Anti-BEARCAT Update: Meeting Today & New Song

There will be an Anti-BEARCAT meeting today at Colony Mills Food Court at 3PM. More details on Facebook (and while you’re there, please like Thanks But No Tanks).

After the over-capacity BEARCAT meeting last Thursday at Keene City Hall, the community has been organizing to stop the city from accepting what current Keene Mayor Kendall Lane called a tank. Weapons manufacturer LENCO tells us that BEARCAT stands for Ballistic Engineered Armored Response Counter Attack Truck which doesn’t sound any less terrifying than “Tank.” Especially in the hands of a police department that has proven it’s willingness to initiate violence against our peaceful friends and neighbors.

Please join us to oppose the further militarization of the local police department. The website thanksbutnotanks.com has been launched in addition to the comprehensive overview of Keene’s unprecedented Anti-BEARCAT campaign here on FreeKeene.com. Former Keeniac Sam A. Robrin even penned the following song after being inspired by the local resistance. It’s to to the tune of ”Joy to the World” by Three Dog Night. It’s called, what else, but… (more…)

NH to Cage Peaceful Nurse

The Associated Press reports:

New Hampshire’s highest court has upheld a woman’s marijuana-growing conviction, ruling she had no reasonable expectation to privacy in a wooded area of her property from which police observed her house and detected the smell of marijuana coming from a vent.

Patricia Smith of Haverhill was charged in 2009 after police raided her house and found a pot-growing operation and 120 plants. During court proceedings, a superior court denied Smith’s motion to suppress evidence.

In appealing to the New Hampshire Supreme Court, Smith’s attorney argued that police violated Smith’s constitutional right to privacy and protection from unreasonable searches when they essentially conducted a stakeout in the woods behind her home.

Watch the following videos produced by myself and Garret Ean of Free Concord. When watching, ask yourself if you want to see Patricia Smith caged for growing her own medicine, in her own home. If you’re a citizen of New Hampshire or the United States this is being done in your name, with your money.


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NH Magazine asks “Is the Live Free or Die State Ready for Legal Weed?”

The current (January 2012) edition of New Hampshire Magazine prominently features Bob “Weeda Claus” Constantine in the cover story, “Up In Smoke: Is the Live Free or Die State Ready for Legal Weed?” In addition to being Weeda Claus, Bob is an advocate for jury awareness at NHJury.com and will launch the “Just Say Know” campaign with other Fr33 Agents in 2012. Along with Bob, Kirk McNeil of the New Hampshire Coalition for Common Sense Marijuana Policy, John Tommasi of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP), State Senator Jim Forsythe and State Representative Evalyn Merrick – someone who personally benefitted from medical marijuana – all represent the view that the prohibition of cannabis should end.

The following is the “Waging War” section from NH Magazine’s “Up in Smoke” article:

Photo of Bob Constantine by P.T. Sullivan for NHMagazine.com

If asked to name the longest war on record that was declared and fought by the U.S. government, what would you answer? The Revolution? World War II? Vietnam? Iraq and Afghanistan? Not even close. This is the 40th year of the “War on Drugs,” first declared by President Nixon in 1971. The Obama administration declared it was dropping the term “war” in 2009 but, linguistic quibbles aside, the same basic battle strategy continues.In most discussions about crime and its consequences, everyone involved is usually careful to first cite the plight of the victims of the crime: the beaten child, the grieving mother. Alongside the victims are the law enforcement officers who have performed their duty in pursuit of justice. But here’s where it gets sticky. (more…)

Today in Keene

From Nemi via Facebook:

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.

Shire Choir Performs in State Liquor Store

CONCORD – After a spirited rally in front of the New Hampshire State House, liberty activists opposed to the ongoing prohibition and prosecution of peaceful people marched to a nearby State-owned liquor store to point out the hypocrisy of a State that sells one type of drug while caging people for selling another. Ironically this state’s motto is “Live Free or Die,” though it is surrounded by other states that have more lenient drug laws, many having enacted some form of decriminalization for the possession of cannabis.

The first song that the Shire Choir sang at State Liquor Store #1 was “A Lay of Anslinger.” The words of both songs are by Richard Only. This song is to the tune of “Away in a Manger”:


Shire Choir sings “Violent Blight” at State Liquor Store #1 to the tune of Silent Night:

Courtesy of NH Liquor & Wine Outlets

The opening song is Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains) by Arcade Fire and is dedicated to the men and women employed by the New Hampshire Liquor Commission. These workers should find common cause with the message of the Shire Choir. Our main concern this holiday season is that all peaceful people should be released from N.H. and U.S. cages. 80 years ago, people selling liquor were killed or caged for doing the very same activity the employees of the New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlets do today.

Here are the lyrics to the opening of the song:

They heard me singing and they told me to stop
Quit these pretentious things and just punch the clock
These days my life, I feel it has no purpose
But late at night the feelings swim to the surface

Courtesy of NH Liquor & Wine Outlets

I hope these State employees find purpose along with the Shire Choir and support having the freedom to trade drugs like liquor, coffee, cannabis or whatever else an individual decides to put into his or her body. I’m not much of a drinker but if someone wants to drink responsibly then I have no problem with their choice. The same goes for cannabis consumption which has been found to be far less harmful than alcohol consumption.

The puzzle is why does the State lock up one type of drug dealer, as they allege Beau Davis to be, while the New Hampshire Liquor Commission employs others? Some tell me it’s because the State brings in over 1/2 a billion dollars. But if this money is spent to lock up peaceful people, like cannabis merchants and consumers, then what is the point?