Rich’s Blog from Jail: “Soon to get out, feeling hopeless.”

2013_04_20_freerichIt’s the day before thanksgiving, and I suppose that I should be thankful that I get out in two weeks, but instead I am feeling alone and hopeless.  My only regular visitor, my only regular human contact, was my girl, but she kicked me to the curb a couple of months ago.  Now I am looking at the three years of probation ahead of me, unable to treat my depression with the only treatment which works… medical marijuana… and unable to go to any of the Porcupine events or gatherings… as all of them serve alcohol… and with no idea how I can possibly meet another girl with the restrictions of probation, and frankly the future I see is one that I do not want.

After all the misery of Julie’s death and all the work that I have done to build myself a good life, with a group of friends, a wonderful girl, a business and my depression under control, the government has dropped it like “diablo ex machina” and returned me to a life that is not worth living.  Thank you, State.

I really hope that someone out there will take the time to reach out to me.  I need somebody to show me some love.  I took the principled stand, and I am suffering.  Please send me “Mail-to-Jail” or set up a [onsite] visit or an internet visit.  Internet visits are only $5 during the holidays.

Rich Paul

UPDATE: 12/3 6pm – I mistakenly wrote $15 as the price of the remote visit, but I’m told it’s actually only $5. [Ian]

2013 Police Accountability Tour Successfully Concludes

policetour2013The 2013 Police Accountability Tour wrapped last Monday as Pete Eyre and myself parted ways at the Louis Armstrong International Airport. Carrying footage that has mostly completed uploading recently, Fr33manTVraw has seen a spike in recent views as what’s been captured on the tour is sorted for further editing. Much content will be submitted to CheshireTV for airing, and be additionally posted to the FreeConcordTV channel. One video from the tour has previously appeared on the AquaKeene channel, and check for more there from the tour as content airs on the controversial series AKPF #1 out of Cheshire county.

Embedded below is a playlist of my experiences with the TSA. First, going through the security checkpoint with two cameras running in NOLA, then wrapping with a brief exercise in filming the TSA from the public area of the airport after landing in Manchester. You can read an article from Pete covering the tour published to CopBlock last Friday. In my roughly five city addition to the tour, it was eye-opening to see how those portions of the world are changing and and how sheltered other areas can be from their issues. Expect text in addition to video content coming soon to the sources above. Keep cameras charged!

Video of the Civil Disobedience Panel at Keenevention 2013

The Civil Disobedience panel at Keenevention 2013 was presented by the star of “Victimless Crime Spree” and the host of Peace News Now, Derrick J Freeman. The panel’s focus was perhaps the most controversial form of activism – civil disobedience and noncooperation. Keenevention is certainly not the first time a civil disobedience panel has been presented at a liberty gathering, but it is the first time in many years that Russell Kanning, one of the original movers to Keene, returns to the stage! Russell was instrumental in making Keene the destination for future waves of activists who would emulate his peaceful disobedience. Russell was joined by another original Free State Project mover and liberty civil disobedience pioneer, Lauren Canario as well as yours truly, Ian Freeman.

Here’s the full video:

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Killings After Katrina Paint Disturbing Portrait of NOPD

danzigerbridgegraphicJordanFlahertyA shocking trend of gang-related shootings plagued New Orleans following the hurricane infamous for destroying much of the city’s infrastructure. As national news media was reporting exaggerated claims of street-level violence occurring in understocked refuge centers, heavily armed and trained mobs were targeting and killings innocent civilians. Following the attempted murder of Donnel Herrington and the murder of Henry Glover on September 2, 2005, Danny Brumfield was killed with a shotgun blast to the back on September 3 near the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. The Danziger bridge shootings were perpetrated on September 4, resulting in the deaths of James Brissette and Ronald Madison, with four other victims suffering injury in the attack. Who was responsible for these mob killings?

It would be years before a critical inquiry into the senseless killings would occur, primarily sparked by intrigued journalists and eventually followed up by the United States department of justice through the federal bureau of investigation. Potentially more disturbing than what is known is what is not known. With reports of bodies being spotted throughout the city that appeared to be victims of gunshot wounds rather than storm-related injuries, there is no way to know exactly how many homicides occurred during the post-storm havoc. Survivors have cited numerous bodies buried beneath debris showing gunshot wounds in Algiers Point, an area which was not flooded after the rupture of the levees. In various journalistic reports, drunken neighbors in largely wealthy, european-american residential areas admit to operating armed patrols and firing on people who, “didn’t belong.” (more…)