In a recent article, I broke the news that Will Coley and his family would be moving to Keene to start NH’s first full-time mosque. Now, that move is underway. Here’s a video Will streamed to his facebook profile yesterday. Will updates his facebook constantly, so if you want to follow along with their move, you can follow his profile here.
Chris recently received more than fifteen minutes of infamy when VICE news did a documentary about the hate-fueled protests a few weeks ago in Charlottesville, VA. Video of him spraying pepper spray in the middle of a fight between the protestors quickly surfaced and VA police issued multiple felony warrants for his arrest and he ultimately turned himself in. Despite having a history of attending court and no criminal history of violence on his record, Chris was denied bail, with the judge in the appeal actually citing his free speech, offensive as it is, as a reason for the denial! Judge Cheryl Higgins said, according to a paraphrase by Daily Progress:
while he may be a “shock jock,” his comments following the rally should not be ignored and “tend to show a certain level of approval of the violence that was used.
Chris Cantwell’s Fourth Try at An Attorney, Elmer Woodard
She then stripped him of the $25,000 bond option that another judge earlier in the same day had granted. This after an hours-long bail appeal hearing where Cantwell’s bizarre attorney actually had him take the stand to testify – generally considered to be a terrible legal strategy this early in a case. According to the Daily Beast, Cantwell’s attorney is Elmer Woodard:
who appeared in court wearing an early-1800s-style red waistcoat with gold buttons, bowtie, white muttonchop whiskers, black velcro shoes, and a a 1910s-style straw boater hat. Cantwell said Woodard was his fourth choice for legal counsel after three other lawyers declined to take his case.
Inept attorney aside, Cantwell’s racism and his violent rhetoric, while despicable and deplorable, is not reason to deny bail. Unfortunately, far too many people, even supposed libertarians who should know better, are applauding his political imprisonment. I caution you to remember the famous poem from the World War II era’s German pastor Martin Niemoller:
Chris in Simpler Times, Acting as Security for the Hallowkeene Dance Party in 2014.
First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out— Because I was not a Socialist.
Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out — Because I was not a Trade Unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out —
Because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me — and there was no one left to speak for me.
Whether Chris shot pepper spray aggressively or in self-defense remains to be seen. He’s supposed to be innocent until proven guilty. To keep him in pre-trial detention harms his ability to prepare his defense and anyone who cares about a fair justice system should be outraged.
The Seacoast Repertory Theatre in Portsmouth is screening Derrick J’s Victimless Crime Spree Sunday, September 17, 2017 at 7pm. All are welcome and admission is FREE – first come, first serve! Drinks and concessions are available for purchase with bitcoin (and DASH). One of five existing DJVCS movie posters will go home to one lucky raffle winner!
NH was one of the states that fought hard against REAL ID. That opposition was in character with the “live free or die” philosophy we’re supposed to be famous for embracing. It was in character with our reputation as a libertarian leaning state.
Somewhere along the way we stopped fighting REAL ID and meekly submitted. Sixteen years of indoctrination – a combination of fear based agitprop and training to submit to authority, changed our tune from Just Say No to We Have to do this for National Security. REAL ID means that the state maintains a database of information on people, including Social Security numbers and photos.
She’s right. This year in the state house the supposed privacy nut state rep, Neil Kurk, capitulated after years of holding firm against REAL ID, and endorsed the state’s partial embracing of the federal ID standards. One who wishes to acquire a non-REAL ID-compliant card can still get one, but according to someone I know who visited the DMV this week, the DMV bureaucrats are pushing the new REAL ID version.
NH Internal Border Patrol Checkpoint
I recommend reading Susan’s whole post, it’s well-done and there’s very little she says that I can disagree with. Until the end, that is. She says in the final paragraph:
There hasn’t been a peep out of the liberty and freedumb crowd about this. Not a word from the allegedly liberty loving Free Staters. The folks who do the wailin’ about gummint encroachment on our lives are strangely silent when it comes to “show us your papers” stops. Their interest in gummint interference extends to deregulation and tax cuts. Actual violations of privacy and civil liberties don’t interest them in the slightest.
I may not be a “Free Stater”, but I love liberty and am friends with many of them. I have seen plenty of liberty people upset about these checkpoints and they have posted their outrage online… on facebook. Which means no one hears it except those connected to the person on facebook – such posts only hit the libertarian echo chamber. Sadly, most of the people who are here are not bloggers like Susan and me. They are just as outraged as she, but fail to communicate it effectively to a wider audience. (more…)
When I lived in Florida, I used to do these “Operation Politically Homeless” booths at various events including gun shows, the county fair, and gay & lesbian pridefests. One thing I’ve noticed here in New Hampshire is that people are generally more receptive and open to new ideas. I’ve done this outreach and outreach of other sorts, like Jury Nullification both here in NH and down in FL and it’s just easier here.
In New Hampshire, a supermajority of people will accept a flier in front of a courthouse or in a crowd at an event or in this case, stop for a few minutes, take the 10-question “Worlds Smallest Political Quiz” and learn where they are at on the political spectrum. In Florida, people are much colder to those conducting outreach, in my experience.
22 of 38 who took the quiz on day one were Libertarian or borderline – over 57%
72 of 110 through day two were Libertarian or borderline – over 65%
87 of 129 through day three were Libertarian or borderline – over 67%!
Free Talk Live’s hosts Ian and Darryl interview festival organizer Rick Naya.
Had I done the same OPH booth at a similar cannabis event in a place like California, I guarantee the results would have been much heaver on the liberal side. NH natives simply have a more innate understanding of freedom. New Hampshire is truly the best destination for libertarians and voluntarists looking to really have a positive effect for liberty. Here are 101 reasons why you should join us!
If you missed our three radio shows that we recorded from the event, here are the archives: Friday, Saturday, Sunday.
Kudos to Rick Naya and his awesome crew for putting on a great first-year event. Thanks also to all the great folks who came out. The attendees were super-cool and all of them were grateful for the opportunity we provided them to learn more about their libertarian (or not) political views. It was a blast and I hope that we’ll be back again for 2018. Watch this blog for any announcements.
Obviously anyone can donate to the Red Cross anytime, but Stallcop’s fundraiser will be benefiting the Red Cross with a twist. If his fundraiser reaches its goal, he’ll be stripping down for a full body waxing – ouch! Plus, he’ll receive the waxing on video to prove it. He explains in his fundraiser that he’s a huge Rocky Horror Picture Show fan and generally dresses up each October, but this year he’ll go all the way and add a full body waxing (except his head & eyebrows) to his Rocky costume if the fundraiser makes it before Halloween.
LPNH chairman Darryl W Perry and I will be offering people the World’s Smallest Political Quiz.
We’ll be conducting an “Operation Politically Homeless” outreach booth, where passersby will be offered a 10-question quiz and once it’s scored, they can put a sticker up on the big poster of a chart representing a wider political spectrum than what the quiz-taker may have envisioned. The “Nolan Chart”, named after the founder of the national libertarian party, exposes the viewer to the idea that political beliefs are more diverse than just left-middle-right. The chart adds a Y (up-down) axis based on the spectrum of libertarian-centrist-authoritarian. This can be an eye-opener for many who take the quiz, thinking they are one thing, but finding out they are something else entirely.
I”m a longtime advocate of the OPH booth form of outreach. As someone who has performed countless hours of this outreach, I can heartily endorse it. I’m looking forward to connecting NH Cannabis Freedom Festival attendees this weekend with the ideas of liberty, peace, and cryptocurrency. Darryl and I will be in the vendor area doing outreach and recording episodes of Free Talk Live all weekend.
