FSP News

FSP News

The FSP News is e-mailed on the 15th of the month to those who have chosen to be on the FSP Announcement or Newsletter lists. Please make sure that you are signed up for this monthly newsletter to keep you up to date with all the latest FSP activity.

(Note: If you use a spam filter, please set it to allow emails from info@freestateproject.org and the Free State Project.)


You can still read past issues of The Quill (our previous newsletter).


FSP News - September 2008

FSP News - September 2008

Liberty Forum Registrations Now Open

Registration is NOW open for the 2009 Liberty Forum. Take advantage of the special early bird pricing which includes 2 lunches and 2 dinners. Check out the speakers that have confirmed so far! All the details are at www.freestateproject.org/libertyforum.

FSP Outreach At Events

The FSP will be out and about in the next few weeks. If you are at any of these events take a moment and come by and visit the booth. The FSP will be at:

If you know of other events that the FSP should be at please email the Events Coordinator. Events are one of the best ways to get more people to join the FSP. If you can volunteer to man a booth for an event please email the Events Coordinator.

Protests at the Republican Convention

This MTV reporter's blog chronicles and contrasts the Rally for the Republic and Ripple Effect. For those who don't know, the Rally for the Republic is the first major effort of Ron Paul's Campaign for Liberty -- the kind of event where you're likely to find friends and members of the FSP, and where in fact the FSP was well represented. Ripple Effect was a concert staged by "liberal and progressive" activists.

There is one paragraph from that post that I think is particularly telling:

The Ripple Effect event highlighted an approach to revolution that seems a bit different from the Rally for the Republic's. While people at both gatherings talked about the erosion of civil liberties in the US, the Rally focused on the ways Americans can calmly use the freedoms we have to gain more freedom. At Ripple Effect, activists expressed their anger at the government, and railed against the abuse and injustice that exist.

That's something to be proud of, folks. Everybody can see what's wrong these days, but we know how to fix it and we're calmly and determinedly doing exactly that.

R3VOLution Road Trip: 2,844 Miles

By surrealpolichick

Viva la r3VOLution! Can't talk (hoarse from screaming: "End the Fed"), can't walk (soccer injury after Monday night's Nation Celebration -- you should see the other guy, well, she was an eight year-old, but all's fair in love, war and r3VOLution), can't believe the MSM coverage (USA Today, September 3, 2008: "Ron Paul Hosts Alternative Event... Hundreds of people..." Hundreds? What, are they blind as well as stupid?), can’t get the Aimee Allen song out of my head.

Ron Paul! Save our constitutional rights. Ron Paul! We're not gonna give up the fight! Ron Paul! Start a r3VOLution. Break down these illegal institutions!

Twenty-four-and-a-half hours in a white Windstar decked out with Ron Paul stickers and decals racing from New Hampshire to Minnesota. Five Freestaters, four drivers, three pillows, two video cameras, one cooler. Opening the Atlas for the first time: Holy crap, did you know Minneapolis is half way across the country? 1,442 miles, if you're counting. And, trust me, after a while, you're counting. Or at least, Red is.

Red is our GPS. She will murmur sweet nothings to you all through the night. "Keep to the right, in," pregnant pause, "two miles." When Red demands, "Keep to the left" in Chicago, she will mean it, and when you don't, she will punish you with an extended silence as exits flash by while she takes her own sweet motoring time 'calculating route.' She will seduce you with Pavlovian dings that, somewhere in Ohio, will make you flap your hands like flippers and bark like an otter. By the way, Ohio is, like, motherfrakking H-U-G-E, and nothing happens on the I-80 except to stretch and stretch and stretch, black asphalt, forever. What's the state after Ohio? Delirium.

Keep reading...

Freestaters at the Rally for the Republic and related events

Almost two dozen porcupines worked the crowd at the Ron Paul Revolution Rally in July and they did it again at the Rally for the Republic in the Twin Cities of MN over an extended Labor Day weekend. Free State Project participants attended various protests, marches, picnics, and virtually every Rally for the Republic related event but not before several porcupines on their way to MN from NH stopped at the house of Jason Osborne of Sakal / CAI for a beer and meat break.

Flyers were given out at the Liberty Parade, the final leg of the Great American Walk for Freedom, and several other events on August 31st. Virtually everyone at the Campaign for Liberty Leadership Summit received Free State Project and Free Talk Live flyers while at the same time a team of porcupines distributed bookmarks at Ron Paul's book signing event on September 1st. That night, all of the porcupines and thousands of Ron Paul supports gathered for a free Nation Celebration concert. Free State Project shirts and frisbees were sold near the entrance while flyers were offered to everyone in attendance. The Free State Project had a great booth at the September 2nd Rally for the Republic where Chris Lawless schmoozed with all of the other vendors and sold Free State Project gear. Porcupines manned the exits with flyers. Will Buchanan of Walk for Liberty took a couple days off his walk and made a guest appearance at the Rally for the Republic where he handed out Walk for Liberty cards.

Overall, the Free State Project activism was a great success. Many people heard of the Free State Project and the great opportunities in NH, over one hundred people decided to become friends of the FSP, and thousands of flyers were given out. For a more personal report of the activities check out surrealpolichick's blog (above) or the Ridley Report interview of Jon Maltz and do not forget to take a look at some photos of the events. If there are pro-liberty events in your area that you think the Free State Project should be present at, please email Chris Lawless.

Action of the Month - Friends and Enemas

They're the government and they're here to help. Friends help friends, right? So the government must be my friend. They keep me from doing unsafe things. They keep me from insulting other people. They keep me from making bad decisions. They keep me. I can tell it's true because lots of the bumper stickers I see agree. "Friends don't let friends drive drunk". "Friends don't let friends vote republican" (or democrat). "Friends don't let friends plant perennials". Poor grammar aside, I can tell the government is my friend because they don't let me do so many things. Having friends is good, right? Well, Friends of the FSP are certainly good. Chris's suggestion that we contact real friends of ours and suggest they become friends of the FSP is a very good one. Almost any liberty-minded individual should be a Friends of the FSP. Even those that feel we should not abandon the "lower 49" can see the utility of having a concentrated liberty bloc working to restore freedom. The movement toward freedom, as spearheaded by the Free State Project, will start in New Hampshire. It will clean, shine, and polish the already mostly Free State. From there it will flush through the country, rinsing the socialist matter that is so foreign to the American psyche. It will "blow the tubes" of the Great Ship America, sending the fascist fear-mongers flying into a past best forgotten. The Free State Project will Run through every channel in our country and then throughout the world, purging the back rooms and silent hallways of those that would bind us up with the chains of servitude. The FSP needs friends to make this happen. It needs movers, it needs shakers, it needs participants, donors, and speakers. It needs you. For without the help of real friends, true friends, the FSP will not be able to clear out the enslavers of man. They will build up and clog the highways with their enforcers and wards, they will swell the columns of those living off others, they will obstruct the path to freedom and congest the natural flow of liberty that moves mankind forward. So listen to Chris, he's a good man, and go get some friends, make some friends, be a friend to freedom and Liberty in Our Lifetime.

Merchandise

Show your colors! This election season we'll all see the banners and signs of the... well, let's be polite and call them "hopefuls". (You can fill in the blank yourself as to what they're hopeful FOR...) Anyway, it is possible to show them and everyone else where you stand politically. The FSP "Don't Tread on Me" flag. Fashioned after the Gadsden flag of our Revolutionary War fame, it will declare your independence from politics as usual. Don't forget our other fine FSP products available at http://www.freestateproject.org/store. 100% of all sales go to the FSP. (Note: hats are out-of-stock in all colors)

Join the FSP and help St. Jude Hospital!

Thinking about joining the FSP? Want to help children in need?

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital charitably provides health care to children with cancer and other catastrophic diseases, regardless of their ability to pay. They also do basic research.

If you join the Free State Project by Thursday, September 18th, the hosts of Free Talk Live will donate $10 to St. Jude's Hostpital! That's right -- for every person who signs the FSP Statement of Intent between now and Thursday, Free Talk Live hosts Ian Bernard and Mark Edge will donate $10 to this very worthy charity. Hear their on-air pledge here (fast-forward to 10:00 min.).

Liberty in our Lifetime... and help for children who desperately need it. Please, take advantage of this opportunity. Thank you, Ian and Mark!

Walk for Liberty Update

We've had an action packed month on the Walk For Liberty! About a month ago, a major piece fell out of our Subaru, the crankshaft pulley. We ended up being stranded in the small town of Forsyth, MT for several days. Fortunately, the people we met there were very generous and hospitable, and made us feel right at home.

We ended up having to get our car towed 100 miles back to Billings, MT. But one side benefit was that we were able to get TV coverage at the local NBC affiliate there. In fact, Brooke was featured in the clip!

The media train has been gaining steam ever since then. Not only have we been covered in numerous small town papers, but also in 2 larger ones: the Aberdeen American News and the Watertown Public Opinion.

In other news: a month ago we announced that Brooke and I are getting divorced.....from the state. We decided there's no reason we should have the state involved with our marriage. So after we move to New Hampshire at the conclusion of the Walk For Liberty, we will be getting a divorce from the state.

At long last I finally finished walking through Montana, in which I had been walking for nearly 2 months! I then walked through a sliver of North Dakota (on the first private transcontinental highway in the country, the Yellowstone Trail), and I'm nearly through walking in South Dakota as well.

We got a dog! While we were having our RV fixed in the town of McIntosh, SD, the mechanic who serviced our RV suggested we might need a traveling companion. He had a beautiful Australian Shepherd for which he was looking for a good home. He decided our RV was that home, and that's how we got our new dog, Jake. I'm intending to train Jake to walk with me along the way.

About a week ago, Brooke and I took a few days off from the Walk For Liberty to drive over to Minneapolis and attend Ron Paul's Rally For the Republic. I'm really glad we did, as I made many new contacts and had a great time. In fact, a lady I met at the Rally and her family ended up being the first guest walkers on the Walk For Liberty just a few days ago!

At this point I've walked approximately half way through the country. Since I'm walking over 20 miles a day now, we're planning on arriving in New Hampshire by the end of November. I'm looking forward not only to a successful last half of the Walk, but also to moving to New Hampshire and getting active there!

You can follow my progress on the Walk For Liberty either on my blog or on YouTube. If you would like to subscribe to the YouTube channel, you can do so by clicking here.

[Editor's note: The more media attention this astonishing endeavor receives, the better, so anybody who lives near the route he'll be taking could help out by calling their local media and informing them of the interesting story that's about to stroll through town.]

The Free State Project is an effort to recruit 20,000 liberty-loving people to move to New Hampshire. We are looking for neighborly, productive, tolerant folks from all walks of life, of all ages, creeds, and colors who agree to the political philosophy expressed in our Statement of Intent, that government exists at most to protect people's rights, and should neither provide for people nor punish them for activities that interfere with no one else. freestateproject.org

In New Hampshire

Featured Mover

This month's featured mover is Rich Angel.

Lebanon and Concord are "Dream Towns"

MSNBC compiled a list of the top ten "Dream Towns" in America. Two of them are in New Hampshire.

Free State Blogs

What's happening in New Hampshire with the Free State Project? Free State Blogs attempts to answer that question. Here's just a sampling of this month's blog entries:

The RidleyReport

Videographer, Dave Ridley from NHFree.com is one of our Porcs on the scene in New Hampshire. See some of what's happening in the Free State on the RidleyReport.

Check the NH Calendars

The NH Underground Calendar lists liberty-oriented New Hampshire events. The NH Liberty Calendar also tracks NH events. Check the calendars before a visit or a move - you are welcome to attend NH events!

FSP News Thanks & Statistics

FSP News circulation: 12,551. Back issues are available. Got FSP news? Please submit content by the 12th of the month. Thank you to all advertisers and contributors.

FSP Participants - here are some quick links:

Are you ready to join the FSP, move to New Hampshire and work with us towards Liberty in Our Lifetime? Join here!

Participants: 8,615
Participants in NH: 568
as of September 13, 2008


FSP News - August 2008

FSP News - August 2008

Connecticut Liberty Forum

National Home Education Legal Defense (NHELD) is hosting Connecticut's first annual "Connecticut Liberty Forum" and it will be held September 27-28 in Bristol, Connecticut. This groundbreaking event will be open to the public and to the media, and the FSP will have speaker and a booth. The event runs from 8 am Saturday until 8 pm and then continues on Sunday from 8 am until 2 pm. At the Saturday luncheon Susette Kelo and Michael Cristofaro will be presented with the CT Freedom Fighter Award for their valiant and courageous fight against eminent domain abuse, and then Mr. Cristofaro will speak and tell his story. The Saturday night keynote speaker is Jim Gilchrist, founder of the Minuteman Project, and the Sunday breakfast will feature Robert Levy from the CATO Institute who will speak about Supreme Court decisions that have eroded our liberty.

To find out more information, and to register, please visit nheld.com, or call 860-523-7257. An early bird special pricing is available during the month of August, so register early and save! FSP Particpants get an additional $5 off their tickets if they use the "NHFS" discount code.

New Hampshire 46th State Out of 50... For Taxes

The Tax Foundation tracks lots of information regarding the taxes imposed throughout the U.S.A. Their collection of New Hampshire information emphasizes how much better off a move to New Hampshire can make you. In 2008, Free Staters got to their "Tax Freedom Day" a week before the nation as a whole, and payed 2% less state/local tax than the national average.

Liberty Forum 2009 is Closer Than You Think

Liberty Forum 2008 was a great success. We want to build on that success with Liberty Forum 2009. It will be March 5th - 9th, 2009 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel. We will be announcing speakers shortly.

$10 for the FSP

Will you pledge $10 a month to the FSP for one year? This pledge will help the FSP quickly fund events that pop up, allowing us to make the most of sudden opportunities. Please pledge today.

FSP at C4L Needs Help

Check out the Chip In widget on the Front Page of the FSP website. This Chip In will be used to fund flyers and handouts to the THOUSANDS of people who will be going to the Rally for the Republic in Minnesota. There are going to be lots of FSPer going and this is a great chance for THOUSANDS of people (ACTIVISTS!) to hear about the FSP. We had a great response in DC at the Revolution March and we want to repeat it in MN. Chip in.

Action of the Month - Represent the Remnant

Freedom-minded individuals have been called many things over the years. One of the nicer names is "remnant". Although this word often has religious connections, I think it can, at times, be an apt title. A political remnant, that which is still there after the left and right have finished "choosing up". The remains of the political process when the socialists and fascists have finished chewing on each other's legs. This word, remnant, also implies that there aren't very many. Whether you're at a literary release cocktail party in Manhattan, a futures trader's bar in Chicago, a steelworkers saloon in Dallas, an after-Oscar party in LA, or the local Cheers or McGinley's Bar and Grill, odds are, there won't be many (if any) there that aren't interested in living at the expense of someone else. When there are one of those few occasions where more than one or two liberty-minded people might show up, it makes sense to show up yourself and introduce them to the Free State Project (for those very few who don't yet know about Liberty in Our Lifetime). There are local Libertarian Party gatherings, Ron Paul Meetups, Taxpayer rights groups, eminent domain protests, and other assemblies of zero-aggression types. Word-of-mouth has always been the number one way that people have found out about the Free State Project. Face-time is the best path to true communication. Much better than an anonymous flier, an invective blasted from a megaphone or a nasty letter to the editor. A calm, rational explanation of the Free State Project makes it almost impossible not to fall in love with the idea of free living in a free New Hampshire.

The Free State Project is an effort to recruit 20,000 liberty-loving people to move to New Hampshire. We are looking for neighborly, productive, tolerant folks from all walks of life, of all ages, creeds, and colors who agree to the political philosophy expressed in our Statement of Intent, that government exists at most to protect people's rights, and should neither provide for people nor punish them for activities that interfere with no one else. freestateproject.org

In New Hampshire

Portsmouth One of the Top Ten Places to Live

Outside Magazine has rated Portsmouth as one of the best places to live in the U.S.A. They like the do-it-yourself attitude and indie culture of the town.

Free State Blogs

What's happening in New Hampshire with the Free State Project? Free State Blogs attempts to answer that question. Here's just a sampling of this month's blog entries:

The RidleyReport

Videographer, Dave Ridley from NHFree.com is one of our Porcs on the scene in New Hampshire. See some of what's happening in the Free State on the RidleyReport.

Check the NH Calendars

The NH Underground Calendar lists liberty-oriented New Hampshire events. The NH Liberty Calendar also tracks NH events. Check the calendars before a visit or a move - you are welcome to attend NH events!

FSP News Thanks & Statistics

FSP News circulation: 12,541. Back issues are available. Got FSP news? Please submit content by the 12th of the month. Thank you to all advertisers and contributors.

FSP Participants - here are some quick links:

Are you ready to join the FSP, move to New Hampshire and work with us towards Liberty in Our Lifetime? Join here!

Participants: 8,524
Participants in NH: 551
as of August 12, 2008


FSP News - July 2008

FSP News - July 2008

District of Columbia et al. v. Heller

By now, you've probably heard of the supreme court decision in District of Columbia et al. v. Heller, a.k.a the DC Gun Ban trial, but if not, allow me to be the bearer of good news. The court concluded, in part, that:

The Second Amendment protects an individual right to possess a firearm unconnected with service in a militia, and to use that arm for traditionally lawful purposes, such as self-defense within the home.

What you may not know is that Rich Heller, who started that whole ball rolling, is a participant in the Free State Project. I look forward to seeing what project this principled (and effective!) activist takes on next.

Michael Hampton, over at Homeland Stupidity, has some additional discussion of the court decision and the reactions to it.

Freestaters at the Ron Paul Revolution Rally

The Free State Project was well represented at the Ron Paul Revolution Rally in DC on July 12th.  The rally was headed up by two Free State Project participants and was a great success, attracting thousands of liberty lovers.  20 Porcupines, half from the DC-area and the rest visiting from New Hampshire, handed out close to 2000 flyers to the crowd, got 133 newsletter sign ups and 8 new FSP participants. Varrin Swearingen, the past president of the FSP, also spoke during the rally and Ron Paul gave his praise to the over 40 Ron Paul supporters running for office in New Hampshire.  Some pictures of Porcupines at the rally have been posted to Flickr and a video from the event has been posted to YouTube.  A longer write up has been posted by Varrin at his blog.  If there are pro-liberty events in your area that you think the FSP should be present at, please email Chris Lawless.

The Next 1000 Pledge

If you wanted to sign the First 1000 pledge, but couldn't commit to such an early move, take heart. The Next 1000 pledge has been launched. If it's as successful as the First 1000, participants can be proudly responsible for nearly doubling the number of freestaters in New Hampshire.

PorcFest Wrap-Up

PorcFest just keeps getting bigger and better.  This year featured 8 local bands, over 50 exhibitors, a Sakal/CAI sponsored Fun Tent, professional bus tours, greater media coverage, diverse hikes, kids activities, and much more.  Thank you to everyone who traveled both near and far to attend, as well as the many volunteers and donors who made PorcFest possible.  For pictures from the festival, visit the PorcFest 2008 Photo Gallery.  If you have pictures that aren't there and would like them to be, email the photos to porcfest@freestateproject.org .   Similarly, please email that address if we are missing any coverage (blog posts, articles, videos, etc.) of the festival on our press page.  If you have suggestions/requests for PorcFest 2009, please email them to rgoldman@freestateproject.org.  Until next year, keep on advancing Liberty in our Lifetime. 

PorcFest was featured on two New Hampshire community television programs. They are also available on the web — enjoy!
Capitol Access
Free Minds TV

PorcFest also garnered an article in The New Hampshire Union Leader.

Action of the Month - Help porc, help

See porc run. Run porc, run. See porc run for office. See porc knock on door. Knock on door, porc. Knock porc, knock. Porc is alone. See porc knock on door alone. See porc knock again. Hear porc talk. Talk porc talk. Hear porc talk about freedom. Talk freedom, porc. See porc talk alone. See porc mailing letters. Mail porc, mail. See porc stamp letter. Stamp porc stamp. See porc stamp alone. See porc buy stamps. Buy porc, buy. See porc reach in pocket. Reach porc, reach. See porc has empty pocket. See empty pocket of porc. See empty yard. No sign in yard. See voters not see. Voters have not heard porc. Voters do not know porc. See voters pull wrong lever. Wrong voters, wrong. See country go to hell. To hell country, hell. See porc cry. Cry porc, cry. Too late porc. Porc, too late. No, not too late. See porc help. See porc help porc. See porc and porc help. Help porc, help.

The tone of this month's "action" is, of course, in no way a response to the e-spanking received concerning last month's rather circumlocutional "action".

Merchandise

They're mystical, they're magical, they're magnets! These things are really cool. They stick to metal. Don't ask me how. You just hold it close and thwp!, the next thing you know, it's stuck there. But not permanently. You can pull it off with a slight tug. And -make sure you're sitting down for this- you can stick it back up again. I'm telling you, these things are amazing. Why I bet if this were a couple of hundred years ago, we'd be burned as a witch for slapping one of these against a refrigerator. Well, I guess they didn't have... Anyway, these things are really cool. Now, how about this as a way to spread the news of Liberty in Our Lifetime. Stick one of these beautiful magnets up, you know, somewhere kinda public, and soon enough someone will come by, see it, and probably take it. Who knows how many people will see it then as they show it off their friends and family. (Hopefully their friends and family are a bit more morally advanced.) If it does stay up, think of how many people will see it. I was thinking of neat places to put these. Places where there are highly visible steel surfaces. Signs of all types are often made of ferrous material. Lavatory dividers might be an interesting place to display one of the eight different varieties of FSP magnets. That particular placement possesses the added benefit of the audience being rather...captive. Doors, cars, safes, chairs, railings, shelves, poles, benches, and many other things are likely targets for the always sticky, but never tacky FSP magnets.

Don't forget to check out all the other items in the store, and imagine ways to put them to good use. And never, ever, confuse the weber (Wb) with the tesla(T)

Walk for Liberty Gets Media Coverage

After only a couple of months on the road, the Walk for Liberty is beginning to attract the attention of the mainstream local media. On day 61 of the Walk for Liberty coverage, Will Buchanan discusses a positive article appearing in the Lewiston Tribune.

Jason Sorens On "Political Animals"

Jason Sorens, the founder of the Free State Project, was recently interviewed on the WBGU radio show "Political Animals." You can read a little bit about the show here, and listen to it here.

The Free State Project is an effort to recruit 20,000 liberty-loving people to move to New Hampshire. We are looking for neighborly, productive, tolerant folks from all walks of life, of all ages, creeds, and colors who agree to the political philosophy expressed in our Statement of Intent, that government exists at most to protect people's rights, and should neither provide for people nor punish them for activities that interfere with no one else. freestateproject.org

In New Hampshire

Recent Mover:Rene

Volunteers Needed for Live Free or Die Rally

The Third Annual Live Free Or Die Celebration Benefit Rally: Bands, renowned speakers, vendors, cannons, demonstrations, barbecues & more! Free secluded camping & facilities with mountain views 5 min. from main event. After-hours party, cannons, salutes, bands (mindsetx, dreamline and more.) Volunteers must attend a meeting on Aug 22, the event is Aug 23. You will receive a free tshirt and the tasks are simple. Please give a few hours of your time! Volunteers meeting on Friday, August 22, 7 PM at Dillon Lodge.Interested parties should contact: Caacp01@aol.com

Free State Blogs

What's happening in New Hampshire with the Free State Project? Free State Blogs attempts to answer that question. Here's just a sampling of this month's blog entries:

The RidleyReport

Videographer, Dave Ridley from NHFree.com is one of our Porcs on the scene in New Hampshire. See some of what's happening in the Free State on the RidleyReport.

Check the NH Calendars

The NH Underground Calendar lists liberty-oriented New Hampshire events. The NH Liberty Calendar also tracks NH events. Check the calendars before a visit or a move - you are welcome to attend NH events!

FSP News Thanks & Statistics

FSP News circulation: 12,389. Back issues are available. Got FSP news? Please submit content by the 12th of the month. Thank you to all advertisers and contributors.

FSP Participants - here are some quick links:

Are you ready to join the FSP, move to New Hampshire and work with us towards Liberty in Our Lifetime? Join here!

Participants: 8,458
Participants in NH: 540
as of July 13, 2008


FSP News - June 2008

FSP News - June 2008

PorcFest Across The Web

Stories about PorcFest are popping up on liberty-oriented sites all across the web: The New Jersey Libertarian Party and the Atlasphere are running articles by Rich Goldman. The Liberty Sentinel of Floria is running an article by Erik McLean. The New Hampshire Free Press is running an article by Kat Kanning. Anarchy In Your Head has a fun four-panel cartoon.

Web-based editorials and cartoons are a great way to spread the message of liberty and the Free State Project. It's easy to share URLs with your friends, and it's very rewarding to write an article and get it published on a website you admire. Give it a try!

Walk For Liberty Still Moving Along

Will Buchanan is still walking his way across the country, hoping to focus attention on the Free State Project and the ideals of liberty. Check out his daily video blog to get a sense of this remarkable adventure, and don't forget to share it with your friends.

Action of the Month - Let Us be the collectivist pigs, er cats.

The agon will be long and hard. It will be followed by another agon. That will be followed by yet another. There has never been a proagon, and there will never be a parabasis. Those who grasp for power will forever be grasping, and thank the gods, there will always be those who will grapple with them to wrest the power away, pulverize it, and scatter it into the void. Yet, you can be sure that it will coalesce again, little bit, by little bit, as if it were conjured together by some evil magus, bent on domination, or worse, "doing right". There will be many around him, the sycophants, who want little more than to be in the graces of a "great man". There will be hoplites, eager to brutally enforce their master's will, grateful to indulge their vicious inclinations in the name of a "higher good". There will be the masses, whether ovine or bovine, going along and staying intact, or going along and getting ground up, consumed and egested by the voracious appetite that always accompanies power. And then there are the enablers [spit]. These are the pernicious ones. They work for the goal, whatever the leader's goal is. They are often smart and capable. They "feel" what they're doing is right, perhaps without thinking much about it. They have a sense of purpose, given to them by their leader, by their group, by their attention to their goal. They suffer the sycophants, holding back what they know they don't want to hear. They praise the hoplites, heaping honor and eulogies upon those carrying out the conclusion of their edicts. They shear the sheeple and present it to the leader, hoping for praise and adulation, hoping for a sense of having done their part, hoping for permission to sleep soundly at night. And they butcher the cows, turning people who, more likely than not, are just living out their lives, trying to do their best to get along in a complex world. Instead of getting along, they "git along" right into the paddock, and if they do not concede to the wishes of the leader, they are pressed into the stockyard, vivisected, segmented, and fed into the grinder. There are others. There are those who will not genuflect to the leader, who will not go silently to the abattoir. They agitate. They resist. They fight. These are the sheepdogs. These are they who watch the watchmen. These are the grapplers. These are the brave ones, these rugged individuals who care greatly for truth, honor, and justice and less for platitudes, baubles, and other people's opinion. These singular knights of freedom press bravely against the leader and his hordes in a never-ending struggle. If only there were more of these lonely paladins. The strength of one is mighty indeed, the effect of many would be compound. But alas, as the leader's horde are of the same ilk; socialized, group affiliated, hive-like, the forces of the noble paladins are fragmented, discrete, singular. The greatest Action I can imagine would be the cooperation of these knights. The setting aside of the twenty percent difference in opinions and striving valiantly to bring the eighty percent, the common ground, to fruition would be the greatest feat of all. It is a doable feat. Working together, whether victual or victor, on what can be agreed to. And as circumstance would have it, there's even a place where it can be done - Newest Hampshire. Don't let freedom's singular voices be like a drop of rain on that log in the forest, but together as part of a mighty wave, bellowing and crashing on the rocky shore, that echoes far inland.

Merchandise

All the specials on merchandise can be had by simply... pardon me a moment. (What did you say? Where?) Well, it seems the store will be at the PorcFest this weekend. No waiting for shipments to arrive, you know how boring it is waiting around the mail box for days. You can handle the merchandise before buying it, gently of course, and don't even think about eating a chocolate bar beforehand. All the glorious t-shirts and magnets in full, living color right before your eyes, well not all exactly living, the FSP bonsai tree idea didn't exactly pan out. You can marvel first-hand at shape of the lettering in the Pocket Constitution, you can stand in awe of the aerodynamic brilliance that is the Porc flying disc, you could be entranced by the dazzling radiance of the FSP diamond tiara, could be, but that idea didn't pan out so well either. But, if koozies and wristbands and hats and stickers and outrageously cute porcupine puppets make your heart palpitate then come buy, I mean, come by and see the stuff. For those of you unable to be at PorcFest, if you're very, very quiet, you might be able to make out the sounds of the PorcFest from all the way in New Hampshire. If you hear something that sounds like nanny-nanny-boo-boo! I'm sure it won't be me, cause I'm going and you're not.

Freestaters At The Revolution March

Join dozens of Freestaters as they converge in Washington DC on July 12th at the Ron Paul Revolution March. We will meet up with thousands of Ron Paul supporters many of whom agree with the FSP message. If you would like more details please contact clawless@freestateproject.org.

The Free State Project is an effort to recruit 20,000 liberty-loving people to move to New Hampshire. We are looking for neighborly, productive, tolerant folks from all walks of life, of all ages, creeds, and colors who agree to the political philosophy expressed in our Statement of Intent, that government exists at most to protect people's rights, and should neither provide for people nor punish them for activities that interfere with no one else. freestateproject.org

In New Hampshire

Recent Mover: Jeremy in Manchester

Dave Ridley interviews early mover Jeremy about his reasons for moving, and why he's glad he made the move.

Varrin Swearingen was on Behind The Mike

On June 7th, Varrin Swearingen was on Behind The Mike, talking about liberty and the Free State Project.

FSP Friend Free Talk Live Goes International

Free Talk Live is now being broadcast in Trinidad & Tobago, in addition to over 40 stations in the United States. FTL's outreach efforts for the FSP are invaluable, and now, international as well.

Free State Blogs

What's happening in New Hampshire with the Free State Project? Free State Blogs attempts to answer that question. Here's just a sampling of this month's blog entries:

The RidleyReport

Videographer, Dave Ridley from NHFree.com is one of our Porcs on the scene in New Hampshire. See some of what's happening in the Free State on the RidleyReport.

Check the NH Calendars

The NH Underground Calendar lists liberty-oriented New Hampshire events. The NH Liberty Calendar also tracks NH events. Check the calendars before a visit or a move - you are welcome to attend NH events!

An Offer To FSP Members, From Third Wave Systems S.A. And Learn4x.com LLC

For those interested in permanently securing their financial future, rapidly eliminating all debt, and developing an independent, sovereign-secure career that may be practiced privately from a home office almost anywhere in the world, we offer you this invitation to learn how to trade in the world currency, or foreign exchange markets known as Forex.

This is an exclusive private offer to take advantage of a course unlike any other in Forex trading education. You will be taught under the personal guidance of two world-class traders in a comprehensive, live, hands-on 6-day seminar.

IMPORTANT: This offer is by private invitation only. When registering for the class, please be certain to mention that you were referred by The Free State Project.

FSP News Thanks & Statistics

FSP News circulation: 12,381. Back issues are available. Got FSP news? Please submit content by the 12th of the month. Thank you to all advertisers and contributors.

FSP Participants - here are some quick links:

Are you ready to join the FSP, move to New Hampshire and work with us towards Liberty in Our Lifetime? Join here!

Participants: 8,410
Participants in NH: 538
as of June 15, 2008


FSP News - May 2008

FSP News - May 2008

PorcFest

The 5th Annual Porcupine Freedom (and Music) Festival is almost here!

Set among the scenic surroundings of Gunstock Mountain Resort in Gilford, New Hampshire, this year's PorcFest promises to be bigger and better-sounding than ever. There are myriad activities for attendees, including a Lakes Region road rally, gun shoots, fishing, hiking, camping, CPR/AED certification classes, workshops, guest speakers, and games! Don't miss the exhibitors/vendors area, highlighting some of the best products, services, and pro-liberty organizations in the state. See what fun awaits you, with our PorcFest preview video. The event takes place June 9-15, 2008.

Come for the music; stay for liberty! This year PorcFest will have two days of live musical performances on an outdoor stage, as well as informal singing and guitar playing around the campfire each night, and open-mic performances.

For those of you who want to explore the Free State, this year we are expanding the statewide bus tours. Daily trips include the Seacoast area (Dover, Portsmouth), Manchester, Concord/Grafton, Keene, and the Lakes Region. Find your new home: This is a great way to learn about the real estate, politics, and social aspects of the Free State.

PorcFest is a great place to meet other lovers of liberty. Enjoy the fellowship, and discover new friendships and new freedoms by signing up today. If you are planning to attend, please sign up (tickets are required) and make your lodging arrangements ASAP.

There are plenty of ways you can help make the festival a success, even if you aren't planning to attend:

  1. Provide an item or two for the Silent Auction. We're looking for Liberty and non-Liberty themed stuff. Anything cool that you think would sell if auctioned is welcomed. To provide an item, or to help with the auction at the festival, please email Kate Marshall.
  2. Spread the word about the festival. Tell your friends, family, and co-workers about the FSP and the opportunity to check it out at PorcFest. Distribute our Press Release, post our BlogAd, hand out our flyer or SlimJim, talk up the festival on web forums, or whatever other marketing activities you can do.
  3. Donate money. PorcFest is an expensive event to produce and its financial success is based on attendee ticket sales and donations. All donations go to PorcFest; none of the organizers are paid. To support the festival, either use our ChipIn module, or use the services of GoodSearch or GoodShop.

New Hampshire Winning Awards

Last issue, we reported that New Hampshire had been ranked as the most livable state in the union by the analysts at CQ Media. That's not the only field in which New Hampshire ranks well, though: it's also the safest state and the second-healthiest state.

Action of the Month - Stimulating Porcupines

For those of us who haven't managed to avoid the grasp of the IRS, a certain bit of largess may be headed our way. The politicos are calling it a "stimulus", and, oddly enough, so do I. However, fear not brave porcs, for I speak not of economic repercussions, but of philosophical and literary excitement. To quote a quote: "My mind is aglow with whirling, transient nodes of thought careening through a cosmic vapor of invention." As such, my irony potentiometer is pegged in the red. So many possibilities, so few inflated dollars. I could rip up the check to drive them crazy by having an outstanding check lying around. No, that wouldn't work, they'd just take the money back after a while. I could spend it on something illicit, thus keeping that money out of the eyes and clutches of the money police. No, that wouldn't help much, eventually it winds up in a government bank (or politician's pocket). How about cashing the check in for one-dollar bills and papering my walls with it. No, it might look cool, but it seems like a lot of work. How about cashing the check in for pennies and then selling them as copper? Well, let's see, that'd be about 330 pounds of pennies, and copper is around $3.50 a pound, hey you could make a fair profit. No, wait, there's probably a law about smelting pennies. And, oh yeah, pennies aren't really made of copper anyway - I wonder what zinc goes for these days? No, I guess that's not a good idea. I could use those dollars, sorry, Federal Reserve Notes to buy a car! No wait, they cost too much. A big-screen TV? No, they cost too much. A nice gaming computer? No, they cost more than this paltry pittance bequeathed to me by our, no scratch that, those politicians in Washington. (Wow, just think how fast George [the good one, or at least, better one] must be spinning in his grave over that bit of nomenclature.) Taking a quick guesstimate it looks like this may be a six-hundredths-of-a-percent tax discount, not quite the stuff dreams are made of.

Hmm, depending on whether or not I want the money to go to China (and then back to the FED), I could just go to Wal-mart and buy some stuff. Although, there are still some American firearms manufactures, maybe my thirst for irony could be thusly quenched. Buying some quality American cigarettes would also serve well to blow some smoke up their, well, chimneys. But you know what, in the end I think maybe liberty could use some stimulating, perhaps the Free State Project could make use of this unexpected windfall. Supplying the means to aid in their own diminishment has a sort of romantic, though deliciously sardonic, quality to it.

Merchandise

We've all seen "Old Glory" fluttering in the breeze (or at least on late-late-night television, just before the screen goes chhhhhhhhhhhh). Despite all the negatives and the current state of affairs, I occasionally find myself feeling a certain pride in that standard which has stood for freedom, liberty, and hope for the oppressed around the world. But as time goes on, and as the ubiquitous stars and stripes can be seen on everything from underpants and shoelaces to ads for toothpaste and used car lots, I feel a bit of separation from that banner that has called so many to our shores. What can there be to replace it? What standard can be held aloft with pride and surety? Dare we "hold the red star proudly high in hand?" I think not. Maybe we can adopt a previous ensign, one that was proudly held with a bloodied but defiant hand at the creation of this land of the free. The Bunker Hill flag with it's blue field, green tree, ...and... OK, Breed's hill, don't be so persnickety. Perhaps instead, we should adopt a fictional creation, with red bar sinister and brass cannon. No, we must leave that for our distant descendants who may very well be able to plant it themselves in the airless soil of Artemis' bosom. How about we show the bold, blue flag of the Libertarian Party, with Lady Liberty holding her torch on high for all to see? OK, ok, maybe not, big "L" and little "l" people can get sooooo touchy. My suggestion is this, the flag of the Free State Project! Yes, we had a flag made if you didn't know. Modeled on the "Don't Tread on Me" Gadsden flag, it has the FSP web site address along the hoist, and an honest, minding-it's-own-business-but-I'll-skewer-you-if-you-screw-with-me porcupine in the center. You'll feel no shame raising this above home and hearth (or covering your windows, if you're one of those college dorm types). Two styles are available in the FSP store, grommets in four corners, or pole sleeve top and bottom.

The Free State Project is an effort to recruit 20,000 liberty-loving people to move to New Hampshire. We are looking for neighborly, productive, tolerant folks from all walks of life, of all ages, creeds, and colors who agree to the political philosophy expressed in our Statement of Intent, that government exists at most to protect people's rights, and should neither provide for people nor punish them for activities that interfere with no one else. freestateproject.org

In New Hampshire

The New Hampshire Advantage Coalition's Tax-Capping Initiative

The New Hampshire Advantage Coalition is helping residents in several townships work to put caps on their local taxes. Judging by the tone of this Concord Monitor article, this is provoking abundant confusion and uncertainty on the part of city governments used to having an unlimited power to spend the hard-earned money of their residents.

Dave Ridley and His Illegal Puppets

Dave Ridley has been trying to shine a light on an initiative to remove junk laws from the books, by performing with puppets. Thanks to a ridiculous law dating back to 1850, these puppet shows are illegal. Ridley gave a short interview in the Concord Monitor on his act of civil disobedience.

New Hampshire Gets a Pink Pistols Chapter

Ryan Marvin, a porcupine previously from Texas, is getting a New Hampshire chapter of the Pink Pistols going. The Pink Pistols is an organization that helps people learn to use firearms for self-defense, focusing particularly on teaching gay people how to protect themselves. Find out more from this short interview in the Concord Monitor.

Update on Events in Grafton

In March we ran an article by Rich Angell describing a recent town hall meeting in Grafton. He has since written a follow-up article describing some of the further outcomes of that event, along with the general political status of New Hampshire. Both articles ran in the Idaho Observer.

May Issue of the new Hampshire Free Press Now Online

In the current issue, you'll find:

 

Free State Blogs

What's happening in New Hampshire with the Free State Project? Free State Blogs attempts to answer that question. Here's just a sampling of this month's blog entries:

 

The RidleyReport

Videographer, Dave Ridley from NHFree.com is one of our Porcs on the scene in New Hampshire. See some of what's happening in the Free State on the RidleyReport.

Check the NH Calendars

The NH Underground Calendar lists liberty-oriented New Hampshire events. The NH Liberty Calendar also tracks NH events. Check the calendars before a visit or a move - you are welcome to attend NH events!

FSP News Thanks & Statistics

FSP News circulation: 12362. Back issues are available. Got FSP news? Please submit content by the 12th of the month. Thank you to all advertisers and contributors.

FSP Participants - here are some quick links:

Are you ready to join the FSP, move to New Hampshire and work with us towards Liberty in Our Lifetime? Join here!

Participants: 8,354
Participants in NH: 530
as of May 13, 2008


FSP News - April 2008

FSP News - April 2008

PorcFest 2008

PorcFest is less than two months away. Tickets are inexpensive and required to attend the festival and certain activities. Lodging is available, but our exclusive hold on campsites and hotels will end by April 25th and be opened to the thousands of Bike Week attendees. Therefore, sign up and make your lodging arrangements ASAP.

Also, an essential aspect of PorcFest is the ability to interact with new people. If you have a business, an organization, or simply want a soapbox for your views, please take advantage of the opportunities PorcFest provides and register as a vendor/exhibitor. Our rates are inexpensive and you will be able to reach hundreds of potential customers, volunteers, and supporters.

A new aspect to PorcFest this year will be the outdoor concerts on the weekend. For a taste of the bands that will be performing check out:

 

Last but not least, PorcFest needs your help and there are several ways you can help in the success of the festival:

Donate:

PorcFest is an expensive event to produce and its financial success is based on attendee ticket sales and donations. All donations go to PorcFest (none of the organizers are paid) and will cover expenses ranging from facility and equipment rental to marketing. Especially if you will not be attending the festival, a donation is a meaningful way to support the event and the FSP. To donate, either use the ChipIn widget to the left or become a sponsor when you register.

Promote:

Bring/drag along your friends, co-workers, and family and post announcements to the email-lists, forums, and groups you belong. PorcFest is a great way to show people what this Free State Project and New Hampshire thing (you've hopefully been mentioning) is about. You can put your pitch in your own words (tends to be the more powerful) or use some of our pre-made material: SlimJim Handout, Flyers, News Articles, Website Ad, and Videos. If you'd like any printed material sent to you, email porcfest@freestateproject.org with your name, address, and the amount you would like.

Volunteer:

During the festival, people will be needed to help with and perform a variety of tasks. When you register, please tell us in the Volunteering section of the form where you would like to help. Training and instructions are provided for everything.

Buy & Search:

The Free State Project has account with GoodSearch which enables us to receive donations based on the searches and purchases of our members. All you need to do is use GoodSearch when you search, and GoodShop when you shop. Please use the links provided here which will automatically specify the FSP as your desired beneficiary.

Action of the Month - Become an Advertising Mogul

There are millions of people out there. Out there in the "lower 49", following along with the crowd, unaware of the possibilities offered by freedom and liberty. They walk as neither living nor dead, with empty minds and hearts, the promise of personal gain scrubbed from their psyche by the collectivist chant of "all for all". They are like zombies shuffling along with broken limbs. They work like automatons, repetitious and programmed, with few original thoughts, and no fresh ideas. They know that a new thing, successfully produced, will only lead to derision, envy, and contempt from the have-nots and can-nots that are all too pervasive in big-mouth media and tiny-brain academia. So they work on, day after day, in a slick, well-oiled world where doing as you're told is held up as a reward in itself. And what do we have to offer? Do we say to them, "Come join the shuffling up here? We have metal polish and silicone grease?" No, we say, "Come join the eternal vigil for freedom! Come enjoy the anti-virus for your vassalage! Come free your soul to soar among the clear skies and open air of the Free State!" At first, they may not hear you, they may not understand. Remember they have been taught since birth to go-along and get-along. They may never have had a friend or neighbor tell them that it's OK to think like a citizen with responsibilities and privileges. They only think of themselves as victims and subjects with shifting rights, capriciously enforced. So we say to them, "Come free yourselves from the rigid program of "like-everyone-else". Come peel away the cold, metal shell used as protection from the overly PC, overly vindictive crowds. Replace the wires and steel in your arms and legs with the true flesh and true blood of actual humans." We speak gently, with confidence and truth. "Come to New Hampshire with the Free State Project, come home to liberty."

So, to make a short story long, the Action of the Month is: Advertise! Spread the word to the unwashed masses. Get out ye olde crow bar, break open the wallet and buy some advertising in your local paper. In smaller papers, you can find ways to place ads for little or no cost. You can make a sign and stand on a street corner. Get your local group together and pitch in for a radio spot, set fliers on store counters, pass out leaflets at spring festivals, tax rallies, sporting events, etc, etc, etc. With freed minds like yours, I'm sure you can think of more possibilities than I can. The ads don't have to be some long, drawn out explanation or polemic against The State; maybe just a kindly finger pointing out the shining beacon on the hill. Take a little time and advertise Liberty in Our Lifetime.

Request for Local Media Contacts

To help spread the word about the FSP, Porcfest and other events, we're asking our members outside NH to please send in the email address of their local newspaper(s), TV, and news/talk radio stations. Our membership growth is definitely tied to our media exposure, and making a direct outreach to media outlets across the country (and world) will help. Please send the media outlet's name/call letters and the contact email(s) to publicity@freestateproject.org.

FSP Conference Calls

A bi-weekly FSP conference call has been started. Occurring every other Wednesday @ 9pm eastern, the next call will be April 16th @ 9pm eastern. To participate, simply dial 1-785-686-2400 and use the Participant Access Code 72682. The discussion on the 16th will revolve around the marketing of the FSP, the status of PorcFest, communication with and activism of early movers, and questions or subjects attendees would like to raise. If you have any items you'd like to have added to the agenda, for either this or a future call, please email Rich Goldman or post to the FSP Forum.

Merchandise

Nothing new in merchandise. It's just the same old stuff. Tee-shirts are nice. We have different colors. We have different sizes. They all have porcupines on them. We have a bumper sticker. It has a porcupine on it. We have a bookmark. That has a porcupine on it. We have a pin. There's a porcupine on it. There's a really cool, custom Buck knife. It has a porcupine on it. Oh, and this bright yellow Ultimate flying disc. That has a porcupine on it. And there's these neat Koozie can cooler things from PorcFest '05. They have a porcupine on them. We have these blue, stretchy wristbands with the URL and Liberty in Our Lifetime on them. And a porcupine. My favorite of all are the soft, cuddly plushie animals that come in two sizes. They're porcupines.

Free State Match

Line up your sights and take aim for fun and freedom with the Free State Match #5.

Are freedom and liberty in the cards? Will we once again be kings of our own sovereign selves? Will we end up as queens or queans? No matter what, don't jack around but take part in this challenging shooting match. Here's the deal, place 5 playing cards on a target, a deuce (a 2 of any suite) and 4 aces, now shoot the 6 marks on the cards. You have 15 shots in one minute to "break the ink". If you shoot with a scoped rifle, do it at 200ft, iron-sight rifle at 100ft, pistols at 15ft. Why a two and four aces? It spells out 20,000 (well, sort of), as we're shooting for 20,000 liberty-minded people to lead New Hampshire and the world to Liberty in Our Lifetime.

Scoring change: 1 point for each card hit, 2 points for each center mark (pip) hit.

For all you jokers out there, perfect scores will be highly suspect. :)

Walk for Liberty Update

The start of the Walk For Liberty is almost upon us! Tomorrow, April 14, my wife Brooke, my brother John, and I will start the Walk For Liberty from Seaside, OR. I'm going to be starting the walk right from the water, and will walk all the way across the country to the seacoast of New Hampshire.

We're making this walk to do our part to reverse the trend of the government encroaching on our liberties. We're walking to raise awareness of two freedom-oriented causes: the Free State Project's idea of liberty-lovers all moving to New Hampshire, and presidential candidate Ron Paul's message of freedom and individual responsibility.

Preparations for the Walk

The last month or so Brooke and I had been getting ready to move from Hawaii: purging unnecessary items, figuring out what to take with us on the walk, and packing up the rest of it to ship to New Hampshire for when we move there at the conclusion of the walk.

On April 3, Brooke and I flew to Washington state where we stayed with relatives for about a week. John flew in and joined us on April 8. While there, we bought an RV to use as a support vehicle for the walk and a car to shuttle us back and forth. We made final preparations to get ready for the walk, including doing work on the RV to make sure it's ready for a cross-country trip.

Currently

For the past 2 nights we've been living in our RV in a Wal-Mart parking lot in Lacey, WA. We've been finishing up some maintenance work on the RV as well as getting some supplies we will need.

Today we drive down to Oregon -- in about an hour we will head out for the three hour drive down there. We'll stay overnight at an RV part, and then tomorrow start the Walk!

For More Info

I've shot a couple videos recently to document our last minute preparations: Video 1, Video 2.

John has also written a nice blog post: Starting the Walk for Liberty.

You can visit my blog for more ongoing updates, or visit the Walk For Liberty home page.

-- Will Buchanan

New Hampshire is Once Again the Most Livable State

According to the CQ Press annual state ranking, New Hampshire is the most livable state in the union. This is the fifth consecutive year that New Hampshire has won that honor. To all those liberty lovers languishing in states near the bottom of the list: you're in the wrong place. Come home to New Hampshire.

The Free State Project is an effort to recruit 20,000 liberty-loving people to move to New Hampshire. We are looking for neighborly, productive, tolerant folks from all walks of life, of all ages, creeds, and colors who agree to the political philosophy expressed in our Statement of Intent, that government exists at most to protect people's rights, and should neither provide for people nor punish them for activities that interfere with no one else. freestateproject.org

In New Hampshire

Governor Meets with NHLiberty

The Governor of NH met with the NH Liberty Alliance to restate his commitment against Real-ID. Thanks BikerBill for the video!

Varrin Swearingen on Ron Paul Radio

FSP Media Spokesperson Varrin Swearingen was interviewed on Ron Paul Radio. Click here to listen!

Dave Ridley Interviews Movers

Dave Ridley is producing a series of videos interviewing Free State Project members who have "made the move!"

The RidleyReport

Videographer, Dave Ridley from NHFree.com is one of our Porcs on the scene in New Hampshire. See some of what's happening in the Free State on the RidleyReport.

Check the NH Calendars

The NH Underground Calendar lists liberty-oriented New Hampshire events. The NH Liberty Calendar also tracks NH events. Check the calendars before a visit or a move - you are welcome to attend NH events!

Manchester one of the "Best Places to Live and Launch"

Fortune Small Business has rated Manchester #13 out of 100 best places to live and launch a business in 2008.

NHLA Day at the Races

Come volunteer at the NASCAR race track in Louden! All funds raised through your hard work will be used to support pro-liberty candidates in the November general election. The more the merrier (and the bigger our bonus!).

The event takes place on Saturday, September 13th. Contact Carol McGuire for more information.

New Hampshire Free Press

The April issue of the New Hampshire Free Press is now available online. The issue contains

Free State Blogs

Free State Blogs is now featured on the Free State Project home page!
What's happening in New Hampshire with the Free State Project? Free State Blogs attempts to answer that question. Here's just a sampling of this month's blog entries:

 

Letters to the Editor

DownsizeDC

Hi, Ian and Mark here from Free Talk Live. We're big fans of DownsizeDC.org. In a recent interview, two-time, Free State Project, Liberty Forum speaker and DownsizeDC.org President, Jim Babka, told Wikinews...

"DownsizeDC.org is an organization that makes it easy for every day citizens, with jobs and busy lives, to express their wishes to their two Senators and Representative. It's free and quite easy to use. The DownsizeDC.org system combines education, recruitment, and activism into one simple, seamless process.

"And once someone sends a message, they begin receiving our free email newsletter, or as we prefer to describe it, they become part of the Downsize DC Army. Voltaire said, "God tends to be on the side of the bigger battalions." And we're looking to build the Downsize DC Army so large that Congress cannot afford to ignore us - so big that we can get our message of small, Constitutionally-limited government out everywhere."

You can read the rest of that interview here.

We strongly believe that DownsizeDC.org represents effective, long-term activism. And that's why Jim Babka is a regular guest on our show. It's also why we recommend that YOU check out DownsizeDC.org, join the army, and make your voice heard.

FSP News Thanks & Statistics

FSP News circulation: 12334. Back issues are available. Got FSP news? Please submit content by the 12th of the month. Thank you to all advertisers and contributors.

FSP Participants - here are some quick links:

Are you ready to join the FSP, move to New Hampshire and work with us towards Liberty in Our Lifetime? Join here!

Participants: 8304
Participants in NH: 526
as of April 15, 2008


FSP News - March 2008

FSP News - March 2008

Free State Project: Making a Difference

Porcupine Rich Angell has written a wonderful article, published in the Idaho Observer, about the positive effect that the FSP is having in New Hampshire, with a focus on Grafton. If a little over 500 porcs can have such an effect, I can't wait to see what happens when more of us make the move.

To the whole Grafton crew, great job overall, and great job on article 26! It's a coup that the amendment passed!

Rich has written a follow-up for us, describing the result of the voting after the Idaho Observer article went to press. You'll find that in the "In New Hampshire" section.

PorcFest

Have you signed up yet to attend PorcFest 2008? It's only three months away and it's time to make your plans. Available campsites and hotel rooms are going fast and ticket prices, which are currently only $10/adult for the entire week, will increase on April 1st.

If you want to see New Hampshire and meet FSP participants, there is no better opportunity than PorcFest.

There is so much to see in New Hampshire and we want to show it off. There will be guided bus tours, giving you an insider's view of the sights and personalities of FSP communities in Manchester, Keene, Winchester, Concord, Grafton, Portsmouth, and the Lakes Region. At a cost of only $5/seat, this is the most entertaining, interesting, and cost-effective way to see New Hampshire. Also, there will be a road rally in which teams will follow riddle-like directions around the state to arrive at interesting spots where answers to trivia questions can be found.

We also want to show off the people, the fun, and the impact of the FSP. There will be entertaining and informative speaking events such as an early movers panel discussion, workshops, and an FSP Town Hall Meeting. There will also be lots of social activities: group hikes, fishing, shooting range trips, acting classes for youths, board games, crafts, geo-caching, and more.

On top of all that, this year's PorcFest includes a music festival! Enjoy live bands outside in an open-air atmosphere on Friday and Saturday. And if you like to sing or play guitar, there will be "open mic nights" and music around the campfire during the week. Freedom rocks!

And because the FSP is about more than just fun and games, you'll have access to representatives from a number of pro-liberty organizations, businesses, job placement firms, Realtors, service providers, and political groups in our exhibitors/vendors area.

So what should you be doing if you want to attend PorcFest? Here's a helpful to-do list with the relevant links.

  1. Reserve your hotel or campsite: Due to PorcFest's overlap with Laconia Bike Week, hotels and campsites will sell out. The FSP has reserved some campsites and hotels, but these are first come, first served. Do not wait until the last minute. To discuss lodging and room-sharing options with fellow attendees, post to the PorcFest Lodging Forum.
  2. Register: You'll need a ticket to attend PorcFest and we'll need accurate head counts of attendees so that we can organize PorcFest. Ticket rates will increase after April 1st and again at the festival, so get yours now. Some of the activities, like the bus tours, have limits to the number of participants along with nominal fees, so register early to ensure your space.
  3. Consider registering as an exhibitor: PorcFest is a great opportunity to get the word out about your interests, business, or organization. Beyond the hundreds of attendees that will be there, you'll be mentioned in the FSP Newsletter which goes to over 12,000 subscribers.
  4. Review the schedule: There's a lot going on but there's always room for more. If you have an event (e.g. a gathering of ham radio hobbyists) you'd like to see added to the schedule, email porcfest@freestateproject.org with a brief description of the event, when you'd like it to be, and what resources you might need.
  5. Post to the Forum: Introduce yourself, ask questions, let people know what events you're looking forward to, or see who might be interested in sharing a ride or campsite. Start a conversation now and continue it by the fire at PorcFest.
  6. Promote PorcFest: First, invite/drag your friends and family to PorcFest. Show them what this Free State Project and New Hampshire thing is all about! Next, spread the word to others. There are SlimJim Handouts, Flyers, News Articles, and Videos for your use. Post these to forums, listprocs, community bulletin boards, and wherever else you can. If you'd like any printed material sent to you, email us at porcfest@freestateproject.org with your name, address, and the amount you would like.

PorcFest 2008 promises to be bigger and better than ever. With over 500 Free Staters already living in NH and the tremendous exposure to the FSP through the Ron Paul campaign, pro-liberty energy here is exploding. Come see for yourself! Bring your friends and family and see how we are achieving "Liberty in Our Lifetime."

Action of the Month - Think Ahead

Looking down the road, past the chains and fetters of our current lives, to the freedoms and promises of New Hampshire, it seems reasonable that we do some planning for the brighter times ahead. Do we lie around all day gazing at the glory and grandeur of the Free State's natural beauty? Do we quietly scratch around on our little plot of heaven, just feeding ourselves? Do we diligently labor at our chosen commerce or industry, dismissing the balance of life? Do we sit back and enjoy the freedoms won for us by ancient freedom fighters, and perhaps squander the liberties we should be jealously preserving? No. No, I say. We should be planning the next steps of our path to freedom. We should be seeking out and joining our liberty-minded brothers and sisters who hold dear the tenets of individual freedom and responsibility. Where are these kin and colleagues? How do we tell the pure from the posers? Only with sedulous research and the Eternal Vigilance that is the price of freedom can we discern the truth. No one can tell you who is good or who is bad. You must test and observe to find those whose actions match their words; and whose actions ring true with the hope of freedom. And when you find these groups whose ring is clear and pure like a giant silver bell signaling the way to freedom and prosperity - don't keep it to yourself, spread the word to other lovers of liberty and we will indeed have Liberty in Our Lifetime. A few organizations you might like to consider:

RonPaulForums' Free State Poll

RonPaulForums is hosting a poll to choose states for liberty lovers to congregate... sound familiar? This is a fantastic recruiting opportunity, so head on over and make your voice heard. Every vote for New Hampshire will bring people toward the FSP.

Merchandise

Don't wrack your brain or wrangle your wraith over the wrongs of wretched politicians. Wear the wrier grin of a wary wright who works for freedom's wrinkle. How you ask? By wrapping your wrist with the wristband of freedom! Wreally, I mean really, the new rubber bracelets are in, and they are cool, and stretchy, and blue, and you just gotta have one! So don't wreck the wren of happiness, wrestle your wallet and wring out a few bucks for the wristband of freedom and you'll wriggle with joy.

Free State Match

Line up your sights and take aim for fun and freedom with the Free State Match #5.

Are freedom and liberty in the cards? Will we once again be kings of our own sovereign selves? Will we end up as queens or queans? No matter what, don't jack around but take part in this challenging shooting match. Here's the deal, place 5 playing cards on a target, a deuce (a 2 of any suite) and 4 aces, now shoot the 6 marks on the cards. You have 15 shots in one minute to "break the ink". If you shoot with a scoped rifle, do it at 200ft, iron-sight rifle at 100ft, pistols at 15ft. Why a two and four aces? It spells out 20,000 (well, sort of), as we're shooting for 20,000 liberty-minded people to lead New Hampshire and the world to Liberty in Our Lifetime.

Scoring change: 1 point for each card hit, 2 points for each center mark (pip) hit.

For all you jokers out there, perfect scores will be highly suspect. :)

CORRECTION

In the January edition of the FSP News, we have an incorrect attribution to the fantastic video series Finding Life and Liberty in the Free State Project. These videos were produced by Roger Grant. We deeply appreciate Roger's generosity and his talents. Here are the video links: Part 1, Part 2

The Free State Project is an effort to recruit 20,000 liberty-loving people to move to New Hampshire. We are looking for neighborly, productive, tolerant folks from all walks of life, of all ages, creeds, and colors who agree to the political philosophy expressed in our Statement of Intent, that government exists at most to protect people's rights, and should neither provide for people nor punish them for activities that interfere with no one else. freestateproject.org

In New Hampshire

Voting Results from Grafton

Rich Angell was nice enough to write a follow-up for us, since the Idaho Observer article went to press before the results of the voting were in. Here are the results in his words:

The results of the election of 11 March were mixed, but positive overall.

First the regional school district:

The proposed new high school was failed; the proposed raise in the budget failed, except for approximately $4,000 raised for special ed kids. This is minor compared for what they were asking for.

The big win was New Hampshire native libertarian Bob Constantine's 48-hour coup. He was drafted to run for school budget committee, and we ran a write-in campaign. The ballot was open. He handily won, ousting the well-disliked incumbent socialist Cathy Mulholland, who, for some reason was not on the ballot. Bob joins a lonely fiscal conservative on the committee.

Grafton itself didn't fare so well on the Budget committee and select board. There were a couple of extremely close races. More experience, a few more Porcupines, and smarter organization is sure to push the freedom fighters over the top next election cycle.

The proposed budget raise failed. Only a small raise for the lonely police officer and some emergency equipment passed.

All of the proposed warrant articles were pro-liberty or neutral. Here are the warrant articles that passed:

19. "To see if the Town will return to the voters control over expenditures from the following Capital Reserve Funds: Bridge Capital Reserve Fund, and Highway Capital Reserve Fund. By rescinding the authority given to the Selectmen to act as agents to expend. Thence requiring voter approval at Town Meeting to expend from these funds as was necessary prior to 2004."

21. "To see if the Town will vote to request that the Selectmen recommend for appointment as the Town Health Officer, as provided in RSA 128:1, only individuals who are residents and taxpayers of the Town of Grafton."

22. "In order to reduce Grafton property taxes, are you in favor of requesting the Board of Selectmen and Budget Committee to reduce town spending and property taxes by 10% of the current town budget for each of the next the fiscal years?"

23. Paraphrase: Any additional or reduced spending that is proposed and put on the ballot will require a disclosure of its resulting increase or decrease in property taxes.

26. "Resolved: We the citizens of Grafton, NH believe in a NH that is just and fair. The property tax has become unjust and unfair. State leaders who have increased State spending 17% in the last budget perpetuate higher and higher property taxes. We call on our State Representatives and our Governor to reduce the irresponsible spending in Concord, which will lower property tax burden for the residents of NH."

New Hampshire Free Press

The March issue of the New Hampshire Free Press (formerly the Keene Free Press) is now online. We're all very glad to see this paper back in action.

In this issue:

New Hampshire Magazine

According to New Hampshire Magazine, Richmond is the place to be if you want to "Live Free or Die." The article mentions the FSP in a positive light, and notes that Ron Paul won the town during the recent primaries. Whether you're heading for Richmond or not, you might find New Hampshire Magazine's real estate section a useful guide in choosing your new home.

Free State Blogs

What's happening in New Hampshire with the Free State Project? Free State Blogs attempts to answer that question. Here's just a sampling of this month's blog entries:

The RidleyReport

Videographer, Dave Ridley from NHFree.com is one of our Porcs on the scene in New Hampshire. See some of what's happening in the Free State on the RidleyReport.

Check the NH Calendars

The NH Underground Calendar lists liberty-oriented New Hampshire events. The NH Liberty Calendar also tracks NH events. Check the calendars before a visit or a move - you are welcome to attend NH events!

FSP News Thanks & Statistics

FSP News circulation: 12,336. Back issues are available. Got FSP news? Please submit content by the 12th of the month. Thank you to all advertisers and contributors.

FSP Participants - here are some quick links:

Are you ready to join the FSP, move to New Hampshire and work with us towards Liberty in Our Lifetime? Join here!

Participants: 8,260
Participants in NH: 523
as of March 12, 2008


FSP News - February 2008

FSP News - February 2008

PorcFest 2008

PorcFest 2008 is only four months away and it's time to make your plans. What should you be doing to get ready for PorcFest? Well, below is a quick to-do list with the relevant links.

  1. Reserve your hotel or campsite: Due to PorcFest's overlap with Laconia Bike Week hotels and campsites will sell out. The FSP has reserved some campsites and hotels, but these are first come, first serve. Do not wait until the last minute. If you'd like to discuss lodging and room sharing with fellow attendees, post to the PorcFest Lodging Forum.
  2. Register as an attendee: You'll need a ticket to attend PorcFest and we'll need accurate head counts of attendees so that we can organize PorcFest. Ticket rates will increase after April 1st and again at the festival, so get yours now. We're highly subsidizing the cost of the tours of New Hampshire this year. If you can be at PorcFest during the week, be sure to reserve seats.
  3. Consider registering as an exhibitor: PorcFest is a great opportunity to get the word out about your interests, business, or organization. Beyond the hundreds of attendees that will be there, you'll be mentioned in the FSP News that goes to over 12,000 subscribers.
  4. Review the schedule: There's a lot going on but there's always room for more. If you have an event (e.g. a gathering of ham radio hobbyists) you'd like to see added to the schedule, email porcfest@freestateproject.org with a brief description of the event, when you'd like it to be, and what resources you might need. It needn't be completely thought out before you contact us. The sooner you ask, the better.
  5. Post to the Forum: Introduce yourself, ask questions, and let people know what events you're looking forward to, see who might be interested in sharing a ride or campsite. Start a conversation now and continue it by a fire at PorcFest.
  6. Promote PorcFest: First, invite/drag your friends and family (show them what this Free State Project and New Hampshire thing is all about). Then, spread the word to others. We have SlimJim Handouts, Flyers, News Articles, and Videos. Post these to forums, listprocs, community bulletin boards, and wherever you can. If you'd like any printed material sent to you, email porcfest@freestateproject.org with your name, address, and the amount you would like.

Do these and look for more in next month's newsletter :-)

Action of the Month - Network for freedom

"Networking" often brings to mind two things. The computer kind, e.g., the internet, an intranet, your Local Area Network, a company's Virtual Private Network, or a local coffee shop's wireless network. The other kind of network being the human kind, e.g., the salesman's contacts, the PR firm's list of friendly media, or the group of friends you have down at the local coffee shop. Though now that we're all 21st century, modern-type people, there is a third type of network that comes to mind. The techno-babble types like to call it Web 2.0. That's where a lot of the content on "the web" is created by the users, e.g., forums, blogs, and chat rooms. So your Myspace, Facebook, and Second Life friends, acquaintances and otherwise now use the first kind of network to be a part of the second kind. And, as if you didn't see this coming, the opportunities to spread the freedom meme and the joys of living freer in New Hampshire are as close as your PC. (Personal Computer that is, not Politically Correct, although how that would have made any sense the other way, I'll never know - boy, you guys are weird) There are great organizations that are basically (keeping with the computer metaphor) pre-formatted and awaiting programming instructions. Some of my favorites are The Advocates for Self-Government, the Foundation for Economic Education, Lew Rockwell, The Ludwig von Mises Institute, Strike The Root, and The Future of Freedom Foundation. Not to mention the ones near and/or dear to the FSP already, like the NH Underground, Free Talk Live, New Hampshire Liberty Alliance, and the New Hampshire Libertarian Party. (Oh darn, I just mentioned them didn't I) Anyway, to make a long action short (too late), get out there and put some "wetwork on the network" and let everyone know how great New Hampshire and the Free Sate Project are. - Phil Denisch

FSP Local Groups

From Andrew Del Vecchio, FSP Local Groups Coordinator - Yesterday, Hillary Clinton came to my university for a 'town hall meeting.' I and a friend did a bit of Ron Paul and FSP counter-recruitment at the event, and a couple of student activists in other organizations had heard about the FSP, and were supportive of RP's anti-war record. Today, I followed this up by being a guest on the school's radio station (a friend of a friend hosts a weekly talk radio show there). I gave a brief introduction to what libertarianism is, why RP matters, and what the FSP is. The show's listener base is very small, but it probably reached some people, and you never know what kind of seeds you might be planting out there. Overall, it was a great experience, and I think Ian Bernard of Free Talk Live is right when he says that participating in other talk radio shows can be very useful for spreading the message of liberty. More info on our Local Groups in the FSP Forum.

Merchandise

Step right up ladies and germs and see the amazing marvelous merchandise of the FSP! See here, our incredibly low priced tee-shirts. And over here the wonderfully useful key chains. And over there the glorious custom Buck knife (there aren't too many left folks, get 'em while you can). Let's not forget the outstanding bookmarks and fliers that are just perfect for handing out and sharing with friends, family, and neighbors. Don't forget, spring is just around the corner, you don't want to be the only one without an Ultimate flying disc replete with the Don't Tread on Me porcupine! And did I mention our newest addition? The New Hampshire Liberty Forum 2008 tee-shirts and DVDs of the 2007 speakers! Step right up, no need to crowd, there's plenty for everyone. - Phil

Free State Match

Line up your sights and take aim for fun and freedom with the Free State Match #5. Are freedom and liberty in the cards? Will we once again be kings of our own sovereign selves? Will we end up as queens or queans? No matter what, don't jack around but take part in this challenging shooting match. Here's the deal, place 5 playing cards on a target, a deuce (a 2 of any suite) and 4 aces, now shoot the 6 marks on the cards. You have 15 shots in one minute to "break the ink". If you shoot with a scoped rifle, do it at 200ft, iron-sight rifle at 100ft, pistols at 15ft. Why a two and four aces? It spells out 20,000 (well, sort of), as we're shooting for 20,000 liberty-minded people to lead New Hampshire and the world to Liberty in Our Lifetime. - Phil

Targeted FSP Contributions

What's the best way to reach out to liberty-lovers? FSP participant numbers are climbing, but we need to increase the rate, too. What do you think? Google Ads? Direct mail? Free Talk Live? Only you know what's best. You choose what project is worthy of your dollar. Go to freestateproject.org/donate and choose how you want to contribute!

The Free State Project is an effort to recruit 20,000 liberty-loving people to move to New Hampshire. We are looking for neighborly, productive, tolerant folks from all walks of life, of all ages, creeds, and colors who agree to the political philosophy expressed in our Statement of Intent, that government exists at most to protect people's rights, and should neither provide for people nor punish them for activities that interfere with no one else. freestateproject.org

In New Hampshire

Free State Blogs

What's happening in New Hampshire with the Free State Project? Free State Blogs attempts to answer that question. Here's just a sampling of this month's blog entries:

New Hampshire Industries Rank First

U.S. Census data just released indicates industries in which NH ranks first in terms of sales or receipts per capita.

Taking Action for Liberty in New Hampshire

In the wake of a certain high-profile, pro-liberty presidential campaign that recently passed through New Hampshire, some may have forgotten, or lost sight of the fact that there's a flourishing movement for liberty that is focused on the New Hampshire state house. New Hampshire has the most accessible state legislature in the country, and many liberty activists have reached the conclusion that, while D.C. may be rather hopeless, the legislature in Concord provides a comparatively friendly arena for the proponents of liberty to state their case for legislators.

This state-focused activism manifests itself in many ways. Primarily, the New Hampshire Liberty Alliance does a great job studying all the bills and trying to have as much of an effect as possible. Their efforts are complemented by groups like the New Hampshire Coalition for Common Sense Marijuana Policy (NH Common Sense), which focus activist efforts on liberty issues where serious, focused effort can achieve remarkable results.

NH Common Sense is currently working to pass HB 1623, a bill reducing penalties for possessing small amounts of marijuana (a.k.a. "decriminalizing" marijuana). Bills to reduce penalties have been soundly defeated in the past, but this one has a full effort behind it and loads of momentum. This effort to increase liberty in New Hampshire has even been endorsed by a major newspaper, the Nashua Telegraph.

Liberty activists at the New Hampshire state house are playing excellent defense against a lot of bad legislation, but this is one truly pro-liberty bill that has a good chance of passing. Read more at NHCommonSense.org.

Help Free Talk Live in Manchester

A quick and easy way to help the cause of liberty in New Hampshire would be to help FTL get on the air in Manchester.

The RidleyReport

Videographer, Dave Ridley from NHFree.com is one of our Porcs on the scene in New Hampshire. See some of what's happening in the Free State on the RidleyReport. Check out the RidleyReport coverage of the HB1354 hearings.

Check the NH Calendars

The NH Underground Calendar lists liberty-oriented New Hampshire events. The NH Liberty Calendar also tracks NH events. Check the calendars before a visit or a move - you are welcome to attend NH events!

FSP News Thanks & Statistics

FSP News circulation: 12,310. Back issues are available. Got FSP news? Please submit content by the 12th of the month. Thank you to all advertisers and contributors. Ad space available.

FSP Participants - here are some quick links:

Are you ready to join the FSP, move to New Hampshire and work with us towards Liberty in Our Lifetime? Join here!

Participants: 8,221
Participants in NH: 516
as of February 15, 2008

FSP News - January 2008

FSP News - January 2008

Liberty Forum 2008

The 2008 Liberty Forum was a smashing success! Over 350 were registered for the 3-day event and over 600 attended the closing ceremony with Dr. Ron Paul. Many of the videos are now posted here with more and more coming online everyday. We thank all of our speakers, vendors, and attendees. We also would like to thank our sponsors SakalCAI and the great gifts that they gave away and the NHLA. Special thanks to Candi Cooper who won the NHLA raffle and donated her half back to the NHLA. Free Talk Live also broadcast live from the event on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights.

Liberty Forum attendees often mentioned that the time spent between the speakers and panels was also just as important as the time in them. People networked and got to know their future neighbors. Be sure to attend Porcfest and the next Liberty Forum so that you can be a part of the action!

Special thanks to Crista, Jean, Jon, Neal, Irena, Denis, Kate, Bill, Rob, Lasse, Kate (another one!), Seth, Chris L