Free Keene » Economic Freedom

State Agents Arrest, Cage Ryan Over $4 Fee

DerrickJ — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 19:55:41 +0000

Shire activist Ryan Maddox was arrested on Friday, February 3rd, 2012. His alleged crimes? Theft, disorderly conduct, and placing others in danger. Then when arrested, he was charged with another “crime,” resisting his own kidnapping. Listen to him describe the incident which started it all…

(*Note* The date on this video mistakenly shows 1.04.2012 when it should actually read 1.14.2012, which is the day after the incident occurred.)
Ryan will NOT be taking a plea deal for the outrageous charges that followed this incident:

To learn his charges, continue reading…

In the words of the state agents who arrested him, Ryan did “purposely exercise unauthorized
control over the property of another, to wit, a $4.00 parking fee, which was owed to the Manchester-Boston regional Airport with the purpose to deprive the owner thereof, AGAINST THE PEACE AND DIGNITY OF THE STATE.”

This is a Class B Misdemeanor, which means it is punishable by a fine of up to $1,000.

The charges continue:

The agents claim Ryan “recklessly created a risk thereof, by disrupting the orderly conduct of the business, Manchester-Boston Regional Airport, by refusing to pay his fee and block traffic, AGAINST THE PEACE AND DIGNITY OF THE STATE.”

This is a Class A Misdemeanor, which is punishable by up to a year in jail AND a $1,000 fine. This second charge seems to contradict the first. If he was being a thief, then he wouldn’t block up traffic; he would escape. This charge seems to suggest that he was having a conversation with the toll collector, as he states in his video testimony. This language is flowery and severely written by an agent who was not present at the scene of the alleged “crimes.”

The charges continue…

A 3rd charge, another Class A Misdemeanor, “Placing others in Danger” “The defendant did recklessly engage in conduct, by quickly accelerating his vehicle forward and backwards, causing the tires to spin, while in a confined area where people and other vehicles were located, which placed, or may have placed, the public in danger of serious bodily injury, AGAINST THE PEACE AND DIGNITY OF THE STATE.”

This seems highly unlikely to me, seeing as I know Ryan and spend a great deal of time with him. I know him to be a peaceful person who is level-headed and calm as a buddha. There’s no way he went on a crazy spin-out like some hot-headed redneck.

To add insult to injury, agents of the state charged Ryan with a 4th crime, “Resisting Arrest.” In the words of the state agents, “the defendant did knowingly physically interfere with a person he recognized to be a law enforcement officer, to wit Police Officer Kevin M Mulcahy of the Keene Police Department, by clasping his hands in front of his chest and twisting his body in an effort to resist being handcuffed, while said officer was seeking to arrest Ryan Maddox, AGAINST THE PEACE AND DIGNITY OF THE STATE.”

I can’t be sure of the intention of any particular law, but do you the reader think that the intention of the “Resisting Arrest” charge was for actions like those described above? Call me crazy, but that sounds like a pretty typical arrest to me. What law enforcement officer doesn’t expect the people they come after to struggle? Are free people supposed to just freeze and stick out their wrists whenever a man in uniform comes by? I would imagine that if the people who wrote the “Resisting Arrest” law had any good intentions whatsoever, it was to give justice to those law enforcement officers who had been beaten and seriously injured as a result of them carrying out the course of their duties (arresting people). Someone “clasping his hands” and “twisting” should be easily overcome by any officer, especially when the person being apprehended is Ryan, who is a pretty small guy.

Why is Ryan coming forward to the public with all of this information about his case? Because he hasn’t done anything wrong, he hasn’t hurt anyone, and if anyone is committing wrongdoing, it is the agents of the state! So… will he be taking a plea deal? No way in Hades!

Russ Roberts “Raises Keynes” on NHPR

Skeptikos — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 07:59:11 +0000

Laura Knoy, host of NHPR’s The Exchange, interviewed EconTalk host and “Keynes vs. Hayek” co-creator Russ Roberts, along with former Obama adviser and economics blogger Jared Bernstein yesterday morning.

You can hear the show, titled Raising Keynes, at NHPR.org.

For fun, the Keynes vs. Hayek videos are posted below the fold.

FK’s Derrick Makes National News for Illegal Haircuts

Ian — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 03:08:31 +0000

Free Keene blogger Derrick J Freeman makes national news with an AP article on his illegal haircutting. Multiple disobedience arrests, his own youtube channel, and now national news – Derrick J is in my opinion the activist of the year. He arrived in Keene in 2011, hit the ground running, and hasn’t stopped. Thank you Derrick for all you do for liberty. Here’s the AP piece:

CONCORD, N.H.—Anyone handy with scissors and a blow-dryer could set up shop in New Hampshire without the state’s formal blessing if an effort to eliminate education and licensing requirements for a host of occupations is successful.

Cosmetologists, barbers and a handful of others in state-licensed occupations would no longer need to go to school or get a license to work under the bill facing a vote in the House early next year that makes the licenses voluntary.

Derrick Freeman, a 22-year-old unlicensed hairdresser from Keene, said his customers’ satisfaction should determine if he can work, not a state license.

Freeman faces fines and potentially jail time if police enforced the state law against him for snipping hair without a license.

“I’ve not harmed anyone. I have a growing list of satisfied customers. I don’t think I’m doing anything wrong,” Freeman said.

But licensees like Nashua cosmetologist Pam New say that their training protects the public which trusts the state to regulate the industry. New says hairdressers use powerful, caustic chemicals like bleach that can cause scars from burns if used incorrectly. Consumers assume cosmetologists are trained and licensed now, she said.

“God forbid if anything happens,” she said. “Literally, we could make bombs with these chemicals.”

The bill would deregulate occupations including landscape architects, court reporters and massage therapists. The bill also would repeal state regulation of hawkers, peddlers, itinerant vendors and athletic agents.

About 144 different occupations are regulated by New Hampshire by requiring a license, certificate or registration, according to Katrina Evans at the state Department of Employment Security.

Most of the debate over the bill has focused on the largest group it targets: the 23,000 licensed cosmetologists, barbers and estheticians working in 2,000 shops across the state and whether training should be required to work in the field. Cosmetologists are required to take 1,500 hours of classes to get a license in New Hampshire. The typical cost is $12,000 to attend cosmetology school. The state also allows apprenticeships of 3,000 hours over 18 months under a licensed operator. All states currently have similar license requirements.

Rep. Spec Bowers, the prime sponsor, believes the bill will pass the House, which would reverse a trend of adding to occupations the state regulates. Its fate in the Senate is uncertain.

“The licensing structure we have in place is there to protect consumers and we’ll be watching this bill as it makes its way through the Legislature,” said Colin Manning, spokesman for Democratic Gov. John Lynch.

Supporters argue requiring licenses squelches competition and hinders job growth.

“They talk about the reason for licenses is to protect the public. The main reason is to protect the trade from competition,” said Bowers, R-Sunapee.

Bowers said opponents are trying to scare the public into believing only trained and licensed cosmetologists can shampoo and color hair without harming them.

“People are putting these chemicals on their heads themselves,” he said. “What’s more dangerous — a chemical shampoo on someone’s head or bacteria in food. We do not license cooks.”

Bowers has the support of the national, not-for-profit Libertarian law firm the Institute for Justice, which has sued states over licensing requirements ranging from requiring hair braiders to go to cosmetology school to Louisiana’s insistence that monks from Saint Joseph Abbey in Saint Benedict, La., be licensed funeral directors and learn mortuary science to legally sell handmade wooden caskets.

“The New Hampshire Legislature is on the cutting edge of ridding itself of some of the silliest types of occupational regulations,” said Lee McGrath, legislative counsel for the firm.

McGrath argues that competition does more to protect the public than licensing occupations because the public stops going to businesses that provide poor service.

McGrath said New Hampshire is one of the most regulated in the country.

“(Licensing) is an ineffective screen for fraud and incompetence, but it is a very popular screen among license holders and trade associations. License holders love licensing laws because they shrink the number of competitors and allow licensees to charge a premium in their prices that range from 15-25 percent higher,” he said.

Brent Farrell, a 44-year-old licensed cosmetologist from Sunapee, sides with McGrath and Bowers on making licenses voluntary. Farrell believes talent with hair isn’t something everyone can learn from attending school.

“Some people are not book-smart. There are people who are talented and people who are not,” he said.

Farrell does believe hairdressers should be trained in handling chemicals, but that the salon owner or individual operator should assume that responsibility.

Freeman said in the two years he’s been in business he has not colored hair. He said he learned to cut it from friends who dropped out of cosmetology school. His customers know he isn’t licensed but like the $8 price for a cut, he said. He believes government should stay out of his business — including his wallet — if he isn’t hurting anyone. Freeman said he doesn’t file a tax return for the same reasons.

“I don’t see how a non-customer should have any input into my business,” he said.

But Katie Wantuck, executive director of the state Board of Barbering, Cosmetology and Esthetics, said government is protecting the public’s health and safety. License holders are required to learn — among other things — about bacteria, sanitation, skin diseases, lice and chemicals used in coloring and straightening hair, she said. She rejects the notion that licenses hinder competition.

“There’s practically a salon on every corner in the cities,” she said.

New, who is president of the New Hampshire Cosmetology Association, said the training could save lives. She recently spotted a cancerous mole on the back of a customer’s head. New also notes that unhappy customers can complain to the board, an avenue they won’t have with unlicensed operators.

Gary Trottier, owner of the New England School of Hair Design in West Lebanon, sees the bill as a Libertarian experiment that would disrupt a system that is working well.

“If people put an ad in the paper after watching a YouTube five-minute movie and say, `OK, I can straighten hair,’ someone is going to get hurt. No doubt about it,” he said.

Bowers sees it differently.

“If there’s a willing provider and a willing customer who knows the provider does not have a piece of paper, what right does the state have to interfere?” he said.

Occupy Bank of America – Success! :: The Occupy Song

Ian — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 02:50:17 +0000

Several activists gathered from 11a-1:30p today in front of the Main St. Bank of America to encourage people to close out their BoA accounts and open accounts at more local banks or credit unions. Hundreds of fliers were distributed, signs held, and songs sung. As Tully reports from his blog – it was more than just a protest – it was an effective day of outreach. He confirmed both by talking to people and calling local credit unions at the end of the day:

One customer, a young man who appeared to be in his late twenties, excitedly responded to us, “I just did it! I just opened up an account at the credit union, and I closed my Bank of America account!”

Indeed, he wasn’t alone: a phone interview with the Cheshire County Federal Credit Union by your blogger confirmed that several people came in today to open new accounts, and self-identified as those leaving the Bank of America.

Here’s his full blog covering today’s events.

Also, Keene’s first overnight occupier, Craig Dallas Rice created and performed “The Occupy Song”, which resulted in a singing session out in front of the Bank of America:

Click here to view the embedded video.

What will happen next? Stay tuned here to find out, or better yet, drop into the Occupy Keene facebook page and discussion group.

Ian’s Blog from Jail #5

Mike Barskey — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 00:10:58 +0000

[Transcribed by Mail-to-Jail.]

“KPD Shows True Colors with Parking Meter Proposal & What to Do About it”

Keene Police Chief Ken Meola tipped his hand recently with his proposal to switch from the parking meters littering beautiful downtown Keene that many know and detest to a new system of kiosks.” Each unit will replace several meters and unlike meters in other cities, thees do not require the user to place a receipt on the dash.

Please forgive my inexact numbers. I write this from my jail cell and do not have source material in front of me. I’m going by my memory of recent Keene Sentinel pieces on the subject.

Considering, if I recall correctly, that KPD rakes in over $300,000 per year from the current system, one might wonder what the motivation is to change a system that is “working.” (Though I have heard rumor that the Parking Division actually runs in the red. I would love to have this confirmed or denied. Regardless, that information doesn’t change the point of this post.)

Why, greed, of course.

KPD’s pitch to the city council was that the new parking kiosks could result in up to 30% more revenue to the Parking Division. How? Meola claims it will limonite “piggybacking.” You know, that feeling of a relief you get when pulling into a space and noticing there is still time left on the meter? To the driver intending to visit downtown Keene’s businesses or parks, it’s a blessing – but according to KPD – it’s a curse.

“Piggybacking” is simply the lucky perk that some drivers get from the fact that people tend to overestimate how much time they will need on the meter. (In order to avoid the dreaded orange envelope. More on tickets in a bit.) KPD would much rather have EVERY driver overpay. If the estimates are correct, that could mean another $100,000 per year would flow in to the Parking Division. Wahoo! They could then use that money to hire more parking “enforcers”! Thereby resulting in more tickets issued and even more money being extracted from the productive class!

Oops! Hey KPD – your true nature is showing. You’re mostly interested in “serving and protecting” your own bureaucracy. Real protectors would focus on protecting the innocent against force and fraud (like your department’s “Statement of Ethics” suggests), not shaking down people for spare change. Or all of the other aggressive revenue-generating thins you focus on, like kidnapping and fining people for possessing a plant or chemical or driving safely to work. (Both reasons why many others are sitting in this jail. I’ll talk more about them in a future post.)

If KPD and the eight councilors who support testing the new kiosk system (it was a 8-7 vote) had their priorities straight, they wool instead propose and approve the complete removal of all parking meters in Keene. The economy sucks. People all over are hurting. Their cost of living is rising and the value of the dollar is falling. People are pinching pennies just to keep the bills paid, yet KPD and their supporters want to symbolically flip Keeniacs upside down and shake out the remaining nickels, dimes, and quarters. (Oh, and the new system will take credit cards, too – probably for an extra fee).

Do I need to point out the fact that eliminating the parking meters would immediately put over $300,000 per year back into the pockets of the people who earned it? Back into the hurting economy – likely to be spent at downtown businesses that some people avoid specifically because they don’t want the added cost of the meters and the rick of a ticket?

The parking bureaucracy produces nothing but heartache and frustration. Of course the objection will be: “The reason we have meters is because businesses don’t want people parking out front in prime spot all day blocking business.” If meter supporters wanted to help businesses, they should advocate property owners gaining ownership of their spaces adjacent to their property – and let the owners decide how to handle their spaces.

Politics is about compromise though – so here is a middle-road solution: Eliminate parking meters and make the formerly metered spots 2-hour parking, but only enforced by complaint. That way if a long-sitting car is irking a business owner, they can call the cops about it – otherwise the police stay out of the parking enforcement realm.

No one thus far made any parking proposals to actually improve the downtown economy. The only discussion in the Sentinel has been “Should they, or shouldn’t they?” The way they frame the issue is either-or: status quo or the new system? This is the typical , stale “debate” found in political circles and their cheerleaders, of which the Sentinel is one. In a recent editorial, the paper’s writer(s) act like it’s no big deal – it’s just a few nickels and dimes. They express confusion as to why so many Keeniacs are bothered by the proposal (showing how disconnected from reality the editors are), then encourage people to keep an open mind during the upcoming trial. The editorial wraps by saying that “we” may actually get more revenue from the kiosks vindicating the police’s claims and resulting in the full-scale install of these devices, which by the way cost $10,000-$12,000 each and around $3,000 each to install.

Wait, what? Check out the Sentinel’s pitch again – “we” could get more revenue? Who is “we”?

Hey Sentinel – I have news for you. “We” are not the government. The money “we” spend in parking meters is gone from us, the productive people, and put in the hands of those who will use it to feed their bureaucracy and further control us. “We” are not KPD’s Parking Division, and neither are your reporters. If their plan does result in more revenue, that merely expands their budget at the cost of sucking more money away from people who could use it on products and services they actually value.

As nice as the meter maids (or “enforcers” as KPD calls them) might be – most people don’t want their “service”. Eliminate the meters and bureaucracy and they can get real jobs, doing something customers will voluntarily pay for.

Now, on to the practical. Before a sensible proposal to eliminate meters entirely can be made, “we” must stop this one. Here’s how: First, the obvious. Write or call all the city councilors and let them know how you feel. (There is a link to their contact info on the city’s website.) Some councilors, like Cynthia Georgina, voted for the upcoming trial (where 2 kiosks will be loaned from the manufacturer to replace dozens of parking meters) even though they actually like “piggybacking”! I presume it was done simply out of reverence for the police.

Second – refuse to use the kiosks. Notice I didn’t say refuse to park in the kiosked spaces. By all means, park there. Just don’t put money in the kiosk. Yes, you will be ticketed. Do not pay the ticket. Instead, walk into the Keene Police Department and tell the lady behind the parking window that a ticket was left on your car and that you would like a trial. She will attempt to talk you out of it. She may attempt to ask you questions. Do not admit to driving or parking your car – simply inform her that you will not be pleading guilty (that’s what you do when you pay the tickets) and that you want the trial that you are entitled to. Considering the tickets don’t tend to list the owner of the car, it makes sense to give her your name and mailing address so you can be sent a trial notice.

If this is your first time noncooperation, congratulate yourself. Take a moment and search Free Keene for “parking ticket”. You will see that taking a parking ticket to court has resulted usually in the charge being dropped. Even if you do go to trial and are found guilty – worst case – it’s just a “violation” and you’ll have to pay the fine you’d have paid up front anyway. However you just wasted up to an hour of the time of the prosecutor, judge, court staff, and most importantly, the parking enforcer who ticketed you! Remember, if she’s sitting in court, she’s not writing tickets for anyone else! Plus you get to cross-examine her and gain valuable court experience. Again, searching here for “parking ticket” should reveal useful ideas, including trial video. Don’t forget – once you get the date for the trial, you can send a “Notice of Discover Requirement” to the KPD prosecutor (and send a copy to the district court) informing them that you want “discover”. They then have to send you the evidence they have and plan to present at trial. This will cost them more time as well as money to send it via mail. (You can save postage by hand-delivering them to court.)

Kiosks or no kiosks – if 10% of people who get parking tickets took them to trial, it would overload the court system. That’s probably why they’ll drop the charge – the $5 fine just isn’t worth the hassle.

Their system rests on your obedience. The upcoming kiosk trial-period is an ideal time to practice noncooperation. Give it a try and post your story on the Free Keene Forum! (or email news@freekeene.com)

One more thing. Have you ever been saved from a parking ticket by “Robin Hood”? (Activists dropping nickels in expired meters to prevent a ticket) This proposed kiosk system may kill robin-hooding, by making it impossible to determine from the kiosk how much time remains on a given parking space.

Please contact the city councilors and consider refusing to pay for kiosked spots and take your ticket(s) to trial.

City Council Votes to Ban Bars from Advertising Drink Specials

Ian — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 17:51:56 +0000

Last night at a council meeting, Keene’s city council voted unanimously to continue prohibiting local bars from advertising their drink specials in a way that would be visible outside their business. Based on the comments of one city councilor, they don’t want anyone to think that Keene “condones” drinking. I would like to know how many of the city councilors are active consumers of alcohol.

Seems to me that the city really doesn’t want businesses to come to this area. They seem to do everything they can to restrict their freedom to offer goods and services to willing customers. Recently, they jacked up property tax valuations by 30-40% on many commercial properties in town. That will result in higher prices for customers in addition to businesses on the edge of profitability going under.

The city council has chosen death over living free. If they keep this up, Keene will end up like Berlin – a dying town.

UPDATE: Apparently people in Claremont were upset I called it a dying town. I’m glad to see there is life there. Does anyone deny that Berlin is dying?

Big Greenfield Update

Ian — Sun, 17 Jul 2011 05:49:09 +0000

Copblock‘s Ademo and Pete ask the meter maid in Greenfield some tough questions and get some sad answers:

Click here to view the embedded video.

The guys encounter Greenfield police officer McCarthy, who appears to be stalking Ademo’s parents:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Update for 7/14:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Update for 7/15:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Greenfield loves Copblock:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Don’t miss their trial 8a Monday 7/18, Greenfield District Court

Not-so-Live-Free: Keene Councilors Vote Down Bar Owners who Want to Advertise their Drink Specials

Ian — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 20:07:35 +0000

Not a Beer

A power-mad city council committee voted down bar owners’ who want to be able to advertise their drink specials outside their establishments. Of course, this isn’t the only absurd, micro-managing rule these “councilors” force down the throats of peaceful business owners. It is in the news though, because a state law has repealed these ordinances across NH, but unfortunately has an opt-out provision.

The council committee voted to opt-out unanimously. Here’s the story from the Keene Sentinel’s Sarah Trefethen.

Here’s an excerpt:

Several people worried that signs outside bars would give the impression the city is a place where drinking is condoned and is a large part of the local culture.

Just pretend like drinking doesn’t happen in Keene and no one will know! Ludicrous. Unfortunately, no one showed up to testify in favor of repealing the prohibition. One “councilor” used this as his excuse to support the prohibition. Most productive people are working or relaxing after work, perhaps with an alcoholic beverage. Plus, we know what happens when someone tries to enjoy a drink at a boring council meeting.

That said, it would be nice if someone would take an interest in alerting liberty lovers to opportunities like this to speak out in favor of freedom. I didn’t find out until the night before, and I work during council meetings.

Keeniacs Travel to MA to Support Property Tax Freedom Advocate

Ian — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 05:59:13 +0000

Liberty on Tour‘s Pete Eyre and I went down to Palmer, MA with some other Keeniacs and helped protect local fireman Jay Noone from being evicted from the property he rightfully owns. To this day, Jay has not been evicted.

We also spent some time visiting with the bureaucrats at Palmer town hall, who just-so-happened to be having a tax sale that very day!

Here’s the video, thanks to LOT:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Talley.TV Shows Medea Benjamin of Code Pink the Violence Inherent in the System

Ian — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 04:55:44 +0000

The Civil Disobedience Evolution Fund‘s Jason Talley talks with Code Pink‘s Medea Benjamin. This video drips with cognitive dissonance, as a nice woman who is committed to peace around the world is shown the violence that is part-and-parcel of the system in which she believes. I hope she continues to think about what Talley.TV shares: