Today Emberlea, Chris Cantwell, Darryl Perry and I held signs for peace in front of the military recruiting center, then walked to Central Square until the memorial day parade began, which we entered at the end. The parade route was up Washington St. to a gathering at the war memorial at the Rec Center. Many people were stationed along the route, and many of them were very happy to see pro-peace people – we got lots of waves and peace signs.
Of course, we got the inevitable angry war-mongers with their snide comments calling us “chicken” and making the ridiculous suggestion that it’s thanks to decades of killing people is why we are free to hold our signs. Others told us we were wrong for coming to a pro-war parade and that it was “inappropriate”. Here’s what I have to say to them:
Please remember to write to Derrick via Mail to Jail – he still has another month left in jail and your letters make a difference!
Dear Mail-to-Jail Users,
Thank you for writing to me using this wonderful service. Because of the generosity of local Shire activists, enough money has been added to my commissary account to allow me to respond to your messages. Though it may take some time, I am dedicated to taking time to respond to each one. It is because of letters like yours that I am able to maintain a positive attitude while enduring this difficult time; they remind me that though my body has been isolated from the rest of the world, in some ways I am never truly alone. I want you all to know how happy it makes me to receive messages from people all over the world whom I haven’t even met – even if they are just writing to say a simple “Hello, hope you are well.” I want to thank activist and activism enabler Jay Denonville for making it all possible. If you are able, I hope you will make a donation to support the continued efforts of Mail-to-Jail.com. I’m sure I speak for Jay when I say that all donations, no matter how small, are greatly appreciated. After all stamps are only 45 cents =D.
I want to thank those of you who have generously offered to fund my commissary account. (more…)
Over the past weekend I have visited both Derrick J. Freeman and Beau Davis at the Keene Spiritual Retreat aka Cheshire Co. House of Corrections. As many of you already know, both are incarcerated for victimless crimes. Friday night I visited Derrick and in the course of our conversation Derrick relayed to me the following story: Late one night Derrick was in his cell catching up on writing letters when he happens to look over at the door and sees a correctional officer staring at him through the window in the door. This is incredibly creepy, how long was this state thug watching our sweet, handsome Derrick? What might his intention be? Can you be safe in a place like this? These are some of the questions that went through Derrick’s mind. He also told me that he and Beau have a new job in which they cart the various meal times to each incarceree. At the beginning and ending of each shift, both are physically patted down. Seriously? They are in a secure facility, yet handing out plates of food deems it necessary to pat them down up to 6 times a day. Later I wondered, who are the real criminals? The corrections officers that stares through the door at night and the “pat down” officers or the two lovely activists who have never hurt another person? Otherwise, both Derrick and Beau are doing well, they both have some great ideas for the future!
Being as liberty activists in Keene already made news by crashing Romney, Santorum, and Huntsman campaign speeches, it was time to give the Democrats their “equal time”. (By the way, Gingerich mysteriously canceled his visit to Keene, likely after his staff heard what happened to his counterparts.) Earlier this week, Kelly Voluntaryist and Graham Freeman made it into an allegedly invite-only Obama campaign event with Joe Biden and attempt to ask questions to bring attention to the new total-police-state policy of “indefinite detention”. In response, some in the surrounding crowd attempt to shout them down by chanting, “Yes we can!”, whenever Kelly or Graham speak:
Watch what happens at the Biden event at Keene State College when administrators mistake Graham for Ian, who has a no trespass order for the property, and so they call in the KPD.
Thanks to Julia for the transcription, we now have the first portion of Derrick J’s jail journal for you to read! Don’t forget you can write to Derrick and Beau at Mail-to-Jail!
Also, still to come – more of the journal and also some blog posts from Derrick. Here’s the text of the journal entries through 5/15:
5/8/12 – Day 2
I walked in here yesterday shortly after 4:20 PM. I have been treated well by everyone here. I am no longer in isolation. I am in general population with some of the other inmates, who are pretty friendly. Some of them I recognize from my time here last month. I am in R-Block. Currently, my sentence is 50 days but at an unknown date and time, I will be called before District Court where a sentence for the Live Free of Dance Party will be added to my current sentence. I am hoping the sentence is suspended but using history as a guide, my educated guess is that a sentence of 180 days plus $1240, all but the fine suspended, will be imposed. I won’t pay the fine but will ask if 124 hours of community service would serve the fine. If the find is paid, I could be out on June 25th. If not, I will serve time at the House of Corrections at the rate of $50 a day. FTL, its active listenership, and the activists in The Shire are the only things keeping me hanging on with my chin up. My hope is that people will be exposed to the ideas of liberty and decide to move to The Shire to get active. I strongly recommend focusing on activism that has little risk of jail. (more…)
Today Emberlea, Chris Cantwell, Darryl Perry and I held signs for peace in front of the military recruiting center, then walked to Central Square until the memorial day parade began, which we entered at the end. The parade route was up Washington St. to a gathering at the war memorial at the Rec Center. Many people were stationed along the route, and many of them were very happy to see pro-peace people – we got lots of waves and peace signs.
