UL article on "Dada Orwell"

[KBCraig]

Discussion and follow up are here, on the thread titled "Homeland Security wants Dada":
http://forum.soulawakenings.com/index.php?topic=5464.msg96448#msg96448

The UL has been notified that they used the wrong URL in the article; it should be www.nhfree.com.


Union Leader article:
http://www.unionleader.com/article.aspx?headline=Homeland+Security+goes+after+Keene+man+for+demonstrating+at+IRS+office&articleId=4a23cf7c-cd3b-4b8c-948b-bcb435605660

Homeland Security goes after Keene man for demonstrating at IRS office

By SON HOANG
Union Leader Correspondent

Nashua ? A Keene man had a run-in with the United States Department of Homeland Security in the parking lot of Building 19 yesterday morning.

Dave Ridley, 40, said he met with an official from the Department of Homeland Security in the parking lot, located at 420 Amherst St., who repeatedly tried to give him a $120 citation for handing out handbills at a federal office.

The citation stems from a silent demonstration Ridley held in early September at the Internal Revenue Service Nashua office, located at 410 Amherst St.

Keene residents have been holding demonstrations at their local IRS office for the past two months, Ridley said, and he wanted to hold one at the Nashua office to show the government that their movement was growing.

Ridley said he stood in the IRS office for approximately 20 minutes with a sign reading, "Is it right to work 4 IRS?" before he was asked to leave by IRS employees. During that time he handed one employee a flyer promoting the website www.freenh.com, an organization that wishes to see a downsized government in New Hampshire.

After leaving the IRS office, Ridley said he remained in the building next to the elevator with his sign for 15 minutes until Nashua Police officers arrived and asked him to leave the building.

Two weeks later, Ridley wrote an article in the Keene Free Press, a local newspaper with a circulation of 5,000, about his demonstration in Nashua, he said. Representatives from Homeland Security soon after left a message at his home while he was out asking to have a meeting with him.

Yesterday morning Ridley met with a Homeland Security representative who identified himself as "Inspector Schmidt," Ridley said.

Schmidt objected to having the conversation recorded and repeatedly tried to hand Ridley his $120 citation, Ridley said.

Ridley, who brought three friends along to observe the meeting, added that Schmidt remained polite throughout the entire exchange despite appearing agitated by Ridley's insistence to not accept the citation.

The entire meeting lasted approximately 10 minutes, Ridley said, and he doesn't know what will happen next. Since he never accepted the citation in person, he assumes that one will be mailed to his home.

Ridley thought the attention Homeland Security paid to him seemed unnecessary. "Aren't they supposed to protect us from terrorists not sign-wavers?"

Despite the fallout from his demonstration in Nashua, Ridley said he will continue to hold his silent demonstrations at state bureaucracies. He has held 20 demonstrations at various state-level government offices such as the Department of Motor Vehicles.