New Hampshire Underground

New Hampshire Underground => Civil Disobedience => Topic started by: Mike Barskey on January 17, 2010, 10:24 AM NHFT

Title: barskey's letter to the court
Post by: Mike Barskey on January 17, 2010, 10:24 AM NHFT
The government has a trial for me on January 25. I am contemplating sending this letter to them. Does anyone have any comments or suggestions?

QuoteRobin Pinelle
Clerk of Court
Derry District Court
10 Courthouse Lane
Derry, NH  03038

Robin Pinelle,

You are having a trial that you are demanding that I attend on January 25, 2010 at 12:45p. Your case number is 431-2009-CR-03861. I am not interested in wasting my time to attend your trial.

The last time your government and your "justice" system demanded that I attend one of your trials (case number 427-2009-CR-02675), I drove over 2 hours to get there just to have the prosecutor tell me he had dropped the charges a few days before. Then, of course, I had to drive more than 2 hours to return home - after wasting 30 minutes in the courtroom to hear my name called. That was almost 5 hours of my time wasted - I had to reschedule an entire day's worth of my plans. And on May 1, 2009 in Keene (case number 09-CR-00733, I think) I drove over 90 minutes to attend their trial and the same thing happened: the prosecutor told me as I walked in the courtroom that he had dropped his charges against me. That was over 3 hours of my time wasted by your "justice" system.

In both cases, the government agents knew my address, so they could have mailed me notification that they rescinded their demands that I attend their trials. Also, my phone number is not unlisted, so I was contactable via phone. And in the Keene case, they had sent law enforcement officers to my house to deliver their paperwork before the trial, so they could have done that to notify me of their cancellation, too.

In your case (431-2009-CR-03861), as in the others, there was no victim other than myself. I hurt no one, I threatened no one, I damaged no one's property, I stole no one's property. The only victim was me; I was victimized by the threats of your "justice" system: either I attend your trial, or you will forcefully put me in jail. And if I do attend your trial and you find me "guilty" of something (again: I hurt no one, I threatened no one, I damaged no one's property, I stole no one's property), your "justice" system will threaten me more: either I pay you money, or you will forcefully put me in jail (By the way, I would opt for jail, as I have done in the past; I refuse to give the government my money in response to threats.).

In case you didn't have it before, my mailing address is 10 Benning Street #104, West Lebanon, NH 03784. Feel free to contact me via the United States Post Office (or, preferably, an institution that doesn't use force to fund itself, like UPS or FedEx). There is no logical reason why a discussion such as one that would take place at your trial, couldn't take place via written correspondence. Of course, the government demands obedience, which I will not give it. And, of course, the government wants me in their "possession" so government agents can more easily kidnap me and cage me, should they desire, but my desire is to not make it easy for you to kidnap or hurt me.

If I am incorrect and I have victimized someone, please ask them to contact me! I am very eager to clean up my reputation by apologizing and paying restitution to anyone I have hurt or or whose property I have damaged. Or, if there is a victim and they are afraid to communicate with me directly (though I'm not sure how someone could be afraid to send someone else a letter), please let them know that we can arrange a neutral third party to facilitate our discussion and arrangements. There is no need to involve any form of violence, and so the "services" of the State will not be necessary (or appreciated).

To sum up, I will not be attending your trial (but you can communicate with me via written correspondence) because your government and "justice" system are a waste of my time, and because I hurt no one, I threatened no one, damaged no one's property, and stole no one's property. And, if I'm incorrect and I did accidentally victimize someone, I am more than happy to work with them to correct my wrongs.

Sincerely,


Mike Barskey
Title: Re: barskey's letter to the court
Post by: thinkliberty on January 17, 2010, 10:48 AM NHFT
I like it.  :clap:
Title: Re: barskey's letter to the court
Post by: John on January 17, 2010, 10:52 AM NHFT
Good on you!
Title: Re: barskey's letter to the court
Post by: TackleTheWorld on January 17, 2010, 11:30 AM NHFT
The way you cited the previous court dates which came to nothing is convincing.  The offer to recompense the victim is great.  While it's true that much time will be wasted in going to court, you also mentioned that you would prefer jail to a fine.  Jail is a waste of days rather than hours.  I think it would be more clear if you either omit that "By the way", or rewrite it in terms of money instead of time.  For example: "I cannot afford to attend your trial.", " ..5 hours away from my job",  "...your systems are a loss of income."
Title: Re: barskey's letter to the court
Post by: George Donnelly on January 17, 2010, 12:13 PM NHFT
An excellent letter!

But I don't want to offer any encouragement on a course of action that leads to jail. I'm real iffy on jail at the moment.
Title: Re: barskey's letter to the court
Post by: Kat Kanning on January 17, 2010, 02:35 PM NHFT
Try it, you'll like it.
Title: Re: barskey's letter to the court
Post by: K. Darien Freeheart on January 17, 2010, 03:34 PM NHFT
I'd include an invoice for your on-location service call plus travel expenses. :P
Title: Re: barskey's letter to the court
Post by: MaineShark on January 17, 2010, 03:37 PM NHFT
Excellent.  Only change I would make is to eliminate the mention of the Post Office and alternatives, and just say "by mail."  No need to burn out too many fuses in their heads, all at once.

Joe
Title: Re: barskey's letter to the court
Post by: Russell Kanning on January 18, 2010, 09:19 AM NHFT
Quote from: George Donnelly on January 17, 2010, 12:13 PM NHFTI'm real iffy on jail at the moment.
I really recommend jail. Then barskey can write a letter to the government each day.
I think in a truly free society there should be a mandatory 2 year stint in jail.

lets see ..... 1% of the US population is in jail. We could just have everyone spend 1% of their lives in jail. That wouldn't be much more than 8 months. It would probably be good for us.
Title: Re: barskey's letter to the court
Post by: John on January 18, 2010, 10:49 AM NHFT
Quote from: Russell Kanning on January 18, 2010, 09:19 AM NHFTlets see ..... 1% of the US population is in jail. We could just have everyone spend 1% of their lives in jail. That wouldn't be much more than 8 months. It would probably be good for us.


If people always did what was good for them wouldn't they be more likely to live to 100 years?
I'll need to think about this formula ...
Title: Re: barskey's letter to the court
Post by: dalebert on January 18, 2010, 02:13 PM NHFT
Quote from: MaineShark on January 17, 2010, 03:37 PM NHFT
Excellent.  Only change I would make is to eliminate the mention of the Post Office and alternatives, and just say "by mail."  No need to burn out too many fuses in their heads, all at once.

Agreed. On that note, I was going to suggest that you simplify it to just a point or two and avoid any libertarianeze which will just go right over their heads. You may have to dumb it down to their level a bit.
Title: Re: barskey's letter to the court
Post by: Mike Barskey on January 18, 2010, 02:35 PM NHFT
Thanks for the suggestions. I agreed with and used most of them. Here is the version of the letter that I mailed:

QuoteRobin Pinelle
Clerk of Court
Derry District Court
10 Courthouse Lane
Derry, NH  03038


Robin Pinelle,

You are having a trial that you are demanding that I attend on January 25, 2010 at 12:45p. Your case number is 431-2009-CR-03861. I am not interested attending your trial.

The last time your government and your "justice" system demanded that I attend one of your trials (case number 427-2009-CR-02675), I drove over 5 hours to attend and waited 30 minutes for the prosecutor to speak to me, just to have him tell me he had dropped the charges a few days before - I had to reschedule an entire day's worth of my plans. And on May 1, 2009 in Keene (case number 09-CR-00733, I think) I drove over 3 hours to attend their trial and the same thing happened: the prosecutor told me as I walked in the courtroom that he had dropped his charges against me.

In both cases, the government agents knew my address, so they could have mailed me notification that they rescinded their demands that I attend their trials. Also, my phone number is not unlisted, so I was contactable via phone. And in the Keene case, they had sent law enforcement officers to my house to deliver their paperwork before the trial, so they could have done so to notify me of their cancellation, too.

In your case (431-2009-CR-03861), as in the others, there was no victim other than myself. I hurt no one, I threatened no one, I damaged no one's property, I stole no one's property. The only victim was me; I was victimized by the threats of your "justice" system: either I attend your trial, or you will forcefully put me in jail. And if I do attend your trial and you find me "guilty" of something (again: I hurt no one, I threatened no one, I damaged no one's property, I stole no one's property), your "justice" system will threaten me more: either I pay you money, or you will forcefully put me in jail. I refuse to give the government my money in response to threats, so you would force me into a cage.

In case you didn't have it before, my mailing address is 10 Benning Street #104, West Lebanon, NH 03784. Feel free to contact me via mail. There is no logical reason why a discussion such as one that would take place at your trial, couldn't take place via written correspondence.

If I am incorrect and I have victimized someone, please ask them to contact me! I would be very eager to clean up my reputation by apologizing and paying restitution to anyone I have hurt or or whose property I have damaged. Or, if there is a victim and they are afraid to communicate with me directly (though I'm not sure how someone could be afraid to send someone else a letter), please let them know that we can arrange a neutral third party to facilitate our discussion and arrangements. There is no need to involve any form of violence, and so the "services" of the State will not be necessary (or appreciated).

To sum up, I will not be attending your trial (but you can communicate with me via written correspondence) because your government and "justice" system require a substantial and burdensome loss of my income, time, and resources, and because I hurt no one, threatened no one, damaged no one's property, and stole no one's property; i.e., there is no victim. And, if I'm incorrect and I did accidentally victimize someone, I am more than happy to work with them to correct my wrongs.


Sincerely,


Mike Barskey
Title: Re: barskey's letter to the court
Post by: TackleTheWorld on January 18, 2010, 04:56 PM NHFT
Succinct and persuasive. 
(http://www.alzheimer.sk.ca/english/Just4Kids/images/content_image/thumbs_up.gif)
Title: Re: barskey's letter to the court
Post by: Russell Kanning on January 19, 2010, 05:04 AM NHFT
that letter will not bring happiness and comfort to the bureaucracy :icon_pirat:
Title: Re: barskey's letter to the court
Post by: Lloyd Danforth on January 19, 2010, 07:30 AM NHFT
They will suffer a few minutes of confusion and after he doesn't show up they will write the Warrant.
It is a great letter but, it isn't going to make any bureaucrat unhappy or, uncomfortable.
Title: Re: barskey's letter to the court
Post by: Russell Kanning on January 20, 2010, 08:25 AM NHFT
Quote from: Lloyd Danforth on January 19, 2010, 07:30 AM NHFT
They will suffer a few minutes of confusion and after he doesn't show up they will write the Warrant.
It is a great letter but, it isn't going to make any bureaucrat unhappy or, uncomfortable.
is that what i said?
no
i said it would not make them happy or comfortable
why would it
it may also make them uncomfortable ... i am not sure

does someone pay you to be contrary ... or do you do it for chuckles?

i find it annoying
Title: Re: barskey's letter to the court
Post by: Lloyd Danforth on January 20, 2010, 08:28 AM NHFT
I misunderstood. So. We agree. It probably had no effect on the bureaucrat.
Title: Re: barskey's letter to the court
Post by: Russell Kanning on January 20, 2010, 08:34 AM NHFT
actually
i may be wrong
bureaucrats love paperwork ... it might make them happy to have something to file
Title: Re: barskey's letter to the court
Post by: shyfrog on January 20, 2010, 08:48 AM NHFT
I think Lloyd should adopt the moniker "Chuckles"  :icon_pirat:
Title: Re: barskey's letter to the court
Post by: Kat Kanning on January 20, 2010, 10:14 AM NHFT
Done.
Title: Re: barskey's letter to the court
Post by: shyfrog on January 20, 2010, 10:31 AM NHFT
So much better than "Curmudgeon"  ;D
Title: Re: barskey's letter to the court
Post by: Sam A. Robrin on January 20, 2010, 11:55 AM NHFT
Quote from: shyfrog on January 20, 2010, 10:31 AM NHFT
So much better than "Curmudgeon"  ;D

That word is all too frequently linked with "lovable"--thoroughly dulling its edge.
Title: Re: barskey's letter to the court
Post by: Mike Barskey on June 04, 2010, 02:34 PM NHFT
UPDATE: I got a letter from the "dept of safety" the other day. It was sent to my West Lebanon mailing address. The only time I've ever told the government about this address was in the letter I sent to the court, so I guess someone actually read it! :)

The letter I got was notifying me that my "LICENSE/OPERATING PRIVILEGE" and "REGISTRATION" are "SUSPENDED INDEFINITELY" (effective 6/28/10). This is "AS A RESULT OF: DEFAULT COURT SUMMONS DEPARTMENT OF SAFETY."

I don't know specifically what caused this, but I'm assuming it was because I didn't appear in their trial (as mentioned in the letter).

The letter also tells me that I owe $127.50 (which might clear their "default court summons" so I can keep my "operating privilege" and their registration - but I'm not going to pay them ;) ). It also tells me that if the suspension goes into effect, a $25.00 registration fee is required in addition to a $100.00 reinstatement fee.

So much stress put on how much money they want, and so little emphasis placed on reasons or safety (except in the name of the department, of course) - it's quite obvious what their purpose is. ;)

So, FYI: In about a month I'll be driving licenseless and possibly registrationless (I may just sell my car and drive a borrowed one). So there will be a slightly larger chance I'll wind up in jail at that point. Stay tuned! :)
Title: Re: barskey's letter to the court
Post by: Silent_Bob on June 04, 2010, 03:13 PM NHFT
Horses take priority over motor vehicles on public ways... :)