Outlaw puppeteer part 2, May 6 Concord

[Dave Ridley]

To discuss this subject and get the latest details visit
http://nhunderground.com/forum/index.php?topic=13574.0

State House: Illegal puppet show moves to illegal location

What:       Unlawful puppeteering in restricted area
Where:      New Hampshire State House grounds, under naval monument at 33 North State Street, Concord, NH.   
                 Between state house and legislative office bldg.
When:        Tuesday, May 6, 2008. Starting between 2:00 and 2:30 p.m.
Who:          Dave Ridley, 41, of NHfree.com.  Ridley is a Manchester videographer.
                   Projected turnout is 25, mostly NHfree.com folks
How:          Outlaw puppeteer will perform for profit without license, violating RSA 286:1.*  Will perform on state house grounds                   
                 without permit, violating the requirement for a permit to demonstrate.
Why:            Protest state legislators' failure to repeal bad laws.
Latest
details:        http://nhunderground.com/forum/index.php?topic=13574.0


On April 30, 2008...twenty-five small-government advocates rallied near the New Hampshire state house.  Under a banner marked "illegal gathering," they paid admission to view an unlawful puppet show. 

On May 6 they will do it again...and this time they will violate not one rule but two. 

State statutes ban puppeteering for pay without a license; government rules also ban demonstrating on House grounds without a permit.     Last week we violated the puppeteering law; this week we will move our show onto House grounds, violating the ban on un-permitted demonstrating.

We're protesting the legislature's tendency to add laws rather than repeal them.

Demonstrating on House grounds without a permit may be controversial.   Nobody supports the Puppet Law; on the other hand some people *do* support restrictions on House demonstrating.  And capitol officers, though usually courteous, are quick to appear at the slightest hint of a demonstration on "their" turf. 

But both rules are worth violating.  If by some miracle the state house were to become a place where only commerce and protest occur, wouldn't that be an improvement over its current, destructive mission?  Its current fetish for passing bad laws and failing to repeal them?

So around 12 p.m on May 6th, we will perform where peformence is restricted, with puppets designed by the brilliant Halldorson kids from Dover.  They come from one of the many homeschooling families harmed by state law.   On this day their creations will again protest the evils imposed by this legislature.

And regardless of how the authorities react this time, I will keep my promise.  I will continue puppeteering for pay until I am arrested or have amassed a thousand dollars in illegal profits.**  The April 30 event brought me $55 closer to that goal.  Maybe pm May 6 we will have a thermometer showing how close we are to the Thousand Illegal Dollar mark!

But this isn't just about the right to perform. It's about Concord's failure to repeal enough laws.  It's a failure FIVE MILLION words in the making...for there are now that many words worth of NH laws.  Some go unenforced, others (like the marijuana statutes) crowd our jails with victimless "criminals."  There are now so many laws, no saint nor prodigy could ever hope to follow them all.  Only the drastic action of civil disobedience seems likely to change that. 

* Puppet Law:  RSA 286:1 - http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/rsa/html/xxiv/286/286-mrg.htm
**Future events may ocurr in front of town halls, at libertarian gatherings and eventually at State House again once it returns to heavy activity.  That may be a while.  We'll try to inform all relevant law enforcement in advance each time.

[Luke S]

What's the LOB?