Reason magazine’s Garrett Quinn has filed this excellent report on his first visit to the Porcupine Freedom Festival:
Every summer since 2004, hundreds of people belonging to and interested in the Free State Project, an effort to move 20,000 libertarians to New Hampshire, gather at a remote campground in the northern part of the state for a weeklong event called the Porcupine Freedom Festival. The outdoorsy extravaganza, more commonly known as PorcFest, is one of the biggest libertarian gatherings in the entire country.
The libertarian stereotype of the nerdy, balding, middle-aged white guy goes out the window at PorcFest. The attendees are so diverse, one wonders how organizers managed to get everybody together in the same place without burning the forest down in a fit of rage. If you want to see what happens when you bring together libertarian politicos, voluntaryists, and off-the-grid family farmers that love raw milk for a week to celebrate one of the more quixotic elements of the libertarian movement, then you have to go to PorcFest. (more…)
Radio Free Keene News is a five minute newscast which is available as a podcast and also will air at the top of some hours on LRN.FM.
Topics covered include Porcfest 2012, Derrick J’s release and subsequent civil disobedience in Middleboro, MA, and the exodus from Keene of new mover Chris Cantwell. Here’s the archive:
You can add Radio Free Keene News to your podcast client via this RSS feed.
Presenting three interviews with occupiers from across the nation at the Chicago NATO summit protests, the weekend of May 18.
Gregory Lucero of Occupy SLC. Gregory was interrogated in his home by the FBI one week before his trip East.
A Mystery Man from Manhattan, NY.
Zach Vorhies from Oakland was on the streets ready to film whatever may have occurred. With protection from sound attacks, poison gas, and blunt force, he even had the benefit of keeping both hands free with a helmet-mounted camera.
Earlier coverage of the Chicago NATO protests from Free Concord available here.
While many porcupines were occupied in the northern nether-reaches of the state at the 2012 Porcupine Freedom Festival, the collective trial of the five arrested and over a dozen cited for curfew violations at the eviction of the Occupy New Hampshire encampment occured in Manchester on June 22. Like the Chalking 8 trials, there is no ruling at this point as Judge William Lyons issued homework to the defense and prosecution requesting essays in support of their respective positions. Arnie Alpert, who was present for the eviction as well as the trial reports from his blog, Inzane Times. Readers of Free Concord may recognize some familiar faces among the photos published on the Inzane Times blog.
Yesterday on my way home from work, I saw a sticker on the back of a green minivan that stated: Proud Parent of a Soldier. As I drove behind this vehicle for several miles, I wondered if this parent actually understood just what message he or she was sending. My mind kept seeing dead Afghani, Iraqi, Pakistani, etc…men, women and children lying dead in the streets and in hospitals. My mind also went to the pictures of American soldiers gleefully urinating on dead Afghanis, the horrid Wikileaks video of the helicopter crew excitedly gunning down men, the torture and sexual abuse of Abu Ghraib, the burning of Korans. I know that I am not the only one who interprets nationalistic messages this way.
However, let me be clear. I once was a member of the US military and I once interpreted these nationalistic messages with visions of the American flag, the bald eagle, Stars & Stripes, the pledge of allegiance, and the list goes on and on! I would hear the national anthem and tears would come to my eyes. What glorious difference enlightenment brings!
After realizing I was just a dupe and a guinea pig to the sick, power hungry politicians, my viewpoint changed dramatically. I see how nationalistic tendencies destroy people and families, hell, the entire social system; and not just “American” people and families. The sole purpose of the military should be to protect the people, not to engage in endless wars for profit and population control, i.e. defense, not offense. I hope that more and more people start to see the way I do now, not like I used to.
As I write this, we are only one week away from the ultimate in nationalistic holidays (at least for the US), “Independence Day” aka the 4th of July. This is a day to indulge in the orgiastic displays of flags and stars and stripes, of fireworks, hot dogs, apple pie. Parents will put American flag shirts on themselves and their kids. Parties with grilled hamburgers and hot dogs will be had poolside in much of the US. And on this “independence day” I will be thinking of Bradley Manning, the innocent dead civilians of the hundreds of wars fought throughout time, and true freedom from government oppression.
Do mankind a favor and disassociate yourself from the indoctrination of nationalism and join me for Anarchy Day! See Kal Molinet’s site: www.liberateRVA.com he was my inspiration for this! Wear black and display signs of peace for one and all to see! I know there will be pushback, but keep your thoughts positive and love one and all, especially those that “hate” you! Peace and Love to All!
After seeing our nation’s top drug police officer work that hard to avoid answering truthfully, hopefully you’ll start to question everything about the drug war.
Reason magazine’s Garrett Quinn has filed this excellent report on his first visit to the Porcupine Freedom Festival:
Radio Free Keene News is a five minute newscast which is available as 
While many porcupines were occupied in the northern nether-reaches of the state at the 2012 
