by Ian | Apr 11, 2011 |
Pete Eyre from Liberty on Tour reports from the first day of the jury trial of Bob Constantine, an NH native accused of growing some cannabis plants and facing up to seven years in prison for it:
Lots happened today – it was the most-active “courtroom” day I’ve been to. The below is a very rough overview based on notes I jotted down. Check the links for other writes-ups and related content. We’ll likely chop up a video(s) in the near future (since we’ll likely collect more video over the next couple of days the trial is expected to last).
NORTH HAVERHILL, NH – Running on about 90-minutes of sleep Ademo and I jumped in Ian Freeman’s car this morning and, along with our bud Amish Paul, drove almost two hours to the northern edge of Grafton County and joined over 20 others to support Bob Constantine – a peaceful individual who is being threatened with three to seven years in a cage for allegedly having on his property some plants strangers deem “illicit.” Rather than take a plea deal, he’s standing for what he knows is right – there is no victim. He did nothing wrong.
Facebook event: Trial: The State vs. Bob Constantine
Live updates: Civil Disobedience Evolution Fund
Free Talk Live from April 11th, 2011 (including comments by three people present at court today)
(To really get to know Bob and the harassment he’s faced since September 4th, 2009 when men with badges and guns trespassed on his property, check out the five-minute Free Grafton’s Bob Constantine to be caged by New Hampshire for growing a plant video by Jason Talley.)
When we saw FIJA bumper stickers on parked cars outside a government building we knew we were in the right spot. (more…)
by Ian | Apr 11, 2011 |
The Nashua Telegraph reports on the heroic Catherine Bleish suing Nashua PD for wrongful arrest when she was kidnapped by the police at the 420 celebration there over a year ago. She was found not guilty of the charges they hit her with at a bench trial late last year.
by Ian | Apr 8, 2011 |
Thanks to Marc Stevens for this excellent idea.
I’ve mentioned on the radio show a few times about sending the IRS and other tax agencies affidavits. The affidavits state we are terrified of the IRS and only file returns and report financial transactions out of terror of being attacked, put in jail and having all our property stolen. I’m encouraging everyone, if you file or report to the IRS and other tax agencies, send an affidavit of fear with the return. Let them know you are only complying out of a sense of terror, not because you think there is a legitimate obligation. You may comply, but you will not conceal the threats and coercion they used to get compliance. We will not help them make it look legitimate.
There are several reasons for this, and you’ll see it’s another tool to help bring about a voluntary society, building the free market.
It makes the bureaucrats aware of the violence. I’m convinced, from years of personal experience with tax agents and other bureaucrats, the violent nature of government is very uncomfortable to them. (more…)
by Ian | Apr 7, 2011 |
Facebook’s commenting plugin appears to be broken again. In addition, there has been a recent activist exodus from Facebook, so it’s time to give those people who dislike Facebook the ability to comment here. You can expect the trolls to return, and I’d like to encourage you to keep your comments here, but bring discussion to the Free Keene Forum, where trolls have a more difficult time polluting things. Presumably the Facebook comments will return to the blog when the plugin gets fixed, however I will leave anonymous WordPress comments turned on – the market has spoken. Facebook comments will appear on each page prior to the anonymous WordPress comments. Enjoy!
UPDATE: CAPTCHA has been added to the site and user registration has been turned back on. If you are a registered user, you will not be subject to CAPTCHA. User registration is free, of course and if you had an account before, it has been purged and you’ll probably need to re-register. (Unless you are an FK blogger.) Just use the handy login widget in the far-right column of the site.
UPDATE 2: Facebook comments are now working. We have fully flipped to “version 2”.
by Ian | Apr 6, 2011 |
“You have failed!” rail the critics of Free Keene within the liberty movement. As proof, they present that some people are upset by some of the things that some activists have done in the area. I always counter by pointing out that upsetting people is a sign of success. It’s inevitable that anytime you do or say things that threaten the status quo, the supporters of the status quo will lash out in its defense. I guess the critics for some reason thought that only applied to “offensive” civil disobedience like smoking pot.
They were wrong. Now that the liberty activists who have been elected have been having some success passing pro-freedom legislation in the NH house, the supporters of the status quo are OUTRAGED. It’s more than just a few anonymous comments posted on the newspaper websites, which is about all that ever happened as a result of the supposedly upsetting civil disobedience and outreach here in Keene. No, these outraged supporters of the status quo are gathering for large-scale protests in support of the government at the state house.
Here, “Freedomroad” writes a piece about how the protestors at the state house are blaming the “free staters” for what is happening there, complete with photographic evidence.
Inside the capital a lady held a sign that said LIBERTARIAN REPUBLICANS ARE Killing N.H. The man she was with held a sign that said Libertarians + FreeStaters GO HOME. When confronted by a Libertarian Party member, the man admitted that libertarians are OK but he shouted down FSP participants.
In addition, the Union Leader has printed an editorial by two such outraged supporters of the status quo, specifically blaming “libertarians” and “free staters” for a “takeover”.
Congratulations to the New Hampshire Liberty Alliance and their activists. They are really making a difference. You can tell by how many people they have pissed off. Keep up the good work! Maybe these statists will get the message and move to Massachusetts or New York, because it’s not going to get any easier for them.
