In a desperate attempt to try to seem less-threatening, the city of Keene parking enforcement has re-branded as “Parking Services”! As though anyone will be fooled into thinking they provide any service of value whatsoever.
Fact is, the only “services” they provide are enriching the city’s coffers. They certainly aren’t serving peaceful motorists unless you consider the threats they “serve”, to be of value. Who are they “serving” when they steal the car of a poor single mother who has fallen behind in paying parking tickets? They’re only serving themselves – the money they collect goes to pay their paychecks and funds their continued threats against you:
Even teenagers can take tickets to court, as 17-year-old Renee LeBlanc proves in this trial from Jaffrey district court. Don’t miss the hypocrisy by police prosecutor Vince Boggis, who rudely refuses to meet with Renee on the record at the August “pre-trial conference”, but when called on it by her in the courtroom acts like recording his meeting with her is no big deal.
Court can be an intimidating, nerve-wracking experience. Getting your feet wet on something simple like a speeding ticket or parking ticket is a great way to gain experience and confidence. Sure, you’re probably going to lose, but there’s always the chance the officer won’t show up. Plus, in New Hampshire, not taking the plea and demanding your trial, at the very minimum guarantees you won’t have to pay for a few extra months while you await your trial date.
It also makes them have to work for their money and when found guilty you may be able to have the charge placed on file or negotiate community service rather than paying the fine, though Renee is unsuccessful at doing so this time:
Earlier this year, I was surprised by the state police with an arrest for “unsworn falsification” and “prohibitions”. Essentially, they were charging me with two class A misdemeanors for filling out their driver’s license application incorrectly. As it turns out, had I filled it out the same way two days prior, it would have been completely legal. Despite referring to me as a “customer”, they treated me like a criminal rather than simply helping me correct the mistake, as any actual business would who cares about their customers.
They alleged I used a “false” name, my given name of Ian Bernard, to apply for their license when I apparently should have used my now “legal” name of Ian Freeman. At no point until my arrest was I given any indication that this was illegal. The ladies at the DMV were aware of my use of both names, and happily processed the application. I attempted to make it clear during the trial that I did not knowingly use a false name, as I don’t consider my given name to be false, nor was I attempting to defraud anyone. No one has claimed I’ve defrauded them, ever. I honor my word, regardless of the name I use.
None of that mattered in the decision that came by mail after the trial, which found me guilty on both counts. Sentencing is still to come, but I’m facing as much as two years in prison. The last time I was in jail was 2011 for the civil disobedience of blocking a police car when they were attempting to arrest a peaceful woman for drinking alcohol in Central Square. In that case I was sentenced to 90 days in jail and nine more months suspended for two years. Will judge Burke decide that these ID “crimes”, which have no victim, deserve a more serious punishment than civil disobedience? Stay tuned here to Free Keene to find out.
Last week’s Keene Equinox featured a major above-the-fold front page article on Keene Cop Block, complete with an original graphic which dominated the header of the paper. Equinox journalist Alexa Ondreicka wrote the well-researched piece. She was genuinely interested in the subject of holding the police accountable, as her friends had already been harassed by Keene police for victimless crimes. Plus, Keene Cop Block has been regularly down in the college neighborhood handing out thousands of know-your-rights fliers. I had the honor of being interviewed for the piece while Keene Police declined to comment.
While we discussed students’ rights when dealing with the police in detail, the head of college security did comment correctly that when students sign up to go to school there, that they surrender their right to privacy while on campus, which is unfortunate.
It’s a very informative piece, and I’m grateful I was given the opportunity to comment. Here’s the full piece: (more…)
The hell is brutalist philosophy? • Setting up an anti-recruiting table on career day • Militarism in the US and the business of war • Live calls on the show? • Jimmy from AZ approves • Conformity and the Asch experiment • Josie not susceptible to hypnosis • Jay, Josie Wales, and Rapsher join • Show notes at: BlackSheepRising.org
When hearing stories about how high tensions have risen in Keene regarding activist adventures, one ponders the many indicators of derision. There’s the fear and hate mongering at STOP FREE KEENE!!!, which when boiling over to violent rhetoric or threats thereof, occasionally gets censored. Then there’s the realistic incidents of actual violence in Keene’s streets regarding activist related activities. Two violent clashes on consecutive evenings tangentially related to Central Square chalkings led to one person’s hospitalization and earned another a felony charge. It would be nice to believe that the xenophobic posturing that has been aimed at individuals were to have reached its climax long ago, but judging by a shouting match in the streets of an otherwise quiet suburban neighborhood, it seems there are those who are making it their life’s effort to embody the forces of antagonism.
This synthesis of negative energy came together after recent re-mover to Keene Christopher Cantwell decided to have a word with neighbor Matthew (more…)
