District 8 State Representative Cynthia Chase of Keene has made her position clear on liberty-loving activists moving here, and it’s quite the endorsement of the success of the Free State Project. In a post to Blue Hampshire, she reveals that she believes Free Staters are the biggest threat to the state (something to be proud of) and that she and some others on Central Square during the peace vigil attempted to scare away a visiting couple from moving here. (As an aside, what was Ms. Chase doing at the peace vigil? She must be very confused about what peace is. Hint- it doesn’t include using aggressive force on people via “the state”.)
In the opinion of this Democrat, Free Staters are the single biggest threat the state is facing today. There is, legally, nothing we can do to prevent them from moving here to take over the state, which is their openly stated goal. In this country you can move anywhere you choose and they have that same right. What we can do is to make the environment here so unwelcoming that some will choose not to come, and some may actually leave. One way is to pass measures that will restrict the “freedoms” that they think they will find here. Another is to shine the bright light of publicity on who they are and why they are coming. They can not put their ideology into our statutes unless we elect them in great enough numbers to take over our General Court. We have already seen them try during the last session of the General Court. Our last election was a repudiation of their extremism.
Here in Keene we had a couple show up on Central Square to take part in our weekly Saturday morning peace demonstration. In the course of the conversation they allowed that they were Free Staters considering moving to Keene. The folks on the Square told them in no uncertain terms not to do that because Free Staters are not welcome here. (more…)
Dave Ridley yesterday uploaded one of his most intriguing camera-ban videos. Aaron Snipe, spokesman for the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, on October 9 delivered a speech at the UNH Manchester campus. Snipe is a graduate of Emerson College in Boston and it appears has been going on speaking tours for the federal government for the past few years. Early in the video, we see a poster advertising the event entitled, “US Policy in the Middle East”. At the bottom is printed, “Free and Open to the Public”. Despite this, Ridley is told by an event organizer that he would not be allowed to audio or video record the event, but that he was free to attend and take notes.
The video ends with an ambush interview of Snipe as he walks from the hallway into the venue. Snipe enters with another man in a suit and carrying a satchel, allowing him to keep his hands free. When Ridley asks why recording is banned from the evening’s engagement, Snipe appears confused, and his presumed assistant replies, “Why is he off-the-record? It’s just because that’s the ground rules we set, thank you.” (more…)
On December 13, 2012 I had a trial in Newport District Court for expired vehicle registration. Specifically, I was charged with violating RSA 261:40. For those who aren’t familiar, Newport is a much smaller town than Keene. Normally in Keene, as well as Manchester, Concord and I would guess most other District Courts throughout New Hampshire, there are many people scheduled for trial at the same date and time. This was not the case in Newport. Aside from myself and seven others from Keene, the only people in the court were Trooper Hickox (who was prosecuting his own case), one bailiff, a court clerk and the judge.
Before the trial began, the judge issued an edict that only one camera would be allowed to operate during the trial, despite the fact that three individuals filed notices to record. He immediately took a brief recess so that the camera situation could be straightened out and stated that if a decision wasn’t reached on which camera was to be the camera to record the trial, that NO cameras would be allowed. (more…)
As you may be aware, I was arrested for video recording in Palmer, MA’s town hall back in October. At the time, I was given a report from the arresting officer, Raymond Tenczar, indicating he believed I was guilty of “disorderly conduct” for allegedly loudly causing a “disturbance” outside of the room in which the city was going to hold a tax sale. If you watch the video of the arrest, you’ll see that I do raise my voice, but only at the time Tenczar places his hand on me to arrest me.
Apparently, the Palmer police and/or prosecutor realized that they had no case for disorderly conduct, and the misdemeanor charge was dropped. More detail on the charge droppage later in this article.
However, they completely changed the circumstances of the charge and the evidence in their case for the remaining town ordinance “disorderly conduct” violation. Now they are alleging that I was “disorderly” in front of the open house, which happened prior to the tax sale. In an unsigned report, allegedly written by Palmer police officer Sean M Ford, he claims I was yelling at the town attorney and attempting to intimidate him. (more…)
