Here’s a fascinating post by freedom-hating blog Miscellany Blue that does a great job at summing up some of the really exciting things that will be happening at the annual Grafton, NH town meeting. It’s a testament to the power of numbers. With relatively few movers to Grafton, liberty activists have the state-supporters on the defensive, desperately begging for advocates of coercion to come to said meeting. Here’s the report from Miscellany Blue’s William Tucker:
The town of Grafton is ground zero in the Free Stater effort to move in and dismantle government. The group’s antics during last year’s town meeting — which began with an argument over the “Rules of Decorum” that prohibited cursing, name calling and personal attacks — made national headlines. “This year’s meeting should be even more interesting,” brags Free libertarianin an online comment. (more…)
Unlike other state houses across the United States, libertarians, voluntarists, and even anarchists are frequently seen testifying on various issues here in New Hampshire. With at least fifteen Free State Project participants having been elected to the state house in 2014, liberty activists are there as legislators, lobbyists, and average folks testifying in favor of freedom!
This week, the Keene contingent shared their thoughts with a house committee hearing a bill that would offer protections to bitcoin-transacting businesses from being regulated as “money transmitters”. Chris Cantwell, me, and Darryl W. Perry all testified with Cantwell and I being asked many questions by the interested committee members:
As part of NHJury.com’s new mission, we’re reaching out to help educate legislators about Jury Nullification. To that end, board members Rich Paul and I went to speak with the NH house judiciary committee on a recent bill regarding expanding protections to a jury nullification defense, HB 246.
NHJury.com‘s board members will continue testifying in the upcoming weeks as there are even better jury nullification bills that are still-to-come to the committee. Rich’s testimony was caught on camera, but a malfunction prevented mine from being recorded:
Rafael Hernandez is one of two guys who attacked me on July 31, 2014 outside the Cheshire County Courthouse. I was recording from the sidewalk when the group of thuggish friends surrounded me, and threw my camera and cell phone on the ground. He pled guilty to the misdemeanor charge of Criminal Mischief and sentenced this Thursday, January 29, 2015.
The court’s orders were: 1) He must pay me restitution for my broken camera battery ($28.94), 2) he must not have contact with me for one year, and 3) he will have a sentence of 60 days in jail suspended for one year on the condition of good behavior. (more…)
Earlier this morning myself, fellow Free Keene blogger and co-host of the Rebel Love ShowShire Dude, and Ann Leverette of Seditious Sirens decided to hand out School Sucks Project flyers out to students in front of Manchester West High School. If the school can use pro state propaganda in their curriculum, so can those of us that believe the state should not have any role in education. The entire event was inspired by education outreach conducted in Keene years ago. At one point, a school official came out to “request” that we leave school property. We of course did not cooperate with his request. Myself and Shire Dude started to ask what would happen if we didn’t comply with his request at which point the school official refused to talk to us. Most likely due to the fact he was being recorded. After no longer having a distraction from one of the employees of the school, we returned to the purpose of our activism. Even with the freezing temperatures, we handed out flyers for roughly thirty minutes to students as they were entering the school. (more…)
The gears of government everywhere turn slowly, but in New Hampshire, at least they are turning on the issue of cannabis freedom. The state passed a medical cannabis law back in 2012 (though it still needs improving and the dispensaries have yet to open). The state representatives have voted to decriminalize and even to legalize cannabis, but the efforts have been blocked in the senate in close votes.
Overall, New Hampshire is behind the ball on decriminalizing cannabis. All the surrounding states have had significant decrim on cannabis possession, in Maine’s case, since the 70s! Vermont and Massachusetts in recent years dramatically decriminalized possession of up to an ounce. In Mass’ case the penalty is down to an unenforceable fine.
The current situation in New Hampshire is that a decrim bill will be heard this year, and on Tuesday morning the criminal justice house committee heard a bill that would merely create a study committee on legalizing cannabis. However, the hearing went on for nearly two hours, with the supermajority of speakers favoring the study committee. Only two people, one lady from “New Futures”, an apparently prohibitionist group, and a state cop were the ones arguing against the state reps learning about legalization.
Several people spoke in favor of the study committee, including state reps, Cheshire Jail superintendent Rick Van Wickler, the NHCLU’s director, medical cannabis users, and more. The criminal justice committee will vote on the bill in executive session where it will then be sent to the full house.
state propaganda in their curriculum, so can those of us that believe the state should not have any role in education. The entire event was inspired by education outreach conducted in Keene
distraction from one of the employees of the school, we returned to the purpose of our activism. Even with the freezing temperatures, we handed out flyers for roughly thirty minutes to students as they were entering the school.
