Freedom to Travel Event, Part 2

[YeahItsMeJP]

I was involved in an Anti-Patriot Act civil disobedience stunt where we (some friends of mine and I) bought some books on Islam, Terrorism, Bomb-making on a credit card and then donated them to public libraries.

JP

[Dave Ridley]

russell just got back from his chat with the feds

i've just interviewed russell and am working up a press release

[Kat Kanning]

You rock, JP!

[Kat Kanning]

Dave said he wished he had.

[Dave Ridley]

Press release.? feel free to change it and/or send it out as is.

---

From NHfree.com
Keene, New Hampshire
6/6/05

FBI questions Keene I.D. refusenik

Two FBI agents from the Boston division paid a visit to Russell Kanning's house in Keene today, about two weeks after he announced he would seek to board a Manchester airline flight with no I.D.

The 35-year-old libertarian activist wasn't home but rather cheerfully agreed to meet up with the agents at his workplace.? Special Agents Phil Christiana and Mark Alford spent about an hour interviewing him around 2PM on Monday, June 6.

"They were really friendly," he says, "they obviously weren't there to arrest me..."The thing they were most concerned about was whether I was actually going to stay non- violent."? Kanning says the answer to that is "yes."

"There's nothing those guys can do to me at the airport that would make me use violence."

He says the agents seemed to relax somewhat and left after coming to the conclusion that he is not a physical threat and also that he cannot be deterred from his act of civil disobedience.? ?They did spend time lecturing him on national security issues and the fact that "flying is not a right."

"My impression after talking to them is that the likelihood of them breaking into my house or doing something like that is small."

Kanning also told the agents he has not paid Income Taxes since '98.

Background details contact information for Kanning are included in the original press release below.

----

Original press release:

From NHfree.com:
Man Without I.D. Vows to Board Flight or be Jailed

Manchester, NH, May 21, 2005 - Inspired by New Hampshire's "outlaw manicurist," another Granite Stater is stepping forward to peacefully defy license-related laws.? Russell Kanning of Keene has announced he will approach a Transportation Security Administration (TSA) checkpoint at Manchester airport on June 11 and refuse to cooperate with the requirement to show I.D.? "I will either board the plane without I.D. or be arrested," he says.? "In a free country you do not need government permission to travel."? ?The 35-year-old accountant has a ticket to Philidelphia.

Kanning stresses that he will not resist arrest or do anything that might be perceived as physically threatening.? He says this act of nonviolent resistance will follow the model laid down by Gandhi, who used peaceful noncooperation to expel the British from India.? "We will tell them everything we're going to do ahead of time.? We are not going to disrupt the operation of the airport," he says.

Kanning says the parallels with Gandhi's situation go further than a shared belief in nonviolence.? ?"In South Africa (where Gandhi's protests began), Indians had to have special I.D...so it's very similar that way, and he wanted to burn it...He was appealing to that same basic idea that we have rights to not have to have paperwork to be able to move freely."

After the terrorist attacks in 2001, Federal authorities tightened flying restrictions and begain forcing citizens to have both a ticket and identification (usually a driver's license) in order to even enter an airport terminal.? ?Kanning says he refuses to carry a license on principle and disputes the idea that tighter restrictions really make flying safer.

Earlier this month another Gandhi admirer, Mike Fisher of Newmarket, used the Mahatma's techniques to protest business licensing.? After announcing he would perform an unlicensed manicure in front of the state licensing offices, he carried out his promise, earned a brief trip to jail and received heavy regional media coverage for his viewpoint.

Kanning says Gandhi's and Fisher's examples inspired him to take similar action against the growing "surveillance state."? He believes the Real I.D. amendment passed by the Senate this month will make things even worse.? But he says it's important to stay positive.? "The goal is we want to get to the point where we can travel without having to have paperwork, so this is the beginning of that.? We see light at the end of the tunnel."

Kanning is a member of the FreeStateProject (freestateproject.org), an organization which aims to bring 20,000 liberty lovers to New Hampshire.

Currently the plan is for Kanning to approach the security checkpoint at 12:30 PM.? Journalists and supporters will want to be there by noon.

Summary:

What:? Civil disobedience against ID requirements under federalized airport security.
Where:? Manchester Airport in New Hampshire (exact spot to be determined)
When:? Saturday, June 11 @ noon
Who:? Russell Kanning of Keene, NH, supporters from NHfree.com
Why:? To draw attention to the recent and continuing loss of privacy and freedom due to federalized airport security and National ID.
How:? By approaching a TSA checkpoint with a ticket but no I.D., refusing to show I.D. and refusing to cooperate with the I.D. requirement until arrested or allowed to board the plane.
Contacts:? Russell Kanning:? (603) 357-2049,? Kat Dillon (same number), Mike Fisher (603) 498-7935, NHfree.com

[Pat K]

Well Russell if nothing else you might get more Fed. agents to travel to NH, thats good for the economy.

Did you try to get the Boston guy to sign on for the FSP?

[Kat Kanning]

LOL! 

[Russell Kanning]

Recent Walter Williams columns:

One
Two
Three

[KBCraig]

Recent Walter Williams columns:

One
Two
Three

The good Doctor is one of my favorite columnists, and I'd rather listen to him guest-hosting than listen to Rush (I seldom listen to Rush any more, so I usually miss Williams when he's on).

Have you contacted him or sent him the press releases?

Kevin

[Russell Kanning]

No that may be a good idea......when I was talking to the FBI agents they acted as if there should be no limit to what we spend or do to prevent terrorism......but there has to be a limit somewhere....we are wasting time and hassling passengers to "ensure" our safety.......it just isn't possible.

[Michael Fisher]

I was involved in an Anti-Patriot Act civil disobedience stunt where we (some friends of mine and I) bought some books on Islam, Terrorism, Bomb-making on a credit card and then donated them to public libraries.

JP

That's awesome!!!

We should put details of it on the Freedom Inspirations page! 

[Michael Fisher]

Kanning also told the agents he has not paid Income Taxes since '89.

Don't you mean '98?

[Friday]

Dada, for future reference, you should NEVER let the men in black in to use the bathroom. Even if they're asking in complete innocence, I know Keene has fast food restaurants and Starbucks, all of which have public restrooms they can use.  But it's more than likely they're not asking in innocence. They're scoping the place for "probable cause", which is what they need to get a search warrant. If they see so much as a bong, Kat and Russell are screwed. And if you really want to be paranoid, they're sticking a bug on something.   

[Michael Fisher]

I cannot believe this just happened.  I'll send this press release to my contacts.

[Michael Fisher]

Okay, I just sent it to the Union Leader, Boston Globe, Foster's, Portsmouth Herald, and Concord Monitor.

I also spoke with the Concord Monitor and the Associated Press about this a few hours ago.

The date is also wrong on the press release.  It says 5/6 instead of 6/6.