Fred Parsells’ Commentary on ‘Stupid’ Activism

2013_04_05_akpf_parsellsIn the sixth installment of Aqua Keene Parking Force, Fred Parsells opens up about his perspective on Keene’s local liberty activism scene. Denying his own statist tendencies, he even dubs himself the ‘original free stater’ after beginning the conversation with “…why you guys are so stupid?” See the exciting conclusion to the cliffhanger ending from Episode 5.

You’re not even from Keene, but now that you’ve moved to Keene…You’re from elsewhere. You’re not native-born. Well, I don’t know, but you’re not from Keene, that’s the point. But yet you’ve come here, and you’re trying to, to tell people in Keene, you know, we did away with meters back in the mid eighties. No, no, that was something, I’m talking in the mid eighties — you probably weren’t even alive then.

-Fred Parsells
Housing Inspector AKPF

Dave Ridley To Disobey Media Restrictions in Manchester City Hall on 4/8

Dave RidleyDave Ridley is back in disobedient mode as he prepares for a showdown with corrupt Manchester officials. From Spirit of Arcadia:

Dave Ridley vows civil disobedience at an April 8th demonstration after attempts by Manchester Mayor Ted Gatsas and a security guard to restrict him from recording in the very public lobby of City Hall.

On March 26th, Ridley was trying to interview local officials including Gatsas who told the independent journalist that he must get permission from the City Clerk’s office before recording. According to Ridley, “an enraged security officer shortly appeared and made similar demands.” He describes the upcoming demonstration:

“In the absence of some major unexpected event, there will be an anti-censorship demonstration outside City Hall starting 6 p.m. on Monday, April 8. Then I intend to enter the lobby *with* my camera recording and *without* asking permission. I’ll try to record, non-disruptively, the outskirts of a City school-committee meeting. I’ll likely remain until arrested or until 7:30 p.m…whichever comes first! I invite all peaceable folk to join me.”

Any fool can make a rule, and any fool will mind it. — Henry David Thoreau

During the trial of the Trespassive Three who were charged with the dastardly crime of Criminal Trespass for refusing to end a protest at the appointed hour, the State and it’s minions made some pretty ludicrous statements. Many of them were so over the top that they require no rebuttal, simply to be pointed out and laughed at. For instance; if the jury finds these three not guilty, anarchy will reign supreme, the parks will turn into campgrounds and the grass and trees in the parks will die. There were however a few statements that I believe warrant a closer examination.

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Occupy the Jury Trial

On March 21, the two-day trial began in the case of State v Edwards, Grunewald & Richards. The State claims the 3 defendants committed the crime of criminal trespass in a public park on the night of October 19, 2011.
The State began their case by saying “this case is about choices” and said the defendants had 3 choices:
1) remain in the park until 11pm then leave
2) stay in the park past 11pm, receive a citation, then leave the park
3) stay in the park past 11pm, receive a citation, remain then get arrested. (more…)

Jury Deems ONH Guilty of Trespassing in Public Park

manchesteronheviction1At just about noon today, a Hillsborough County superior court jury returned from approximately an hour of deliberation with a guilty finding against three Occupy New Hampshire activists who did not voluntarily retrieve a citation and were removed via arrest from the temporary intentional community established in Veterans’ Park in Manchester’s downtown. The three were sentenced to ten days of incarceration at the infamous Valley Street jail, which is deferred on the condition that each completes 90 hours of community service and observes one year of good behavior. One occupier who was cited for curfew violation, but did not receive misdemeanor trespassing charges during the eviction responded,

Dislike, but unshocked. We were essentially asking the jury to find you not guilty on constitutional grounds. They are not constitutional law experts, this is an issue for the supreme court, and hopefully we get to challenge it there… (more…)