Thursday, May 14:
I received more good news from Ivy today. I’m sure it’s been widely reported already, that when faced with responding to Ivy’s Demurs, Rivera, the KPD arresting officer and prosecutor, dropped the disorderly conduct and theft charge (a thinly veiled attempt to shut me up by stealing my camera). Even if I had not been in jail for the last 30+ days, responding to his baseless charges and accusations requires a considerable amount of time and money. That’s of no concern for Rivera, as the government designed and subsequently government subverted “justice” system works to shield bureaucrats, who act improperly or violate their laws, from prosecution or even consequences of their actions.
It’s another example of the harm that naturally arises out of granting a true monopoly – that only governments can – over a given service, to one organization, who else could remain blissfully ignorant of the practices, guidelines, and rules of their profession? What would happen to the architect who designs unsound structures? The ship captain who struggles to chart and navigate a course? The financial advisor who struggles to understand annual reports? The answer is clear, competition provides the proper market signals to protect consumers. Yet when it comes to government provided “services,” people seem oblivious to such a basic concept.
Meanwhile, over the last year, Keene PD, several district courts, court security, and the city of Keene have become increasingly hostile towards liberty activists and members of the free press. Rivera has filed and later dropped charges against Ian Freeman from Free Talk Live, Toby and Nick from Free Minds TV, Mike Barskey, organizer of Keene Freedom Fest, and now my media entity, OTN.
Based on the recent string of dropped charges, Rivera either doesn’t read or doesn’t understand the statutes – or what constitutes a violation. Having read his motions, Rivera’s due diligence appears to be limited to a half hour surfing the web. Most of the forms he haphazardly fills out threaten his victim with being locked into a cage for up to a year.
Take a minute and think about that. It’s something I have a newfound understanding and appreciation of through this experience. What would happen to your life if right now you were hauled off to a cage for a year? How would your friends, family and dependents be affected? What about your job? The place you live? Your possessions?
This is a horrendously ineffective system, and there is a better way. Rivera is probably not losing any sleep, nor is he much different than any other police officer or prosecutor. Hw works for a monopoly, remember? Well to be fair, it’s not just a monopoly; it’s the most important one. It’s the one all others depend upon to retain their government created monopoly. It’s the monopoly on the legitimate use and initiation of force. Despite all of its propaganda, government at its core is simply a group of men and women who are willing to use force to achieve their means, for their ends are often lost in a quagmire of unintended consequences. The result is simply a system of subjugation and control, that grows larger and more out of control with each passing year.
Rivera knows everything will be okay. Besides, it’s never come back to bite him before. That is, until now. This is not like before. The “free staters” are changing that. I was visited by reporters from the Keene Sentinel and the Boston Globe recently. The letters and postcards show up day after day from around the country and world. The legal team supporting me is probably like nothing they have ever seen, and momentum continues to build. This time is like nothing that has ever come before, and I’m just getting started.
In peace,
SamIAm
