A question that’s been asked several times is what have acts of civil disobedience accomplished in Keene, New Hampshire. I know of a couple of incidents where people refused to pay traffic fines on moral grounds and they got out of paying those fines. Those are small victories. I also have my larger expectations. For instance, I expect local law enforcement and the local justice system to exercise more restraint when they realize that their usual railroading and intimidation tactics don’t work on some of their victims. Instead, we make their jobs harder when they attempt to violate our rights. We don’t want to be in jail, of course, but we don’t necessarily let that threat deter us. Instead we bring attention to it. We stand up to them, defiant yet peaceful, and use it to point out the violence of the system. In turn, I expect that to affect a culture shift whereby many others become more aware of their rights and they’ll become emboldened to stand up for those rights. These are noble goals. But I can’t really point at anything significant and concrete that we’ve accomplished as of yet.
I don’t fault the victim of a street burglar who hands over his wallet rather than risk his life. For the same reason, I don’t fault the person who concedes to the demands of violent governments. We all have to decide for ourselves where our boundaries lie. Having said that, I’ve gotten a better sense of the risks and sacrifices of civil disobedience and what responses to expect from local agents of the State in my own role as a supporter of other activists. What I’ve experienced is my own safety boundaries being gradually pushed further and further out. (Read On…)
This is the only known footage of any of Sam’s arrest (his removal from the city building and loading into a cop car), just now being released due to technical difficulties:
Thankfully this movement contains many activists with video cameras. This means we can be in multiple places and recording them all if necessary. Some of us are now coordinating and stationing camera-toting activists at various entrances to government buildings so as to be best prepared for events like this. What innovations can you bring to this movement? How will your talents help us achieve a voluntary society? Thanks to Free Keene blogger AnarchoJesse for capturing this raw footage.
Today he filed his intent to appeal judge Burke’s gulity verdict, and remains a semi-free man for another month as a result. He has until June 2nd to file his full appeal, or else they’ll put him in a cage at that time. This should mean he gets a jury trial, which should take place at superior court, the same place where activists do Fully Informed Jury outreach at every jury selection!
Sam:
Today Ivy followed up on her writ of habeas corpus with the NH supreme court. They attempted to claim they have no obligation to move quickly on hearing it, so she filed some sort of motion to expedite and believes she’ll have an answer on that motion within 24 hours. However, judging by the initial reaction of the court bureaucrats, it’s not looking good.
I finished an excellent book on storytelling and the steps involved in scriptwriting. I’ve already put my mind to work crafting a story with the intention of educating and enlightening the masses to the idea of liberty. Imagine if a movie, inside of an hour, could let people see the chains of government that enslave them, with the purpose of harvesting their labor. I’m really excited about the possibilities.
Another great development in my case today…the state sent an order saying they believe they have figured out who I am. Burke is agin misrepresenting the facts saying the booking process at KPD was “aborted” because I continued letting them identify me as John Doe, when in fact, that was the understanding beforehand. It continued by saying the address I provided “turned out to be a United Parcel Service mailbox in Keene.” Again, that was made perfectly clear to them when I provided the address.
The police prosecutor and arresting officer, Eliezer Rivera, has apparently asked the court to let me come back and process as who they think I am, so I may be released. it’s interesting, they seem to be wanting me out of jail. It seems like the growing press attention is having an effect.
Burke’s order continues:
“Should the defendant decide he is willing to provide true and accurate identifying information about himself — the kind of information any other defendant is expected to provide — and is willing to accept the conditions of bail, the court will schedule a video arraignment as soon as possible thereafter.”
What’s interesting is his use of the term “expected to provide” instead of say…lawfully required to provide. Apparently Burke believes me to be his slave, subject to the “expectations” of the “state” and its agents. Can there be a better example of the hypocrisy of these same people who claim, “It’s the law!”? It appears that’s just what they tell themselves to justify their actions. Make no mistake,
this is about control.
Burke’s order continues:
“Until then the court is unwilling to schedule a trial date. While the prospect of the defendant’s indefinite confinement is distasteful, the court reiterates, however, that the defendant holds the key to his release.”
Distasteful, Mr. Burke? How about illegal and unconstitutional even by “enemy combatant” standards? If you’re not outraged by a judge with the gall to enter an order like this into the record, I ask you what will it take?
What you may not know, is that a write of Habeas Corpus was filed with their N.H. Supreme Court yesterday presenting exactly these issues. Their Supreme Court has 3 days to respond.
The state now has a big problem that Mr. Burke hopes he can make go away by releasing me before the 3 days are up; in which case, their Supreme Court could dismiss the writ, and make this all go away.
However, come Monday, their Supreme Court will have to do one of two things: Deny the writ, and show the world that not even a shred of honor, dignity, respect for human rights or the rule of law remains in their system; or approve the write, uphold their laws, and release me from jail. Setting a precedent in the process, that allows liberty activists to refuse providing a name, social security number, home address, physical characteristics and countless other things they ask, but defendants have no lawful requirement to provide. (not to mention exposing Burke and his courthouse cronies for the out of control tyrants they have become)
The state has already lost, and now they are beginning to realize it. This is the true power of civil disobedience. This is why I sit contently in their cages sacrificing all that I have. I am but one man standing in the face of a seemingly insurmountable system, standing for change. It’s clear to me now how quickly they grow out of control, given what it takes to reign them back in. I am but one man taking a stand. What happens when I am joined by 5? 15? 50? nd one day 5,000?
Soon they will understand we are best left alone, for what you resist, only persists, and what they resist is an idea. An idea which cannot be extinguished. Their attempts have only served to spread the idea far and wide. Keene is taking the next few baby steps in mankind’s evolutions towards a voluntary society.
Meanwhile my hunger strike continues. I’m down to 160, and the doctors now check me twice a week. Tonight they game 1/2 of us haricuts. It’s amazing how things seem to get fixed after I talk about them on the radio. Thank you all for the support, and please keep telling others what’s happening here.
Yesterday was a great day. Nothing all that eventful happened, but I was given a pair of reading glasses from one of the other prisoners. I could read before, but it was slow going. In the proces I’ve rediscovered the joy of learning by reading books.
I’ve been listening to audio books over the last few years with very little reading. Over the last couple of days I read Benjamin Franklin’s autobiography. He led a very interesting life, and I see a lot of parallels to my own.
I was also able to browse the titles in the library at the last clothing change. I picked out a book on Chinese cooking (I’ve decided to learn how to cook), the basics of book editing, a book on script writing, and a couple more biographies.
Nothing much happens on the typical day, and that’s perhaps the saddest part of all this. The routine? Lights out/lockdown at 11pm. Breakfast is either at 6, in which case they re-lock the cages until 7am, or breakfast is served after 7 some days. Lunch is around noon, dinner is around 5pm. Druggie buggie is two times a day. Clothing changes, where everyone is issued clothes worn by who knows who, are changed 3 times a week. Razors for shaving are offered every other day. A few days a week we go outside into a caged area for 45 minutes. A few times a week there’s bible study for those that want to go. Visitation Wednesday and Saturday; commissary orders on Monday are delivered Thursday or Friday (what do you expect from a government run store?). That’s it, week after week.
Most of the prisoners skip breakfast or return to sleep afterwards. They start getting up around 10-11am, with everyone up for lunch. To fill the gaps they watch TV, play cards, write letters or sleep.
To suggest that “corrections” or rehabilitation in any way shape or form is happening here, I can only label a bold faced lie. The prisoners here blame their circumstances, many lack basic communication skills, and their dispute resolution skills are centered on violence. There have been two fist fights in the showers (out of camera view) since I’ve been here.
If you think about it, the state is teaching them to be slackers! Sleep till noon, sit around watching TV (or playing video games), no job and expect someone else to supply your room and board.
What’s worse, propbation terms are set up so that even contact with a government police officer is a violation. That’s right, get pulled over as a passenger in a friend’s car, and they will throw you back in jail.
This system is set up with one primary purpose, to extract money from taxpayers, “criminals,” their friends and families, to feed the state. It’s no surprise some states are now charging the prisoners $40-60/day they incarcerate. Wouldn’t it be easier to restitute the victim and make them whole again? Of course not! That wouldn’t feed the ever growing monster that is the state, and its fascist corporate prison monopoly n so called “justice.”
A question that’s been asked several times is what have acts of civil disobedience accomplished in Keene, New Hampshire. I know of a couple of incidents where people refused to pay traffic fines on moral grounds and they got out of paying those fines. Those are small victories. I also have my larger expectations. For instance, I expect local law enforcement and the local justice system to exercise more restraint when they realize that their usual railroading and intimidation tactics don’t work on some of their victims. Instead, we make their jobs harder when they attempt to violate our rights. We don’t want to be in jail, of course, but we don’t necessarily let that threat deter us. Instead we bring attention to it. We stand up to them, defiant yet peaceful, and use it to point out the violence of the system. In turn, I expect that to affect a culture shift whereby many others become more aware of their rights and they’ll become emboldened to stand up for those rights. These are noble goals. But I can’t really point at anything significant and concrete that we’ve accomplished as of yet.
