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dave ridley harassed for open carry

Started by slim, August 04, 2007, 10:31 AM NHFT

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Russell Kanning


toowm

It's now on the front page of digg (662 diggs / 317 comments) and the freestateblog site is down.

Mostly favorable comments, but some like: "Who's that crazy guy with the striped shirt?"

Russell Kanning

am I really one of the craziest guys on a youtube video? ;)

mvpel


Dave Ridley

#169
Finally got around to sending this to head of state troopers via e-mail:

-----

Dear Colonel Booth:   

Sorry for my slowness in getting this message to you.  However I wanted to express my respect for trooper L.A. Copponi's calm handling of my Saturday open carry incident in Manchester.   Although I object to police making stops of pedestrians simply because of open carry...I do recognize that trooper Copponi had under half a minute to make his stop-or-don't-stop decision.  If he's anything like most cops, he probably does not deal very often with citizens who responsibly exercise their right to open carry.   At least he approached the situation with an open mind.

It's important for liberty lovers to keep perspective and remind ourselves that the NHDOS response is at least supFierior to the panic that would happen in most states. 

Open carry is an essential tool for NH citizens, as it puts fear into the hearts of harmful criminals...reminding them New Hampshire is a dangerous place to try and harm others.  It's not as useful for defense as concealed carry, but if we don't use this tool and exercise this right...we will lose it.  More New Hampshirites are doing so, and your men will see more of us as time passes.  Soon I hope you will come to see us as a routine thing.

You may also be aware that I exercised another generally atrophied right during the stop, the right of a pedestrian to refuse police requests for identification cards.  Again, I assume it's not super common for people to exercise this right, but that is why it is so important to exercise.   It too needs to become more common.  There are only a few rights left which government recognizes, thus we must exercise them well and often.  Otherwise we'll lose what few of them remain.

Respectfully yours,

Dave Ridley
NHfree.com

Dave Ridley

Sent by email to MPD chief on aug 7

Dear Chief Jaskolka:  I wanted to express appreciation for officer J. Kelly's calm handling of my Saturday open carry incident on Elm St.   The Sergeant who responded also conducted himself well, and I was happy to hear his point of view.   Of course, I look forward to the day when open carriers are not stopped at all without probable cause.    I assume this stop would not have happened were it not for the fact that a State Trooper was driving by.

In my experience your officers have handled open carry well, so well in fact that I usually don't even bother getting their names.   It's important for liberty lovers to keep perspective and remind ourselves that the MPD response is at least superior to the panic that would happen in most states. 

Open carry is an essential tool for citizens, as it puts fear into the hearts of harmful criminals...reminding them New Hampshire is a dangerous place to try and harm others.

I do take exception to the fact that one of your officers tried to stop a man from videotaping him and, when he couldn't find more ways to exert authority over us, chose to go after a hapless group of car wash kids for posting a sign.

If you are having a problem with litter, because of fallen signs or what not, call me at the number below, tell me which area you want cleaned and I will schedule a citizen trash cleanup.

There has been some speculation among officers that we plotted this encounter, but that is not the case.   Our people just tend to open carry on their way to meetings.  Where there is a meeting there is usually a camera and a squadron of people looking out for each others' rights. 

Respectfully yours,

Dave Ridley
NHfree.com

FTL_Ian

Please post any responses if you get them.

JellyFish

Well your letter was way better than mine, Dave. I was probably too pissy in mine.  :-[

Russell Kanning

Quote from: DadaOrwell on August 08, 2007, 12:31 PM NHFT
Open carry is an essential tool for citizens, as it puts fear into the hearts of harmful criminals...reminding them New Hampshire is a dangerous place to try and harm others.
It didn't take long for the criminal element in our society to take notice of your "open carrying".

Dave Ridley

the thing is on digg now with roughly 800 diggs and 400 comments  after 20 hrs.
denis' free state blogs site is down probably from too many hits off the digg article

funniest response:

<<Incase anyone wants the short version:

In 10 minutes, nothing happens.

OK I'll give you a slightly longer version:

Man walks down the street with a gun
Police politely question him
Man politely answers the questions he is required to answer
Guy rants and raves in the background for no apparent reason
They all live happily ever after.
The end.>>

Dave Ridley

dada request site thread change to
"dave ridley harassed for open carry"

slim

Quote from: DadaOrwell on August 08, 2007, 12:56 PM NHFT
the thing is on digg now with roughly 800 diggs and 400 comments  after 20 hrs.
denis' free state blogs site is down probably from too many hits off the digg article

funniest response:

<<Incase anyone wants the short version:

In 10 minutes, nothing happens.

OK I'll give you a slightly longer version:

Man walks down the street with a gun
Police politely question him
Man politely answers the questions he is required to answer
Guy rants and raves in the background for no apparent reason
They all live happily ever after.
The end.>>


The Digg story is now over 1,000 diggs and more then 400 comments.


Kat Kanning


error

State police contact:

Director's Office: (603) 271-2450

Col. Frederick H. Booth
Director
Department of Safety
Division of State Police
33 Hazen Drive
Concord, NH 03305

d_goddard

#179
FreeStateBlogs is back up now... thanks, Seth-lord!

Thanks Dave for being you... and for making it easy to re-post your writeup.
Thanks Error for putting email-forwarding and digital recording behind Porc 411, that is fucking impressive... and useful, too. If I am pulled over at any point, first thing I'm doing is speed-dialing, so I can inform the officer that the interaction being recorded. See if he knows his RSA-570:A rights ;)
Thanks Roger for the video. You rock. The video made this into a phenomenon.
Thanks Tackle for putting the video on YouTube. YouTube made this into a phenomenon.
Thanks Johnson of Free Talk Live for setting up the Free Market Diggers group -- that gave the story the initial boost that made it into a phenomenon.

You know... I'm starting to see that if you get a whole bunch of activists, and get them all working closely together... you may make some phenomenons. :)