Full video is up now of the first-ever Filmmakers Panel at Keenevention 2014 featuring the producers of 101 Reasons Liberty Lives in New Hampshire and hosted by Derrick J Freeman, the director of Derrick J’s Victimless Crime Spree:
More video will be released every week! Stay tuned to the Keenevention blog, Free Keene, the Free Keene Youtube Channel or the Keenevention Facebook page for the next video release.
Matthew “Boston Strong” Schmidt
Irregularly for weeks, Matthew “Boston Strong” Schmidt has driven by the intersection of Leverett and River streets in his Amari Plumbing work truck and personal vehicles, laying on his horn and screaming “Get a job!” at the top of his lungs. Rich Paul, who lives in one of the homes at the intersection, decided to go down and confront Boston yesterday after he again drove by honking angrily.
To be clear, Boston has been engaging in this un-neighborly behavior long before his wife Jennifer Schmidt was recently issued a temporary stalking order for allegedly threatening to kill a 10-year-old boy with a knife. WMUR covered that story after it broke here on Free Keene, but WMUR did not mention any names in the case. WMUR also said that Jennifer Schmidt would not talk to the media until they speak to their attorney. In the video of Rich’s confrontation taken by activist David Crawford, Matthew broke the family’s silence in the case, alleging the boy in question was a bully, presumably towards their daughter.
When informed multiple times that his honking had disturbed children from their slumber, Boston was unapologetic. In fact, he further promises to, “make their lives a living nightmare.”
Despite seeming to have some grievance against what he calls the “shithole” on the corner, the Shire Free Church-owned LRN.FM studio and Keene Activist Center, Boston seems to think that all the neighbors who aren’t liberty activists really appreciate his loud honking and screaming. At one point he even claims, “Everybody loves what I’m doing. They love it.”
This delusion is typical of the local hater – because the people who they are close to appear to agree with them, they believe that “everybody” agrees with them. The reality is that people have different opinions. Some people in Keene dislike some things activists do, but like others. Some people like some activists but dislike others. Some love what we do. Some hate what we do. Anyone who’s not in an echo chamber of hate would understand that. Of course if any of his friends or acquaintances actually disagree with him, they probably keep their mouths shut for fear of his wrath.
Regardless, Boston continues on his self-proclaimed campaign of “aggravating the shit out of people”, despite the fact that his antics seem to provide entertainment for people more so than anything else. Here’s video of the confrontation from last night:
Bradford “King of Keene” Hutchingson
Bradford Hutchingson, who has been known to call himself “King of Keene” in this blog’s comments, recently filed for a stalking order to be issued against Free Keene blogger Garret Ean. Hutchingson is known for his bizarre and sometimes dangerous
behavior. In fact, Hutchingson is facing criminal charges for an alleged attack on Garret Ean and will soon be back in superior court for a jury trial in that matter. Hutchingson is also the only city council candidate who did worse than me in the election of 2013.
The superior court’s John C. Kissinger conducted a hearing on Monday and firmly ruled against Hutchingson’s plea, as Hutchingson admitted that he had no fear that Garret was a danger, while Garret told the judge of the multiple occasions on which Hutchingson had attacked or threatened him and offered to show video of various incidents.
During the hearing, Hutchingson announced his candidacy for Keene city council in 2015 for the at-large seats. Here’s video of the full hearing:
ItsLikeThisToo is a weekly video series focusing on Free State Project early movers.
In this episode, Cecelia Fairchild and Shire Dude interview the man behind the School Sucks Project, Brett Veinotte.
“Like” the show on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/itslikethistoo
The Chalk Warrior
Longtime viewers may recall the beginning of the War on Chalk in May of 2014 when some local busybodies calling themselves “STOP FREE KEENE!!!” decided to decimate the free expression of the peaceful chalkers in Central Square.
The freedom-loving chalkers continued unabated, their ranks bolstered over time by local families and an international alliance in the form of some European college girls. While the war raged on throughout the summer, the later-summer lack of news coverage regarding the chalking conflict didn’t mean it had died down. Indeed, it continues to this day. However, only one man continues the fight against freedom of expression – the Chalk Warrior. This is his story:
Say, whatever happened to the tough-talking city councilor’s proposal to ban all chalking downtown?
Carla Gericke is the President of the Free State Project and is such a great keynote speaker we brought her back for Keenevention 2014! This year her speech compared today’s activism to the 1960s. What we can learn from activists in the past? Find out in the full video of her speech and Q&A:
More video will be released every week! Stay tuned to the Keenevention blog, Free Keene, the Free Keene Youtube Channel or the Keenevention Facebook page for the next video release.
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