Free State Observer

This blog is approaching its denouement. 

Over the past 1 1/2 years, I’ve shared many of my personal adventures moving to, and living in, New Hampshire as a participant in the Free State Project.  My hope was that, at minimum, I’d amuse a handful of people; ideally, I’d inspire at least one person to get off the fence and join the FSP, or to accelerate their move plans and join the fun here in the Free State.  I suspect I’ve accomplished both, although I can’t say for sure.

I’ve been doing a lot of thinking lately.  Heavy thinking.  About the meaning of life, the fleeting nature of human existence, the values and character attributes I have always cherished and struggled to live by, and whether or not those are helping me to get what I want out of life.  Following a map does you no good if it doesn’t lead you to the desired destination.  I’m not talking about New Hampshire here, but something much more fundamental, and somewhat (not entirely) irrespective of physical location.  How is this relevant?  Well, it’s not, really, I’m just exercising every writer’s greatest wish: to babble inanely about the most precious object in the universe (i.e. ME).  My point (you mean she has one?) is that, as the result of a great deal of navel gazing, I have decided to take a break from a good deal of my public political activism in the near future.  And since political activism was/is the raison d’etre of this here blog, and God knows the last thing the ‘net needs is yet another sporadically updated web diary where a self-involved individual waves their inner workings around in public, begging the world to please notice and care, I prefer to formally retire the blog rather than just watch it morph/devolve/decompose into petty and ultimately irrelevant solipsistic shite. Bullet in the brain pan.  Better to burn out than fade away.  yadda yadda

If you doubt that the Free State Project has, is and will continue to draw an unprecedented number of small government activists, whether you choose to call us “classical liberals” (not the same as modern liberals at all, but followers of Thomas Jefferson and similar thinkers), libertarians, paleoconservatives, constitutionalists, voluntarists, or whatever, to the state of New Hampshire… where we are working together to form effective political organizations, running for and winning elective office at every level of state government, looking to one another for help instead of looking to the government, and sharing the universals of life with one another (marriage, births, adoptions, raising kids, planning for retirement), all on a strictly voluntary basis… I encourage you to look back through this blog. Think about what is happening in New Hampshire; compare it to what you have where you are; decide what matters most to you; act accordingly.  If acting includes signing the First 1000 pledge, better act quick, cuz it expires in 2 weeks.

This blog entry consists of the meeting minutes of this month’s Merrimack Valley Porcupines meeting.  These gatherings take place every month.  Similar gatherings take place in other parts of New Hampshire, every month.  Look at the number of people who attended, and the things they’re doing.  Give the Free State Project some serious thought.

Wishing you and yours a joyous holiday season 

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Merrimack Valley Porcupines
Meeting Minutes: Dec. 2, 2006 1:00 – 2:30 PM

Meeting was bellowed to order at 1:10PM. 

There were 57 attendees:  46 adults, 9 minors, and 2 members of a film crew from South Korean Broadcasting, filming the proceedings and interviewing attendees.

I. Welcome the New and Visiting Porcupines! – Mark, visiting from Maine; Trey, visiting from Texas; Stephen, recently moved from MA; Brian, Jennifer and Cole, recently moved from NY. 

II. Report on November events
a. Election Day 11/7 – Many Porcupines volunteered at the polls.
b. Dave R. in Fed Court 11/13 – Dave had been cited for peacefully distributing anti-IRS fliers at the Nashua IRS office.  He was found guilty (of what?) and fined $150 (which he does not intend to pay).
c. V’s Protest in Keene 11/14 – who were those masked men??
d. Recounts 11/15 – sadly, our friend Rep. Dick Marple was ousted
e. Inaugural meeting of Plymouth Liberty Lovers 11/18 – Steve V. reports that 10 people attended the first meeting and it was great to discover new liberty lovers in the north
f. NHLA Bill Review Training 11/25 – Sandy P. reports that it was useful, even for those who participated last year
g. Joel’s recount 11/28 - much information was gathered by Muni and team from Joel’s district in Manchester, for use in future campaign engineering

III. Upcoming Events in December
a. Granting Nadia Freedom to Run 12/3, Pembroke – Kevin R. needs help installing a dog fence in his yard in Pembroke; pizza and beer
b. State House Swearing In 12/6 – all are welcome, but arrive early for seating
c. NHLA Bill Review Training 12/9 – Denis G. encourages all freedom fighters to attend
d. LPNH meeting, 6:30PM, meeting hall at 180 Woodbury St, Manch 12/10 – Sandy P. invites all LP members and interested parties to attend
e. RLC meeting, 6:45PM, Manchester main library 12/11 – Dan M. invites all members and prospectives to attend
f. Annual UN Flag Burn/Bill of Rights Day Celebration, 12/16, Winchester – the fire pit has been removed from Robin Hood Park, so this event will probably be relocated to Jim & Lauren’s place in Winchester; check nhfree.com for details
g. Mother of all New Year’s Parties, 12/31, Pembroke – Kevin R. invites the entire state of NH to attend!

IV. Member Announcements
a. JT Lim and cameraman, from South Korean Broadcasting, are doing a story on early movers of the Free State Project.  They particularly would like to interview homeschoolers.
b. Sandy P., wielding a Louisville Slugger, pleads for all recalcitrant, eligible non-signers of the FSP’s First 1000 pledge to sign.  Now.
c. Michelle L. is looking for volunteers for the FSP’s Liberty Forum conference in February
d. Mike P. invites gun rights advocates to join the Gun Owners of New Hampshire
e. Rich K. is looking for people who voted for him in the election, but whose town registrar reported zero “scatter” votes
f. Dave M. is organizing a Christmas Caroling outing on Sun. Dec 17 at 2:00PM at a senior facility in Dover.
g. Dave R. is organizing a street protest immediately after this meeting.

V. Speakers
a. Phil Greazzo – Presentation on “bird-dogging” techniques.  Phil says this can be an effective method of bringing issues into the public dialog, and even swaying the positions of candidates.  Political stumpers are already here, so get involved now if interested.
b. Representative-elect Joel Winters – Joel encourages prospective candidates to first ask themselves if they’re really willing to put in the time and effort to get elected (and serve!).  Pounding the pavement is useful.  Volunteers are essential. Seriously consider running as a member of one of the two dominant political parties.

VI. Coronation of Shuvom – In keeping with MVP tradition, Sandy P. is stepping down at the end of the year.  Shuvom G. has valiantly agreed to replace her.  Sandy P., wielding the stogie of power, knights Shuvom and dubs him King of the Merrimack Valley Porcupines (which, considering the MVP is actually an autonomous collective, doesn’t do him much good). 

VII. Other Business/ Closing Remarks

a. Group photos were taken of the leaders of the four Porcupine groups of New Hampshire (Merrimack Valley, Seacoast, Concord and Monadnock).
b. Group photos were taken of the courageous cat-herders of the MVP: Cal, Joel, Sandy and Shuvom

Happy Holidays to all Porcupines near and far!

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