Here’s a guest blog from Mark Edge on his successful noncooperation regarding a parking ticket. Next time you get a parking ticket, consider demanding a trial, like Mark did. It bogs down an already overburdened system. Of course, risk is still involved and your mileage may vary. As you’ll see, Mark’s charge was dumped before trial, but I went to trial over a ticket on Apr 28th and have never received a verdict. Worst case, if you don’t want to noncooperate all the way and they find you guilty at trial, you will probably only need pay the $5 then – after you’ve really made them work for it. Please give this a try, Keeniacs, and post to the Free Keene Forum with your results or in advance if you’d like some input or support at your court appearance, should it get that far. This is an excellent first step for an activist new to saying “no” to government people.
When I moved to Keene in Sep06 I noticed right away that Keene has a problem with parking and Parking Enforcement downtown. The parking meters dissuade people from patronizing the businesses downtown. One morning my wife and I were going to go to Timolean’s for breakfast. When we parked, we realized that we didn’t have any change. We got back in the car and went to Friendly’s on West Street, were the parking is free.
Obviously, there needs to be some sort of system to disincentivize people who are not doing business from taking up the parking spaces of those who wish to, but Parking Enforcement, as I understand it, runs a large deficit every year. It costs more to send the little ladies with parking tickets around to fine people than they collect from meters and fines. That is silly.
Top that off with what I have often said, you don’t have to pay those tickets. (more…)
I went to visit Marc today for the first time at SeaTac FDC. Thankfully, I’m able to visit him even while he’s in SHU (“segregated housing unit”, solitary confinement). When I arrived at 1:30pm, it was very nerve-racking. I stepped up to the massive building’s entrance, got buzzed in, then found myself in a big lobby with a reflective glass booth and a little hole to pass ID and paperwork through.
There was a table with the paperwork to fill out for visiting, but no pen. Thankfully there were some visitors there who had been through it all before and helped me figure out the process (and loaned me a pen), because you don’t get any answers from the staff. Visiting officially begins at 2pm on Fridays, but by 2:15 they just started processing, which took a very long time itself.
Big families and many individuals filled the lobby. So many broken-hearted parents, girl friends, wives and troubled children crying “I want to see daddy” and behaving unruly, to the distress of the moms… so many Drug War Widows and Orphans. After all, the vast majority (almost all) of the inmates are there for non-violent drug law violations. (more…)
Last night I attended a suspicion-less sobriety checkpoint in Tilton, NH. I attended alone to get video footage of what I believe is an excellent example of the erosion of liberty in the “Live Free or Die” state.
I was asked for my name and I refused to provide it. The officers were all very polite and professional. I stood literally right in the middle of the checkpoint and was allowed to film unfettered. For this, I thank them.
The people who live in those communities should be proud of the level of respect their police show citizen-journalists. They should also be concerned that the police-state is alive and well in their area.
I will be putting together a video showing what I believe is a unjustifiable encroachment on individual liberty.
I just spoke to a very friendly Tilton, NH police officer to find out where their suspicion-less roadblock will be tonight. It will be on Laconia Road within their jurisdiction and will be run by several surrounding agencies.
I am going to attend the gathering and get some video footage of the ever increasing police state. I may even hold a sign reminding people that they have no obligation to do field sobriety tests or blow into a PBT… unless they want to voluntarily give the government evidence which it can use to attack them in court.
I’ll probably be going up there around 6:00P or 7:00P. Anyone want to join me?
Those of us who are active in the liberty movement’s media outreach spend a considerable amount of time speaking negatively about the actions of those who represent the state. To be fair to the truth of my past, I often speak negatively about actions that I myself took while representing the state. The tools we use to move towards a society that allows greater freedom is stronger than any weapon that the state relies on to exist and enforce it’s will. The tools we use are words, compassion, and understanding.
I believe our words should be used to punish when we are hurt and even more importantly… to thank when we are treated well.
Today I was pulled over traveling south on Route 3 in Nashua. I was going 70MPH in a 55MPH zone and anyone who knows the road knows that following the 55MPH limit would be dangerous when everyone is going 70+ around you. I was just keeping up with traffic and not trying to get somewhere quickly.
The Nashua officer approached me and I provided him with my license and registration. I then decided to follow my own advice that I frequently provide others when dealing with the police: remain silent.
When I moved to Keene in Sep06 I noticed right away that Keene has a problem with parking and Parking Enforcement downtown. The parking meters dissuade people from patronizing the businesses downtown. One morning my wife and I were going to go to Timolean’s for breakfast. When we parked, we realized that we didn’t have any change. We got back in the car and went to Friendly’s on West Street, were the parking is free.
I went to visit Marc today for the first time at SeaTac FDC. Thankfully, I’m able to visit him even while he’s in SHU (“segregated housing unit”, solitary confinement). When I arrived at 1:30pm, it was very nerve-racking. I stepped up to the massive building’s entrance, got buzzed in, then found myself in a big lobby with a reflective glass booth and a little hole to pass ID and paperwork through. 
I just spoke to a very friendly Tilton, NH police officer to find out where their suspicion-less roadblock will be tonight. It will be on Laconia Road within their jurisdiction and will be run by several surrounding agencies.
