Civil Disobedience

[SethCohn]

Just a point of reference... At the Meet and Greet, I played horseshoes with Mike, had conversation with Russell, helped Dave with some future organizing an event and in general we all get along, eat from the same table. etc...   We might disagree on specifics... in fact, we probably DO disagree on some specifics... but we'll all here working in the same direction for the most part.

Never let that be lost amidst the general mayhem and sniping...

I respect Mike, Russell, and everyone else... for doing what they feel is the right way to achieve liberty.  I might disagree with the specific, but I also support them to the extent that I know their hearts are in the right place.

It's pretty weird for me... instead of being the radical (as I usually was/am), I find myself far more the conservative voice, at least among the likes of many of you here...  Amazing.

[Michael Fisher]

You won at horseshoes too, so you have my respect.     Of course we all get along.  That is the nature of being civilized!  We get along with people from all political backgrounds.  Remember the NHLA Dinner protestors from DFNH? 

On this topic, I'm sick today so I was reduced to watching a PBS special on the rise of Mao Tse-Tung and the revolutionary movement in China.

For many years, people were expected to beat up anyone who did not pledge allegiance to the revolution.  People refused to fight back to show the revolutionaries the error of their ways, but it did not work.  The revolutionaries beat and tortured any who stood in their way.

After the revolutionary movement took over China, a newer generation of revolutionaries would do the same thing to the prior generation of revolutionaries, beating and torturing them.  It was their duty.  This went on constantly.

Their movement was fueled by anger, hatred, fear, patriotism, and collectivism.  Their method was utter destruction and power.  That should easily remind us of the current neocon jingoist movement in the US.

We are the antithesis of communists and jingoists.  Our movement is fueled by love, hope, trust, individualism, and freedom.  Our method is moral and just.  I hope this much is true.  We must be very careful to assure that we lead by example for nonviolent change.  Gandhi had problems controlling violence as he became more successful and we will too.

[AlanM]

Hey, Prez, don't you think tyranny is evil?

[Michael Fisher]

I saw the same thing a few days ago, and it reminded me of the FSP. Everything you guys don't agree with is "evil". It's a group mentality thing.

[John]

I saw the same thing a few days ago, and it reminded me of the FSP. Everything you guys don't agree with is "evil". It's a group mentality thing.

Trampling over an idividual's rights is evil.  It is sometimes 'ard to see.
This ain't about some group!

We I just want o try freedom - Can't we try that for a while?
THAT IS WHAT I WAS/we were PROMISED!  Wasn't it?
I want my freedom.

Who the f*&% ever promissed anyone that they had a RIGHT to control others? people?

[SethCohn]

http://www.concordmonitor.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050607/REPOSITORY/506070319/1224

Civil disobedience
Some protests do libertarian cause more harm than good.

June 07. 2005 8:00AM

Join the libertarian protest movement. Rip the "illegal to remove"tag off your mattress. Unleash your dog. Toss that apple core out the car window. Walk down the street backward and nude. Prove that you won't stand for government's muddy boot on your neck.

And politicians, be careful. Your votes to pass repressive laws that constrain the freedom of New Hampshire residents will not go unnoticed. On the legislative report card issued by the New Hampshire Liberty Alliance this spring, every member of Concord's House delegation was given a grade of F or F- . A few local reps fared better. David Currier of Henniker was given a C, as were Canterbury's Priscilla Lockwood and Frank Tupper. The best grade in the area, a solid B, went to Hopkinton's Stretch Kennedy.

For the record, it is only illegal for manufacturers and retailers to remove mattress tags. Mattress owners may do so with impunity. But such acts of defiance are roughly in the same league as the antics of the libertarian Mike Fisher of Newmarket. Fisher was arrested last month for performing a manicure without a license in front of the state office that licenses manicurists. Blows against the empire like Fisher's protest are part the legacy of former governor Craig Benson. Look for them to increase.

In one of Benson's many squirrelly acts as governor, he encouraged such antics when he welcomed members of the Free State Project with open arms. Free Staters, who are not affiliated with the official Libertarian Party, plan to move 20,000 like-thinking people to New Hampshire and slowly make inroads in government.

Later this week, as the Monitor'sDaniel Barrick reported on Sunday, libertarian Russell Kanning of Keene will attempt to board a plane at the Manchester airport carrying only a copy of the Declaration of Independence and the Bible. Kanning's libertarian convictions are strong enough that he was willing to publicly admit that he hasn't paid income taxes since 1998 and drives without a license because getting one is a nuisance.
   
John Babiarz, chairman of the New Hampshire Libertarian Party, calls such efforts great political theater. And they can be amusing, even though Kanning's messing with airport security strikes us as foolish.

But to those planning to make a statement, if you're going to park in a No Parking zone or perform surgery without a license, please don't invoke the names of Thoreau and Gandhi to justify your actions. Thoreau was protesting slavery and the war with Mexico when he was jailed. Gandhi was seeking to win independence for his country, not the right to cut hair for money without a barber's license.

Former Libertarian state representative Donald Gorman thinks goofy stunts performed to publicity harm the cause of those who are trying to increase personal liberty. He's right. The proper way to work for change is to do what Gorman did - get involved in government and try to change the rules. As much as it hurts to collaborate with the enemy, change comes most readily by working through the system.

Thoreau did say that "government is best which governs least," but there was more to his statement on civil disobedience. The sage of Walden Pond went on to say, "That government is best which governs not at all, and when men are prepared for it, that will be the kind of government which they will have." Despite what libertarians like Fisher and Kanning think, men -and women - aren't prepared

[Russell Kanning]

Thanks for the find Seth.
I wonder who wrote the article.....does he want us to have more freedom than we have? He instructs us to work within the system....but to what ends?

[Pat K]

Yeah well this Goverment is governing more and more every single day.
Thats not even hyperboyle ,every day some part of local state or city Goverment is adding laws and restricting our freedom.
If we are not fit to govern ourselves how in hell do they think we can choose those who are . They don't, they don't care what any mere citizen wants. Only the wise people of the Goverment and political establisment know what is good for you.

Don't make waves foolish little people, do as we tell you. Pay no attention to lost Liberty.
Since the gentlemen brought up Thoreau, Who here thinks that if he could see his fellow men now, that he would not be horrified. Horrified by our meek acceptance of over reaching authority.

Well if this be "Goofy" lets make the most of it.

[SethCohn]

Thanks for the find Seth.

If you haven't yet, you might want to go to http://www.google.com/alerts
and add a search for your name, so it'll notify you when these hit the web.

Also, Feedster, Technorati, and especially Pubsub for the blogosphere mentions.

[SethCohn]

Other mentions of Russell (thanks to Technorati):

http://suicidegirls.com/news/politics/8999/  (positive)

http://terry.kovax.org/archives/000326.html  (negative)

http://noquarters.blogspot.com/2005_05_01_noquarters_archive.html#111704257349468784 (Positive, slightly)

[Dave Ridley]

<<Promote the Underground! >>

Yes, a simple solution for making everyone happy over this issue is just tell people you are with NHfree.com    It worked great for us last week when the sentinel did a semi-story about our tax protest.   They mentioned nhfree.com , but not FSP.   That way it drives traffic here and also satisfies the bus purists. 

[Michael Fisher]

My reply to the Concord Monitor Editorial:

For the Concord Monitor:

Gandhi and Thoreau comparisons are historically accurate

Dear Editor,

Hello, this is the "Outlaw Manicurist", Mike Fisher.  This is regarding your "Civil Disobedience" editorial on June 7.  You claim that our protests do more harm than good.  I'm sure the same was said of Gandhi or Thoreau at one point in time.

For the record, Thoreau was not only a tax or war protestor.  He believed the US government had no authority over him because governments are not voluntary, they are force.  Gandhi was protesting for independence for his country (this is our goal as well), but his actions were simple and harmless, like boiling saltwater without a license.  Thus, our actions and goals are very similar.

Russell Kanning's event is very similar to Gandhi's first protests.  In South Africa, Gandhi organized civil disobedience to burn I.D. cards that were required for non-whites to travel.  On Saturday, June 11, at noon, at Manchester Airport, Russell will protest against I.D. cards that are required for everyone to travel.

Remember, an I.D. was not required to pass airport security checkpoints until 2 months after 9/11, when the Aviation Security Act nationalized airport security.  These laws are now secret, so he has no idea what law he will be breaking or what the punishment will be.  Is that a morally acceptable system?  And soon we'll have a National ID, just like China.

You may call Russell foolish, and you may believe that Americans are not ready for freedom, but what if you are wrong?  History will be the judge of that, as it has proven that change comes most readily by refusing to work within the system.

Thank you for your coverage!

Mike Fisher
Newmarket, NH

[Lloyd Danforth]

<<Promote the Underground! >>

Yes, a simple solution for making everyone happy over this issue is just tell people you are with NHfree.com? ? It worked great for us last week when the sentinel did a semi-story about our tax protest.? ?They mentioned nhfree.com , but not FSP.? ?That way it drives traffic here and also satisfies the bus purists.?

You could always tell them you're with

The Liberty Tree Society

A division of

New Hampshire Underground

A division of

The ACME corp.

Beep!  Beep!

[YeahItsMeJP]

The Liberty Tree Society name belongs to ANYONE who wants to use it. :-D That was my intention ;-)

JP

[Lloyd Danforth]

I know

It has worked well for me!