Grafton ... top story

[PattyLee loves dogs]

is illegal in Grafton? Camp cooking individuals treated badly by fireguy and cop in name of "safety". This action is not appearing as reasonable or considerate under the conditions demonstrated. Volunteer status very much appreciated but not in this case. Individuals peaceful activity wrecked I guess to preserve "authority and authority relationships with outside fire guy and Merle . Liberty and justice for all requires that fire cops to apologize, and not allow their usual liberty oriented position to be so easily vanquished . Then lets move on .

[Russell Kanning]

it doesn't appear to be illegal ... just an activity that might bring harassment

[John]

I've been collecting (but not posting) feedback from "random neighbors."
I'm happy to report that --- well, I was right earlier. 

[Trifith]

The Mises Institute had a great post on fire regulation today. Worth the read

http://mises.org/daily/4453

[David]

Power corrupts, the greater the power, the more it corrupts. We need to be 'self policing'.  It is a shame what has happened. 
I didn't know when, or how, but I expected stuff like this to happen.  libertarian powerholders should be disobeyed just as gop or dem powerholders.  Gandhi used, (to great effect) Satyagraha against his own followers when they strayed.  He called it the "all edged sword". 

[Sam A. Robrin]

Gandhi used Satyagraha against his own followers when they strayed.  He called it the "all edged sword".

Oh, who wants to listen to some sword-polisher . . . ?

[Lloyd Danforth]

It's too late for some, but if anyone is out there thinking of moving to Grafton because they also are under the illusion that it is some kind of libertarian utopia, try to grasp some reality.

[Free libertarian]

   Wonder what these guys think?

   http://www.utopia-vanderpool-esd.org/

[Russell Kanning]

i guess i saw the fire statists up close in California
i am not about to bow down to the fire marshals in a place where the ground is always wet

[MaineShark]

Supportive LTE in the Suncook Valley Sun, this week (June 16th edition).

In response to the Valley News article in the June 7th Concord Monitor. "Liberty Under Fire? Maybe Not."

Yes, our liberty is under fire. These men were cooking hot dogs over a fire, and did not have the required fire permit.

I think fire permits are a waste of time and energy and an infringement of a most basic right.

I have been round and round with the Fire Chief, Gary Johnson.

I am responsible for any damage for any fire I kindle, with or without a permit.

He says he has to enforce the law. I say I will not surrender my basic right to kindle a fire as needed in my work or to cook hot dogs.

Our Fire Chief warned me the last time, he might have to charge me with arson.

If you end up in jail, Mike, over cooking hot dogs, maybe you had better save me a cell.

Dan Schroth Piermarocchi

Joe

[Russell Kanning]

very cool

[Mike Barskey]

Awesome! Thanks for sharing it!

[Kat Kanning]

A Big Deal over a Small Fire
http://newhampshirefreepress.com/node/634

By Kat Kanning

Mike Barskey and his work crew relaxed over a small cooking fire one day.  They'd planned on making some hotdogs for their lunch.  The fire pit was about 3 x 5 ft, 2 feet deep, rock lined, with 4 people attending the fire.  The location of the fire pit had been approved by the fire chief himself, the year before.  Barskey and his whole crew did not consider the fire a danger to neighbors.  If fact, they considered it none of anybody's business but their own.
   
A NH deputy fire marshal from Enfield happened to drive by and seeing the fire, stopped to ask if they had a permit.  Apparently, the possession of such piece of paper would magically make the fire safe, according to the government.  When Barskey and crew refused to produce such a document, and refused to put the fire out, the fire marshal threatened them with arrest and contacted the police.  He did not contact the fire department to put out the raging campfire – he called the police, clearly demonstrating that it was an issue of control and not safety.
   
The local police showed up and demanded that the fire be put out.  The local constabulary was much stymied by members of the work crew completely ignoring him and continuing to throw sticks on the fire.  The fire department was contacted by the local police.  They brought a fire truck and put the fire out, as the crew was roasting weenies.  In the meantime, the fire truck was parked blocking Highway 4, causing people to pass on a blind curve and creating an actual danger to people.

Had Barskey actually requested a fire permit, he most likely would not have been given one.  A similar request by other freestaters in the area was refused because the fire chief 'did not have the right piece of paper to give out the permit'.  As if by magic, the paper was available the very next day after this incident, and the freestaters were given a permit.

So Barskey and crew had their work / lunch destroyed, all for doing nothing that harmed anyone else.  The crew had various people on Barskey's property, despite repeated requests for firemen/police to leave.  In short, Barskey was violated by people who claimed to be there only for protection. 
   
Since the story has been out for some time, neighbors have come out of the woodwork, complaining of the tyranny of the small town fire department.  One man spoke of cronyism in who was allowed to have fires in the area.  In a state covered in trees, it is important to be able to burn one's brush.

So why was this a big deal?  Several reasons.  One, the fire 'protection' is yet another means by which Big Government can butt into your private life.  One neighbor told us how the Grafton fire chief demanded entry into his home to inspect the wood stove. 

What's sad about this is it shows clearly how well it works to get libertarians into positions of power.  The Grafton fire chief is also the Libertarian Party candidate for governor of New Hampshire.  He is also the liaison for FEMA in this area.  He has shown that elected libertarians will, in a pinch, act just like every other bureaucrat in order to keep their positions of power.  "Just doin' my job, ma'am."  And when FEMA comes to NH and demands gun confiscation as they did in New Orleans, what will happen then?

[FreelanceFreedomFighter]

Great article Kat... I especially liked the part where you point out that the "Libertarian" put on the same pair of jackboots that the rest of the Statists wear!

[TackleTheWorld]

Grafton is not the big money capitol of New Hampshire, either.  Bribes are not falling on these officials like a waterfall.  They probably are offered bribes totaling $10 over a lifetime.   Unresponsiveness and disrespect even happen to the smallest authority.  Please don't elect anyone to office, you will lose them to the corruption of the state.