County  public safety agencies due to the shared nature of the Bearcat
• pg. 6 -
  The grant submission continues
  Focus shifts to reasons why Keene might experience a terrorist event including “numerous private manufacturing facilities that deal with multi-government/military agencies . . .
  The collaboration between agencies is again stressed
• pg. 7 -
  The “Scope of work (30 words or less)”: “The scope of this project is the purchase of the LENCO Bearcat Specialized Mission CBRNE Rescue Vehicle as outlined in the attached LENCO quote: 7741-1.”
• pg. 8 -
  “Section III: Project” posed questions to be answered by grant-requesting party
• pg. 9 -
  “Section III: Project” continued with questions answered
  It’s outlines that LENCO will train one Keene police department employee, who will in-turn train others
  The Bearcat is to be picked-up by four “department members”
  Insurance would be through the “City of Keene”
  Keene police department is responsible for upkeep costs
  Services will be done by someone “from the departments’ tactical team line item.”
  It’s built on a Ford F-550 chassis that will be serviced by the “City of Keene Fleet Services”
  Vehicle lifespan is “estimated to be 20 years”
• pg. 10 -
  “Section III: Project” continued with questions answered
  The question “Does this project include multi-jurisdiction explosive attack prevention planning?” was answered with “YES. This vehicle will allow multi-jurisdictional planning to begin . . .:
  “Law Enforcement Funding Amount” is listed as “$283,993″
• pg. 11 -
  “Local Funding Amount” is listed at “$0.00″

Thanks but no tanks, Keene!

Bearcat Flyer (double-sided)

Additionally, I must thank the individuals at the airport who were acting as agents of the state for doing the right thing that day.  They regarded me with the same level of respect in which I regarded them and did not interfere with my peaceful demonstration by initiating any force such as arrest and/or caging against me.

I plan to return to the Manchester airport on Groundhog Day, Thursday, Feb. 2 to do it again, this time with a guest activist; to be announced.

The main goals of this event are to raise awareness of the violations on natural rights inherent in standard TSA procedures, to educate others on the ideas of liberty, and to promote a truly peaceful society.

As featured on:

Strike The Root

The Advice Goddess

TSA News Blog

Free Talk Live

NH Insider

Headline News Online

Men’s News Daily

…and more

Visit Natural Born Anarchist to read the full text of the literature I was handing out in the video.

In liberty,

Kelly

Kelly Voluntaryist (“kellyvoluntaryist”) – Kelly moved to Keene from Scottsdale, AZ in December of 2011 after being repeatedly victimized by the corrupt and involuntary system there for the “crime” of living as a free individual. While her activism in Arizona consisted mainly of working as an advocate for victims of the system and writing about her experiences, she moved to Keene in hopes of inspiring the evolution towards a peaceful society through civil disobedience. Kelly, a longtime agorist, not only believes in smashing the state through civil disobedience and delegitimization, but counter-economically through black and grey markets and non-compliance as well. A Christian Anarchist, she considers herself a conscientious objector of the current system and strives to promote non-violent resistance as exemplified by Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr. She believes that the violation of one individual’s rights equals the violation of all individual rights, that for there to be true peace there must first be true justice, and that true justice must be based on a model of restoration. Her pet peeves are the TSA, the prison system, and government transparency. When she is not smashing the state, Kelly loves to go shopping and spend time with her cat Emily, her chihuahua Isabella, and her voluntary liberty family. Kelly’s experiences in living the peaceful evolution are also being chronicled at NaturalBornAnarchist.com

With that in mind, the Free Keene Forum has been re-branded the Shire Society Forum and expanded to include Shire-oriented forums as well as other regional forums for Manch, Concord, and the rest of the land commonly known as New Hampshire.

Additionally, the forum is intended to focus on Shire activism and community efforts, as well as helping those who intend to move here. Therefore, trolling is not welcome.

If you are in the Shire or are interested in moving here, please visit, register, and introduce yourself at Forum.ShireSociety.com. Please note, all the old Forum.FreeKeene.com links still work and all the old messages from that forum are here, as is your account if you had posts on the old forum.

Also new with the Shire Society, the Shire Map, and information on immigrating.

• The 130+ Reasons to Move to Keene has been updated. Please submit any suggestions or critique to this forum post or the Free Keene facebook page.
• Keene 411 has been re-launched. Now with troll control measures in place! Get details on how to signup.
• The Shire Society has expanded to include the Shire Choir, Shire Sharing, and Robin Hood. See “The Shire” menu tab at the top of this site to link over to various Shire sites. In addition, the Shire Society site has also added new features, including a Shire Map. Look for more exciting developments from the Shire Society in the new year.

Derrick J. fights Keene Police Department‘s illegal denial of his conceal-carry licence application (8:29A), Mitt Romney makes an appearance (with the Shire Choir) at The Stage Restaurant & Cafe in Keene (8:30A), Beau goes to Cheshire County Superior Court (9A), then Ian‘s hearing re: the footage of Tom Ball’s self-immolation at Keene District (2P) or another Shire Choir performance at Newt Gingrich’s appearance at the Radisson in Manchester (also at 2P).

Catch Nemi on Free Talk Live with Ian Freman and Mark Edge at 7PM EST to get a wrap up of the days events. Nemi will be reporting on Beau’s trial for the Shire Free Press and I’ll be covering Derrick’s case against the city of Keene.

If you attend court or sing in the Shire Choir, and can verify it, you may be able to receive points towards gear like cameras, tees and hoodies if you qualify as a Fr33 Agent. Tag your activism with #Fr33 and #OccupyCourts at Fr33Agents.com.

Pete Eyre (“PeteEyre”) – Pete Eyre self-describes as a voluntaryist and hails from the Midwest. He went to school for law enforcement but ultimately concluded that he could have a bigger impact through other avenues. After four plus years working in the libertarian think tank world in DC he hit the road with Motorhome Diaries and later Liberty On Tour. In addition to Free Keene, he’s now active with Cop Block.

Also welcome to Free Keene TV‘s Jason Repsher. Here’s his bio from the bloggers page:
Jason Repsher (“Rapsher”) – Rapsher moved to Keene NH for the Free State Project in March 2011 from Reno, NV. He believes the ideas of liberty were always apparent in him. Being a non-conformist, along with an inability to pay attention in school, he had little to unlearn. In 2008 Rapsher’s views expanded from libertarian into voluntarism. With his cynical sense of humor and an intense internal optimism, Rapsher is genuinely confident that liberty will happen in his lifetime. His personal philosophy is that altruism is synonymous with human incentive, which will evolve into a purer form when human interactions can exist on a voluntary basis. Rapsher partakes in activism, outreach, working on Free Keene TV, Robin Hooding, and more to come.

You can also visit from anywhere via RobinHood.FreeKeene.com or just look under the Shire tab in the top menu, on the right, here on the blog.

It’s good to have Robin and crew back in the community, especially as the Crown is preparing to test a new, even worse-than-ever parking meter scheme.

Feel free to pick some up next time you’re in Keene, or better yet, just grab the files and send them to your favorite printer:

Side 1
Side 2

The best way to distribute these is at your local superior court as potential jurors arrive for juror selection day. Contact your local court for details on when this happens in your area.