Kelly Voluntaryist a Keene NH activist, gives the TSA a little T&A in the name of liberty at the Manchester Airport in protest of the TSA. The TSA has been stripping people of their rights, clothes, dignity etc. (body scanners etc.) So basically, Kelly stripped down in an effort to restore the inherent natural rights, which have been stripped away by an overly evasive government acting on its own volition. Kelly handed information out and talked to people for approximately 40 minutes, 1/4 of that time was outside in 15 ° weather. Seven activists attended in support of Kelly. I think we all had cameras, so there’s going to be more video to come out with much better quality.
Libertarianism is a political philosophy based on the idea that no person or group of people has the right to aggress against the Life, Liberty, Property or Pursuit of Happiness of another, either by force or by fraud. Libertarians know and accept that aggression cannot be eliminated from the world, and our philosophy does allow for the use of force in defense of self or others. The question which, for us, settles the issue of who is right or wrong in and violent conflict is a very simple one, probably familiar to readers from childhood: “Who started it?” The person who ‘initiated force’ is the person who is wrong, every time.
Simplicity is one of the great strengths of Libertarianism. It allows a person to understand the legal consequences of his actions without consulting high priced lawyers or studying huge tomes filled with their ever changing statutes. This is probably the reason that there are so few Libertarian lawyers. Simplicity is the enemy of any privileged class.
Some people believe that they should, in some cases, be permitted to do violence against people who do things they don’t like, even though these people are harming only themselves. They argue that a person who takes drugs, for example, might possibly someday do some sort of harm to someone else, so he should be punished before he has the chance. Of course, this belief is absurd. Punishing someone because they might someday aggress would require, if applied consistently, the punishment of every person, since any human might someday commit an act of aggression. The law, however, should punish only criminals, not potential criminals.
Still other people believe that a sufficiently large majority should be permitted to do violence against a sufficiently small minority, in the democratic tradition. The belief that numerical “might makes right” is the ‘moral’ basis of democracy. The idea that the majority is always right can be easily dispelled with a simple thought experiment. Imagine a true democracy which consists of 9 men and 1 woman on an island. The men vote that the woman must have sex with all of them. According to the democratic ideal, this is perfectly acceptable, since the men outnumber the poor girl, and should she refuse their demands, then she is a criminal. This is why Benjamin Franklin described democracy as “Two wolves and a sheep voting on what to have for dinner,” and why America was founded as a Democratic Republic, not a democracy. Sadly, modern America is closer to the democratic than the republican ideal. (Note: Please do not confuse these words with the political parties similarly named. The connections are lost in the mists of time.)
Libertarianism is, in my humble opinion, the only truly moral political philosophy. Whether it is expressed through a minimal State–like that specified by our Constitution–or through anarchy–private arrangements in the absence of any State–it is the only political philosophy which can bring peace and harmony to our society. If you would like to learn more about this philosophy, please check out the short youtube video “The Philosophy of Liberty,” the Free State Project, the Libertarian Party, or meet some real live Libertarians and the 4:20 rally which occurs every afternoon on the Keene Common, or the Night Cap which occurs every night around 11:00pm in the same place. You may also write to me at the address below:
Rich “420 Guy” Paul
C/O Cheshire County Jail
Cell Block ‘D’
825 Marlboro Street
Keene, NH 03431
Six individuals were arrested by police this afternoon at Pumpkin Fest. The daily 420 event was moved to the area directly in front of City Hall due to the massive pumpkin display at Central Square. Rich Paul of Keene took to the megaphone in front a large crowd and at the proper time lit a pipe presumably containing marijuana, a plant. Police quickly surrounded Mr. Paul and placed him under arrest. Noah Wood and Evan Pierce were also seen lighting up and were arrested as well.
Three other individuals were also arrested at city hall, when asked about the charge officers indicated that they did not know why they were arresting the three. A witness reportedly saw one of the individuals attempt to enter the city hall building prompting police to arrest him. It is unknown at this time exactly what happened. Ryan Maddox, Dan Steward and Yadra, all from the Keene area.
Latest update: Rich Paul, Noah Wood and Dan Steward have been released; Ryan Maddox, Evan Pierce and Yadra are reported to be at the Cheshire County Correctional Facility.
Words on paper are not stopping activists and locals from living like free people in Keene, New Hampshire. Whether it is marijuana consumption on the Commons or a young woman going topless on Main Street, Keene has become the place to challenge unjust, immoral, and simply foolish laws. This has naturally rankled many state and local civil servants. The Keene City Council voted against sending a resolution to the state house begging for marijuana decriminalization legislation–instead individuals on the council were encouraged to send a personal message. The Keene Police Department has shown both professionalism in its dealings with the 420 events and violence though Police Prosecutor Sergeant Eliezer Rivera.
April 13, 2009, was the day that David Ridley, of Grafton, was to be arraigned for videotaping in the second-floor lobby of the Keene City Hall. Sam Dodson was arrested on that date, while videotaping there; his charges changed several times over the following months.
