First, big thanks to all who contributed to the FK Porcfest advertising campaign. Also, we’ve recently had a couple of new signups from people who want to support us for as little as $3 per month. Thank you!
Now I’ve launched a new chip-in to help FK continue to sponsor great liberty oriented programming like Free Minds TV/Radio, Liberty Conspiracy, Ridley Report, and LCL Report. We’re also becoming a sponsor of Liberty on Tour. See the right column of the site for the new chip-in, and thanks for your help in advance!
It has been said of anarchism/voluntarism—the idea no group can be given greater rights than its members if all members are beings of equal moral nature—that it is the effort to build the first human civilization. (Keene being very much an epicenter of that transformation in human thought.)
Thanks to a liberty activist posting on Facebook a reference to a particular academic presentation, I became aware that a certain speaker (Jeremy Rifkin) at the British Royal Society for the Arts has done a far more credible job articulating that perspective than I could presently hope to.
Further, having done a small spot of research into it myself, I found that RSAnimate also did an excellent exception of the total talk, further encapsulating and better communicating the topic even more so.
[Viewer-discretion advisory: this animation contains some cartoonish nudity in scientific context.]
I know there are quite a few Free Keene readers who are reading this not because of their participation or belief in the movement towards a society that respects individual freedom, but because they want to keep tabs on what we’re doing and saying. I want to make sure those of you who disagree with our positions correctly understand where your opposition leaves you.
While reading the comment section of the article “Dependence Day” that I referenced in my news update blog I came across the following comment:
1. This is a nice story about a very young entrepreneur in Sunapee, NH who has opened up a rather professional ice cream stand. He seems to be making good money… good for him. This is the part of the story I thought might interest you:
“Beck Johnson had a business plan, his startup funding a dream of opening an ice cream stand, but first he needed a variance from the Sunapee Zoning Board to open in a residential zone. He admits being a bit “freaked out” before his presentation, but ultimately got the go-ahead. That was Oct. 27, 2009 – four months shy of Beck’s 10th birthday.”
Ah yes. Not even a ten year old selling ice cream on his parents property is immune from the bureaucratic red tape involved in using said property as if it actually belonged to his parents.
Let us not forget the repercussions of not begging permission to use one’s own property as they see fit: violence. Being “freaked out” when you’re about to deal with people who have no problem using violence when you don’t comply with their dictates is perfectly understandable.
Those of us who wish the violent monopoly known as the state would disappear are not going to see our goal met for what I believe is an extended amount of time.
Question: Would you as someone who believes in liberty (or as someone who agrees with the state) be willing to make the following compromise:
The state will be unable to enforce “crimes” against someone unless there is a bona fide complaining victim who was harmed or endangered. The punishment for endangering or harming someone will be twice that is currently is.
The state would still be allowed to use violence to enforce coercive taxation.
On New Year’s Day 2009 the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) Police in Oakland, CA summarily executed made a mistake and accidentally shot Oscar Grant while he was laying face down on the ground during his arrest. The trial for the police officer who blasted his brains out came to a close yesterday.
I predict that the officer will be found not-guilty of everything… and this is why: “Mehserle, 28, testified last week that he shot Grant after he mistakenly drew his handgun instead of an electric Taser gun on his belt.” (article here) I predict that the prosecution was unable to prove criminal intent on the officer’s part. I also predict some racially charged riots in the greater San Fransisco, CA area to follow.
The actual footage of the murder mistake is below. Your predictions?
““I had several folks call and e-mail me saying they were very upset with (the posters),” Izbicki said. “They’re upset about the image of the dog behind bars. It’s not so much that they have to pay their fines. It’s just the dog behind bars. People don’t mind being reminded of stuff; that’s done all the time. But the graphic was kind of upsetting.””
How about the countless human beings that the state puts behind similar caging bars for trivial acts… like owing a small amount of money. Human, dog, doesn’t matter to the state… they’re all treated the same. It is sad that the public at large doesn’t want to even know about the cruelty that the state uses. Knowing evokes emotion. It’s easier to be comfortably numb and not pay attention.
The story “Residents want to impound signs” is here.
I want to impound the ability of government people to steal your things and loved ones.
Those of us who wish the violent monopoly known as the state would disappear are not going to see our goal met for what I believe is an extended amount of time.
On New Year’s Day 2009 the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) Police in Oakland, CA 
