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 - December 2009

FSP News - December 2009

The Liberty Forum is here!

Early bird prices are in effect!
Sign up now: Judge Napolitano is the Friday night keynote speaker. We also have dozens of other speakers and added a Sunday Brunch to the event. Lots of things to do and people to meet. Sign up NOW as seating is limited for the special Friday night dinner.
Don't forget to sign up now!

The FSP runs on volunteers. We need you!

If you only can spare an hour or two a month... the FSP needs you! If you have time for more...the FSP needs you! Help the FSP break the 10,000 mark to hit the downslope. Visit http://freestateproject.org/volunteercenter for more info.
Seriously we need you!

Good ideas wanted

Do you have an idea that you think that the FSP should follow up with to get more people to sign up? Head over to the FSP Forum and post about it. The FSP is always looking for good ideas: http://forum.freestateproject.org/

Merchandise

When I'm shopping for holiday gifts, I like pure things (like the FSP .999 pure silver round), shiny things (like the FSP .999 pure silver round), with all the bells and whistles (like the FSP .999 pure silver round in a clear plastic case). I think I know what I'm asking Santa for this year. Anyway, there's lots of other neat things in the FSP store as well for that special someone this year. Hmm, bells? silver? I think I feel a song coming on... 

New Hampshire, New Hampshire
It's freedom time in our country.
Lib-er-ty, all can see,
soon it will be freedom time.

City councils,
busy councils,
forcing law after law.
In the air there's
a feeling of revolt.
Lawyers laughing,
people chaffing,
paying tax after tax,
but in every
free heart you will hear.

New Hampshire, New Hampshire
It's freedom time in our country.
Lib-er-ty, all can see,
soon it will be freedom time.

See the movers,
and the provers,
show that lib-er-ty works;
as the forlorn come home
with great pleasure.
Hear the free speech,
see the them impeach,
all the u-surp-ing pigs;
and above all
this action you'll hear.

New Hampshire, New Hampshire
It's freedom time in our country.
Lib-er-ty, all can see,
soon it will be freedom time.

New Hampshire, New Hampshire
It's freedom time in our country.
Lib-er-ty, all can see,
soon it will be freedom time.

Soon it will be freedom time.
Soon it will be freedom time.
Soon it will be freedom time.

Soon it will be freedom time.
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:

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: 14,499. 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: 9,820
Participants in NH: 785
as of 12/15/09

The Free State Project (FSP) is an effort to recruit 20,000 pro-liberty activists to move to New Hampshire, where they will exert the fullest practical effort toward the creation of a society in which the maximum role of government is the protection of life, liberty and property. The work of creating and sustaining such a society in New Hampshire is the job of residents, including project participants, not the Free State Project itself.

The FSP does not endorse any specific changes to government or strategies to achieve them. The FSP does not take positions on issues, candidates, legislation, places to move within New Hampshire, tactics or methods of action. The one stipulation the FSP does make is that people who promote violence, racial hatred, or bigotry are not welcome.

Reporting by the FSP on participant activity or NH events on the website, in the newsletter, or in any other place does not represent support or endorsement and may not portray the diversity of opinions and activities that exists among participants.

FSP News - November 2009

FSP News - November 2009

Google it, you'll like it

I was in Anchorage, AK after several months traveling the US. The next day in the early morning of my arrival, I saw a guy watching an old movie in the common area. I said good morning and I sat down. He started a conversation and it led to politics and how the government should be. Then he asked me if I knew about the Free State Project. I said no. Then he told me I should Google it. I asked, “What is it about?” He looked at me and said with confidence, “Google it, you’ll like it.” I spent days looking over the videos and reading about it. Three weeks later I moved to NH

Muhammad

Merchandise

The waiting...over. The sun...shining. The angels...singing. Free State Project silver rounds are now available from the FSP store page. (http://www.freestateproject.org) The pure, one-ounce silver round (don't dare call it a coin) is ready and waiting. Why a "round" and not a "coin"? Well, a coin is what the government makes and a "round" is the cool way numismatists refer to non-government issued flat, round, metal slabs. Although from the numismatic point of view, it's probably an insult. As if these beautiful discs of silver have no charm, no uniqueness, no purpose. They think they're just a "round", a slug, a blank. Now that just won't do. I guess you could call them "medallions", which is kinda cool, like a "metal lion" roaring for freedom. I can see it now. Our top story tonight: "The silver porc's bellow, heard through-out the land bringing stability and honesty to economies everywhere". Well, ok, maybe not. How about "sabot". Yeah, solid money, conforming to the laws of economics, running along the rifling of a straight-shooting economy with honest money for honest people. No, huh? The aesthetic approach? A thing of beauty? A gleaming, shining example of man's mastery over the rough and random world around us. A resplendent reminder that man can create beauty from the gritty dirt of the earth. Turning mud and stone into shining objects that tempt the eye to linger. An object that caresses the eye, and the brain working behind it. An object telling us that haphazard nature, while fascinating, has no choice but to look as it does. While a creating man can take the savage roughness and turn it into an exquisite object of pulchritude and style. Too high-brow? Snobbish? Yeah, you're right. Perhaps "round" is the best term. Plain, solid, everyday. So while we wait for the New Miss Mad-Ticks to give 'em a name, I'll sit here calmly, enjoy the sun's sheen on FSP silver, and listen to the angels sing.

For donors that received an SP (Silver Porc): I hope to be receiving the plastic cases for them any day now. (Darn, more waiting) If you want one for your silver porc - you know to keep it all fine and clean, passing it down from generation to generation, as a venerated family heirloom - send me an email at merchandise@freestateproject.org, and I'll get one out to you. For you hard-core gold-buhgs who expect the SP to be a working piece, being exchanged hither and yon as a vital part of a dynamic, reality-based economy; well you don't need such namby-pamby things. You want to handle the heft of the metal, feel the delicate cut of the design, trace your fingertips along the flutes, and hear the signing, ringing sound of the pure silver as you flip it through the air to a waiting vendor, completing the voluntary exchange that benefits you both as together you say; "Thank you".

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

At the ballots

Liberty-lovers had many great victories at the ballot box in New Hampshire on November 3rd. Free Staters are helping to install small-government candidates in districts where "politics-as-usual" would never have let such candidates succeed. A spending cap (capping the rate of spending increases to the rate of inflation) passed in Manchester, New Hampshire's biggest city. A liberty activist has been elected to Nashua's Board of Education. A Free-Stater won his race for Selectman, while a Friend of the FSP won his race for Alderman. These victories are encouraging for those who hope for greater freedom in New Hampshire, and they would not have occurred without the Free State Project.

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: 14,447. 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: 9,778
Participants in NH: 778
as of 11/15/09

The Free State Project (FSP) is an effort to recruit 20,000 pro-liberty activists to move to New Hampshire, where they will exert the fullest practical effort toward the creation of a society in which the maximum role of government is the protection of life, liberty and property. The work of creating and sustaining such a society in New Hampshire is the job of residents, including project participants, not the Free State Project itself.

The FSP does not endorse any specific changes to government or strategies to achieve them. The FSP does not take positions on issues, candidates, legislation, places to move within New Hampshire, tactics or methods of action. The one stipulation the FSP does make is that people who promote violence, racial hatred, or bigotry are not welcome.

Reporting by the FSP on participant activity or NH events on the website, in the newsletter, or in any other place does not represent support or endorsement and may not portray the diversity of opinions and activities that exists among participants.

FSP News - September 2009

FSP News - September 2009

Something mysterious in the air...

Porcfest was great wasn't it? Wanna get that feeling again? Save the date March 18 - 21st. Details coming soon.

FSP Money Bomb and Silver Ounce

Check out the FSP's MONEY BOMB! FSP volunteers have started a Money Bomb to go off on Oct 1st. The goal is to raise $20,000 to help us in our goal to reach 20,000 movers. Please sign up at the link below, send the link to your friends, and *donate on October 1st*. Sign up at: http://www.wheresliberty.org/?q=20k_for_20k. BONUS: for every $100 you donate, on October 1styou'll get one of the new, limited FSP Silver Ounces (see below).

Announcing the FSP Silver Ounce!! The FSP has minted a very limited number of the pictured silver ounces. They're not for sale, but you can get one if you sign up for the money bomb and donate $100 on the trigger date of the money bomb, October 1, 2009. If you donate $200, you'll get 2 silver ounces; $300, you'll get 3 ounces; etc.

Events

There are lots of events around the nation in October. People protesting, conferences, etc. Can you help promote the FSP? If you are willing to man a table at any of these events or willing to hand out flyers email events@freestateproject.org.

Merchandise

The waiting... I hate the waiting. The ponderous ticking of the clock. How it seems to slow down with each empty second. The gravid moments, heavy with promises of future joy, pass empty and hollow. But we must wait. The vacant present seems interminable, made unbearable by the harbinger of things not yet ready. Worse than that, the realization that others will be receiving the resplendent item before the rest of us. Knowing that others will be able to bask in the shining glow of joy and happiness before me only makes the present more otiose and worthless. But, ah, the future, a silver lining to the current dark time. A future filled with real riches, where the gossamer promises and flimsy assurances of yesterday are replaced with hard-forged truth and metal-cast bonds. A shimmering future of certainty and brilliance, where you hold not some paper promise of value, but a value in and of itself. But for now we wait, silently profaning those "donors" who will have first option at the object of our desire. They, the participants of the so-called "money-bomb" will have first opportunity to rub their hands on the object of our desire. They, who give away the soiled linen of fractious oaths, will be the early revelers of that gleaming trophy, that sparkling, shiny disc of assurance, THE ARGENT PORC. Alas, the store page must wait to offer this wondrous item, as donors to the FSP Money-Bomb will have first dibbs on the new silver porcupine disc. Don't dare call it a coin. If you don't like disc, you could go with round, flan, discoid, medallion, or how about AgPorc (as apposed to the AuPorc which we will hopefully have in the not too distant future. Darn, more waiting.) So for now we wait, hopefully, expectantly, longingly. Our hands slightly trembling, our eyes filling with hope as we wait, as we wait.

While we're waiting, check out all the other great items in the store. We have a new shipment of bookmarks - thanks Jon.

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:

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: 14,229. 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: 9,644
Participants in NH: 760
as of September 15, 2009

The Free State Project (FSP) is an effort to recruit 20,000 pro-liberty activists to move to New Hampshire, where they will exert the fullest practical effort toward the creation of a society in which the maximum role of government is the protection of life, liberty and property. The work of creating and sustaining such a society in New Hampshire is the job of residents, including project participants, not the Free State Project itself.

The FSP does not endorse any specific changes to government or strategies to achieve them. The FSP does not take positions on issues, candidates, legislation, places to move within New Hampshire, tactics or methods of action. The one stipulation the FSP does make is that people who promote violence, racial hatred, or bigotry are not welcome.

Reporting by the FSP on participant activity or NH events on the website, in the newsletter, or in any other place does not represent support or endorsement and may not portray the diversity of opinions and activities that exists among participants.

FSP News - August 2009

FSP News - August 2009

A Taste of Porcfest

If you missed the 2009 Porcupine Freedom Festival, you can still enjoy parts of it via the Internet:
Jason Sorens' address
Tennyson McCalla's photos

Merchandise

We see the embattled rebels, sheltered from the freezing rain and howling winds in the basement of their crenelated hideout. A valiant group of freedom-fighters, with the fire of truth blazing in their eyes and a raging inferno of justice burning in their gut, fueling their struggle for the American Way. The crackling fire paints their shadows on the wall, making black, empty sections in the brick wall, mirroring the empty families and incomplete cliques created by their choice to defend the freedom of all by risking their own. "It's time", one of them says and they huddle closer together. The static coming from the small radio brings them hope. The outside world does exist, there is more than just this struggle, there are those who are not hip-deep in mud and blood every day. They have help, they have friends, they indeed have hope that one day the struggle will be over. That the warm sun of liberty will shine on everyone, and everyone can get back to living their own lives. Lives without a boot on their neck, a hand in their purse, nor an eye - everywhere. "They're starting the broadcast". All ears bend towards the speaker as they listen for news, instructions, or a call for help. "Bzzt, bzzt, and now a message for the remnant underground:" "The cows go west, the cows go west"; "Tiffany is lost, Tiffany is lost"; "White roses bloom in red hats", "White roses bloom in red hats"; "The FSP Store has great items", "The FSP Store has great items"; "Older PorcFest shirts are dirt cheap", "Older PorcFest shirts are dirt cheap", "Over thirty items for sale", "Over thirty items for sale"; "The porcupine is free", "The porcupine is free". "Bzzt, Bzzt that's all the news for now to our brave patriots, braving storms and risking life and limb, we close now as always: May your sights be true, your path be clear, and may we all have Liberty in Our Lifetime - station PORC signing off".
http://www.freestateproject.org/store

The "Free State Audi A4" finds a new home abroad...

by Brian Wright
Don't Throw Mama off the Turnpike: Brian Wright, early mover and author of New Pilgrim Chronicles—a diary of his Free State experience—has just published/posted another road story, in which he travels with his mother ("Mama Bear") to sell his prized "Free State Audi A4," the vehicle that brought him to New Hampshire as an early mover in 2005. Pamphlet copies of the humor piece will be available courtesy Dan Stuart at the Freedom Rally, August 21.

"Don't Throw Mama off the Turnpike" has been posted on Wright's Coffee Coaster site. It is several pages long, but can be downloaded and printed for free as a PDF file 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

Open Carry at (or rather, near) a Presidential Rally

FSP participant William Kostric raised quite a ruckus by openly carrying a sidearm near a place where the president would soon hold a town hall meeting. Kostric's actions were both legal and nonviolent. Regardless of those truths, the media went a bit nuts.

CBS Inside Edition short article
NECN article and video
Chris Matthews video The ED Show video

New Hampshire has the lowest loan fees in the U.S.A.

New Hampshire lenders charge the lowest fees for home loans, according to a study described on bankrate.com. It's just one more reason to buy a home in the free state.

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: 14,065. 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: 9,565
Participants in NH: 736
as of August 15, 2009

The Free State Project (FSP) is an effort to recruit 20,000 pro-liberty activists to move to New Hampshire, where they will exert the fullest practical effort toward the creation of a society in which the maximum role of government is the protection of life, liberty and property. The work of creating and sustaining such a society in New Hampshire is the job of residents, including project participants, not the Free State Project itself.

The FSP does not endorse any specific changes to government or strategies to achieve them. The FSP does not take positions on issues, candidates, legislation, places to move within New Hampshire, tactics or methods of action. The one stipulation the FSP does make is that people who promote violence, racial hatred, or bigotry are not welcome.

Reporting by the FSP on participant activity or NH events on the website, in the newsletter, or in any other place does not represent support or endorsement and may not portray the diversity of opinions and activities that exists among participants.

FSP News - July 2009

FSP News - July 2009

PorcFest 2009

Group7

A record-breaking number of freedom lovers attended the 6th annual Porcupine Freedom Festival last month, in Lancaster, New Hampshire. Despite a rainy forecast, an estimated 600 people packed Roger's Campground for a weekend of freedom, celebration, and camaraderie. Those who came to Rogers early were treated to a pancake breakfasts provided by Anarchy in Your Head's Dale Everett on Tuesday, and the annual hike of Mt. Liberty on Wednesday. Highlights this year included the one-pot cook-off (congratulations to Eve Whittaker of New Jersey for taking first place!), the Porcupine Olympics for the kids, and Soapbox Idol, where New Hampshire's own Seth Cohn emerged as ranter supreme! The Free State Project had a successful silent auction among the many vendors who came to PorcFest this year. Free Talk Live broadcast live from Rogers Campground from Thursday to Saturday, as well as Free Minds TV and the Motor Home Diaries crew parked and partied for a few days.

Thank you to all who participated--volunteers and attendees alike--and a special thanks to Carla Gericke, 2009 Porcfest organizer, for her enthusiasm and hard-work in making PorcFest a rousing success!

PorcFest 2010 date's have already been set. The main festivities will happen on June 24th to June 27th, 2010 at Rogers Campground. You can book your campsite or motel room now by calling 603-788-4885 and telling them you're coming for PorcFest.

101 Reasons to move to New Hampshire

It's finally here. Stock up on reasons to impress others on why you are moving to New Hampshire and why they should too. Topics covered are New Hampshire's government, politics, economy, geography, and quality of life. See all the reasons at 101 Reasons to move to New Hampshire

Merchandise

What's that loud chanting I hear? What do we want? - Shirts! When do we want them? - Now! What do we want? - Shirts! When do we want them? - Now! The protest can end. Now in stock the PorcFest 2009 shirts. Call off the hunger strikes, stop sitting in and go to the FSP store to get your terrifically cool, black FSP shirt. Finally a black shirt for the FSP. Many people have asked for a black shirt over the years and now we have one. Call in the sleeper cells, halt production of the WMDs (Whining Merchandise Demands). Here's your chance to cause a scene with the latest IED (Independent Expression Device). Show the world you want Liberty in Our Lifetime - and know how to get it with the Free State Project. We also have a new bumper sticker, a very eye-catching one, at that. It has a bright yellow background with large black letters spelling out one of our favorite quotes: Live Free or Die. Even better, these are free with any order, just add one to your cart before check-out.

Media Coverage of the FSP

Taking Liberty: Government, Political Activism, and the State of the Free State Project by Josh Eboch.
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

This newsletter is a selection of news about the Free State Project (FSP), its participants and New Hampshire. The activities of FSP participants are not controlled by the Free State Project and should not be taken to represent the attitudes of the FSP or other FSP participants. Full Disclaimer

In New Hampshire

2009 Legislative Updates

State House Successes

In the April newsletter, Jeremy Olson provided reports on numerous successes at the New Hampshire State House, some of which wouldn’t have been possible without the help of Free State Project participants. Here’s an update from him on the important bills:

HB312, a bill to stop law enforcement from abusing the wiretapping law to prevent citizens from recording them: Passed the House through the efforts of Rep. Joel Winters (D–Manchester), but died in the Senate.

HB383, a bill creating a primary-offense seatbelt law: Passed the House despite our best efforts to oppose it, but was tabled in the Senate due to the work of Keith Carlsen and Denis Goddard.

HB648, the medical marijuana bill: Passed both the House and Senate, thanks to Matt Simon of N.H. Compassion, but was vetoed by the Governor. It’s not dead yet, though, as the veto may be overridden in September.

HB436, HB310, and HB73, ending marriage inequality in New Hampshire and establishing State recognition of same-sex marriage: Passed the House and Senate, and signed by the Governor. Ryan Marvin of the N.H. Coalition for Equal Rights was pivotal in getting this legislation passed.

More details can be found in his blog post

NHLA 2009 Liberty Rating Released

The New Hampshire Liberty Alliance has released their 2009 Liberty Rating report card, which rates all 424 of New Hampshire’s legislators on how pro- or anti-liberty their voting record is. This year, the NHLA used forty-four bills in the House, and eleven bills in the Senate, to determine their scores.

The NHLA Legislator of the Year award went to Edith “Dee” Hogan (R–Nashua), who achieved a 98.77% score (A+) for her tireless support for liberty in the New Hampshire House of Representatives. Activist of the Year went to Keith Carlsen, for his work on the seatbelt bill, medical marijuana, and more.

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: 13,784. 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: 9,442
Participants in NH: 727
as of July 15, 2009

FSP News - June 2009

FSP News - June 2009

PorcFest 2009

It's not too late to register for the 6th annual Porcupine Freedom Festival happening June 25th through the 28th in Lancaster, New Hampshire. But make it quick! We're less than two weeks away from the biggest PorcFest ever! Whether your idea of fun is partying in a large crowd or chatting around a campfire with a handful of friends, PorcFest provides a variety of activities to suit any personality and preference. With so much to do, you'll want to arrive early to get it all in.


Breaking the Ice:

PorcFest makes it easy to meet people and make friends. Thursday night is the SAKAL CAI Launch Party, where you'll have the opportunity to meet New Hampshire natives, early FSP movers, and future FreeStaters. Other mixer events include the road rally ice-breaker, Liberty Ladies' One-pot Cook-off, communal lunches and dinners, and Alec's Ice Cream Social. Bring your questions for the First Movers Panel and come meet the FSP Board. And don't miss the group photo on Saturday evening!


Summer Fun:

Enjoy the peace and beauty of New Hampshire in the summertime. Groove to live music on the lawn. Get a massage. Participate in a kickball or volleyball game. Shoot firearms, play miniature golf, or toss the Frisbee around. Kids can participate in the first ever Porc Olympics!


Outdoor Excursions:

Venture beyond Roger's Campground and enjoy the breathtaking scenery of Northern New Hampshire and the famous White Mountains. Enjoy a hike, go geocaching, or take a bus tour to some of the Granite State's liberty hot spots.


Indoor Activities:

Check out the exhibitors and bid on swag at the Silent Auction. Learn more about liberty-oriented topics like Agorism, Voluntaryism, and States' Rights. Be part of the Free Talk Live audience. Watch a late night movie. And don't miss Soapbox Idol, your chance to rant about the liberty topic of your choice.


Relaxation and Camaraderie:

Come to PorcFest to relax and have a drink around the campfire. Participate in board and card games. Relax in the hot tub and take a dip in the pool. Hang out by the bonfire and meet the activists who are making a change. Soak up the atmosphere that comes from hundreds of freedom lovers getting together to celebrate Liberty in Our Lifetime.


To book your accommodation, call Roger's at 603-788-4885 or visit them online at www.rogerscampground.com/. For more information about this year's event, visit the PorcFest website. Register today!

The Philosophy of Libery

The famous Flash animation "Introduction to the Philosophy of Liberty" (PoL) is being relaunched in over 30 languages. In a two-year effort led by long-time FSP organizer Steve Cobb and involving two Russian developers, the PoL was rearchitected to easily incorporate translations in languages as diverse as Arabic and Afrikaans (the latter provided by the FSP's own Louis Calitz). The animation text comes from the epilogue of Ken Schoolland's classic "The Adventures of Jonathan Gullible," whose web site www.jonathangullible.com was just relaunched by Drew Suder. Drew is also providing the animation in various video formats for wider distribution. You can find the new animation on the JG web site, and soon on the site of the International Society for Individual Liberty. Be on the lookout for a porcupine that somehow wandered into one of the frames. ;)

Merchandise

New stickers, new balloons, a re-new place for PorcFest! All the wonderful FSP mercandise will be at PorcFest. You can help us by saving on shipping costs. You can help yourself to fantastic FSP goods. You can help spread the word about the FSP. Go ahead, handle the goods. Feel the fine cotton fabric of the shirts. Enjoy the heft of the shiny key chain with the FSP logo. Marvel at the fine workmanship on the Buck custom FSP knive (not so many left now, you might want to get one soon). We'll even let you test-fly the Gadsden Porc version of the Ultimate brand flying disc (OK, ok, I know it's a 'frisbee', just not Frisbee :). From insulated beverage holders to author-signed books to flags to wristbands and major league-cute, stuffed porcupine hand-puppets. Yes, we may be out of hats, mugs, and tote-bags, but we have plenty of other way-boss swag to tell the world that we want Liberty in Our Lifetime.

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

Legislative Successes

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: 13,640. 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: 9,352
Participants in NH: 720
as of June 13, 2009

FSP News - May 2009

FSP News - May 2009

The 6th annual Porcupine Freedom Festival

The 6th annual Porcupine Freedom Festival is just over a month away. Join us June 25th through the 28th, or show up early. Porcupines will start to camp out from Monday, the 21st. If you haven't registered yet, what are you waiting for? This year's PorcFest is going to be the biggest yet, and you don't want to miss the fun!

As the liberty movement in New Hampshire grows, so does the number of liberty-oriented media outlets. New Hampshire is home to bloggers, television and radio personalities, newspaper journalists, videographers, and podcasters. PorcFest is the best place to meet many of these people who are changing and challenging the rules of news media.

To book your accommodation, call Roger's at 603-788-4885 or visit them online. For more information about this year's event, visit our website . Time is running out... See you in June!

Register today! (PS: If you can't make it to the 2009 Porcupine Freedom Festival, please consider donating to help promote Liberty in Our Lifetime. Thanks!)

Join the discussion

Have you visited the FSP's Message Board, or Forum? It's an interactive discussion board filled with ideas and opinions about the Free State Project, and it's a good place to ask questions or simply browse.

Merchandise

Let me introduce our new sticker. It's a trés-chic black-and-white beauty. Notice the clean lines, the easy readability; and the slogan that brings hope to all that understand it. "Liberty in Our Lifetime", boldly proclaimed in uncompromising letters. The new sticker was recently overheard at a fancy shindig saying how proud it was to be a part of the FSP's merchandise offerings. The "Don't Tread on Me-Porcupine" flag, a close personal friend of mine, told me the sticker also said that even though it was only four inches wide and three inches high he felt like a sticker that could cover the world! Even the shiny keychain, known for it's rigid sense of style and good taste, was impressed by the new sticker, commenting on how the black background and white lettering made for a particularly stand-out look. Not all the reviews were positive, however. The porcupine hand puppet didn't think the new sticker looked "fuzzy" enough. Most onlookers did agree that the sniping, negative comments, and disapproval coming from the older stickers was just a case of pertness envy. I hope you'll all welcome the newest member of the advertising family with open arms, and good ideas on where to place the new sticker. (The all over the body "Hey look at me, I'm the sticker man!" probably is not the way to go) The new LIOL sticker is a fine complement to the FSP's line of merchandise that advertises, reinforces, and inspires us all to have "Liberty in Our Lifetime". Visit the store to get FSP stickers and other stuff.

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:

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: 13,508. 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: 9,282
Participants in NH: 705
as of May 14, 2009

FSP News - April 2009

FSP News - April 2009

PorcFest 2009

The 5th annual Porcupine Freedom Festival (a.k.a. PorcFest) is only a couple of months away. The official dates are June 25th through the 28th, but you are invited to arrive early. Liberty lovers will be camping out as early as Monday, the 21st. Book your reservations today to secure the best spot at Roger's Campground in the beautiful Lancaster, NH. Whether you've been thinking about making the move to New Hampshire or just want to enjoy a weekend of fun with like-minded individuals, this is the event you don't want to miss.

PorcFest is the perfect way to experience NH for yourself, to meet hundreds of fellow liberty lovers, and to make long-lasting friendships. People travel from across the country and beyond each year to attend this event, so the chances are good you'll meet someone from your own home state. Even more importantly, you'll meet people who understand the principles of freedom, individuality, and self-ownership. Who knows? You might even decide to move!

PorcFest is also a great way to experience the many flavors of liberty activism in NH. Whether you're a political activist, a civil disobedience activist, or someone else entirely, you are likely to meet others who share your views. Come to discuss ideas and methods, take activism training classes with Free State Project early movers, enter to win in the Best Liberty T-Shirt Contest, take rifle training classes, go on a hike, or try your skills as an orator in the SoapBox Idol event. For more information about this year's event, visit the PorcFest website. See you in June!

To book your accommodation, call Roger's at 603-788-4885 or visit them online at www.rogerscampground.com. Call before May 1, 2009, and mention PorcFest for your 10% PorcFest discount.

Action of the Month - Porcupines as Twitter Critters

<Plaque on the wall at the Museum of the Universe> In the constant search for freedom and liberty in our galaxy, many useful devices have been employed over the years. One of those most used in the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries on Sol-3 was the "PC". The silicon chip based Personal Computer and it's connection, to what they quaintly called at the time The Internet, proved a worthy companion in the fight for doing what you wanted as long as you didn't hurt anyone else. The advent and rapid expansion of "Social Networking" programs caught the forces of nannyners and controlerites completely by surprise. The dedicated and stalwart lovers of liberty used FaceBook, MySpace, and Twitter to spread the meme of voluntary exchange, freedom, individual responsibility and a higher civilization throughout the populated areas of the planet. Prominent in this vanguard of freedom were members of the Free State Project. The FSP, of course, was an outstanding collection of freedom-lovers the likes of which have never been seen in the Hundred Systems. The use of "Twitter", a popular method for sending short messages, enabled these avant-garde guardians of liberty to communicate with followers all around the globe. Most of us, in the civilized parts of the galaxy, are familiar from childhood, with the nursery rhyme that was popularized after The Great Uplifting that brought us to this time of freedom, enlightenment and liberty for all. 

Twitterdum and twitterdee

    thought people were as cattle;

For Twitterdum said twitterdee

    "they make the finest chattel";



Just then up popped a glorious Porc,

                    not scared of any peril;

which frightened both the haters so;

          that they became quite sterile.

Twitterdum and Twitterdee refer here to the majority of the population at the time who thought that using the force attendant with government actions was a solution to the problems of the day. While we know in these enlightened times how ludicrous that is, people in the savage, early days before free minds and free people actually thought it was not only appropriate, but necessary. While people who think like this today are rarely seen and even more rarely tolerated, we must remember that in earlier times the notion was quite popular.

(This plaque sponsored by the Sorens Universal Political Enrichment Ruminations Foundation.)

If you haven't figured it out by now, the action is to spread the word about the Free State Project and freedom in New Hampshire using twitter. Keep your hashcodes simple and obvious, or whatever takes it's place in the tweets of the twittersphere?, twitterscape?, twitterville?, twitteralaxy?, ah well, you get the point.

Merchandise

A special treat for all of you that may have missed the John Taylor Gatto appearance at Liberty Forum. We have a small number of signed copies of his wonderful book, "Weapons of Mass Instruction", available for purchase. Yes, signed by him, not me. That'd be pretty silly for me to sign them. Although... if you want to donate an extra $5 bucks or so, I'd be more than happy to make a mark or two on it. Not on the cover page, of course, but maybe some secret marginalia extolling the virtues of liberty. Maybe some ranting against the government in invisible ink, or perhaps... ahem, we really don't need to go there. Seriously, this book is amazing in it's ability to explain the public, er, government schools as they really are and the dangers they pose to a truly educated citizen. Buy one for your friends who think "My school's OK". They may not think so afterwards.

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

State House Successes

FSP members have been remarkably successful at the State House recently. Here's a short list of successes:

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: 13,408. 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: 9,231
Participants in NH: 698
as of April 14, 2009

FSP News - March 2009

FSP News - March 2009

PorcFest is Coming

Excitement is mounting for the 2009 Porcupine Freedom Festival (a.k.a. PorcFest), and we hope to see you there! June 25th through the 28th are the dates and Roger's Campground and Motel in Lancaster, NH, is the place. Early bird registration, only $15 per adult, is now open, and kids under 18 are free. Come experience what it is like to spend time in New Hampshire's famous White Mountains amidst hundreds of like-minded, freedom-loving individuals. Even if you already live in New Hampshire, you don't want to miss this!

PorcFest has traditionally been a family-friendly event, and this year will be no exception. The dates chosen reflect a time when most kids are on vacation from school. Late June is a perfect time to bring your kids and enjoy fun, fellowship and freedom. In addition to the abundance of kid-friendly facilities--pools, playgrounds, horseshoe pits, miniature golf, and more--this year's PorcFest will feature adult-supervised activities including hiking, swimming, sports, and crafts. White Marriott, a recent mover from Texas, will be on site making balloon animals. Parents can volunteer to help out by contacting the organizers at porcfest@freestateproject.org (please put "Volunteering for Kids Activities" in the subject line). Nearby local attractions include Storyland, Santa's Village, Six Gun City, and Christie's Maple Farm. Get the inside scoop on the planning and meet other parents by joining the conversation here.

To book your accommodation, call Roger's at 603-788-4885 or visit them online at www.rogerscampground.com. Call before May 1, 2009, and mention PorcFest for your 10% PorcFest discount.

New Hampshire: Still the Most Free

The Mercatus Center at George Mason University has put together a careful study ranking the 50 states in terms of how much individual freedom each permits to its residents. New Hampshire places 1st in "Fiscal Policy," second in "Economic Freedom," and first in the overall ranking.

The job's not done yet, though. Sadly, New Hampshire received 13th place in "Personal Freedom" and 18th place in "Regulatory Policy." There's still work that needs doing, even in the freest state.

Liberty Forum Wrap-Up

The 2009 FSP Liberty Forum is now over. WOW. The vibe at the Crowne Plaza Hotel was unreal. There is no real way to describe it but overheard was: "I have been to over 100 'libertarian' conventions and this is one of the best." "This convention is not just about learning but it is about having fun. The FreeStaters ROCK." "How could they top last year?" Check out the over 600 pictures and numerous YouTube videos of the event.

We started off with the 'Father of the Libertarian Party (David Nolan) and finished with Stefan Molyneux and his practical anarchy. In between was EVERYTHING else, from Mary Ruwart talking about the healthcare system and FSP Participant Dick Heller talking about the DC vs Heller Supreme Court case. Patri Friedman spoke on SeaSteading and Boston T Party as well. So many great speakers. Here is the full listing: www.freestateproject.org/libertyforum.

Thanks to all the speakers, vendors, sponsors, attendees and volunteers who made this event possible. See you next year!

Brian Wright -- Early Mover and author of New Pilgrim Chronicles (a panegyric of the Free State experience) -- typically posts a diary of the Free State Porcfests and Liberty Forums he attends. This one starts out with some entertainment value (are these guys SWAT or just your run-of-the-mill Darth Vader wannabe dimwit popos?) From bw's "in transit" day (along the New York thruway I-90):

"...where a couple of dead-eyed looking black dudes in blue uniforms are washing up; something doesn't look right. These guys don't look like anything commercial. I know what it is: they're packing heat! The lettering says Emergency Services Unit, and in smaller type, "NY Corrections." What the flock, over!" "Yeah, sure enough, I stay away from them but follow them inconspicuously outdoors where I see two armored vans presumably carrying a couple of hardened 15-year-old marijuana smokers. All together, I count four burly meatheads, who move slowly under the weight of their nightsticks, mace canisters, tasers, walkie talkies, cellphones, body armor, anti-aircraft guns, heat-seeking missiles, and two or three holstered .45 automatics...." Geez, I was worried for a minute they'd detain me as one of those uppity Free Stater guys. :) [more]

Brian was also a presenter to the Alternative Exposition of the 2009 Liberty Forum on the Sacred Nonaggression Principle. He has written a book of the same name. "The idea behind the SNaP concept is to elevate the simple nonaggression principle to the highest moral standard in society. The benefits are extraordinary: world peace, safe streets, material abundance... not to mention spiritual fulfillment."

Easy Ways to Help the FSP

Want to help the FSP but don't have much time or money. Here are 10 simple but effective actions you can do that can go a long way:

  1. Create a free rubber stamp with text like "Want more liberty? www.FreeStateProject.org" and stamp the paper money that crosses your hands.
  2. Join and invite your friends to Free State Project social networking sites on Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Bureaucrash Social.
  3. Use GoodSearch to search or buy things. The FSP will receive a percentage of the sale. Be sure to use the links provided.
  4. Buy and show off an FSP bumper sticker, shirt, keychain, or other items from the FSP merchandise store.
  5. Download and distribute flyers, brochures, desktop wallpaper or other material from the volunteer downloads page. Give to friends, family, co-workers, and other associates or post at cafes, supermarkets, and other public bulletin boards.
  6. Mention the FSP in at least one conversation each week and/or include a link or blurb about the FSP in your email signature.
  7. Write about the FSP on your blog or post about it on forums, blogs, and other sites you visit.
  8. Leave a handwritten or pre-printed note about the Free State Project on cars with pro-liberty bumper stickers.
  9. Stick FSP bookmarks (available from the merchandise store) in pro- liberty books at your local library and bookstore.
  10. Email the FSP about publications or events happening in your area that you think the FSP should have a presence.

If you have any question, please email Rich Goldman.

Action of the Month - Be Heard, or be Nerd

Politics is a popularity contest. The currently elected politicians were the ones most popular during the last election. They care quite a bit about their popularity. As freedom activists, (we are all activists for freedom, right?), we can use this to our advantage. When the next intrusive, expensive, abusive, depressive, impulsive, offensive oppressive, repulsive, abrasive, divisive, erosive, invasive, obtrusive, collusive, concussive, or etc. bill starts to slither its way through the legislature, make sure they hear your voice, a voice for freedom. The politicians will certainly hear the insiders, toadies, and rent-seekers that breeze into the government offices, whispering tempting offers into their ears. It is important for them to hear from you. The politicians may not care about a flaky whack-job, bellowing about conspiracies and evil, but they will care about reasonable people making reasonable calls with concerns over pending legislation. I should say they would care if they receive enough calls from enough people with objections over how their representative might vote. There's no way to know how much is enough. So be sure to call, write, or send early and often. Since it's a volume thing, gently reminding your friends, neighbors and associates to do the same is recommended. That is assuming, of course, that they are in the freedom band of the spectrum and care to have Liberty in Our Lifetime.

(Regardless of whether you think being called a nerd is a bad thing or not, make sure you are heard before we are all herd-ed by the N.E.R.D., the National Education Re-education Department, don't you know :)

Merchandise

Balloon, from the French, ballon, from the Italian dialectal ballone, from the German augmentative balla, to the FSP excited Wahoo! We now have FSP balloons. There are two styles of fantastic fun for you to enjoy. The large, fancy Mylar version has the FSP logo on it. It's all shiny-riffic, and a favorite of liberty-lovers everywhere. It's perfect for parades, events, showing up in the background of videos, and enticing government-weary people of all ages to come and work for freedom in the Free(er) State of New Hampshire. The other style is a bright, happy, yellow color. It has the famous "Don't Tread on Me" motto (with the cute, cuddly, but defensively capable porcupine; instead of that cold, clammy, aggressive rattlesnake, though it's OK if you prefer reptiles over mammals). On the back is the Free State Project's Statement of Intent. These smaller, latex balloons are also perfect for, well, see above for details. Local events, national events, family events, or even all alone events while you're surrounded by statists and socialists, huddled under your blanket, patiently counting the moments until you can move to New Hampshire. These balloons will warm your heart, cheer your day, and proclaim to all the world that we will not go gently a goodnight, badnight, or any other night that has expanding government; at least not without a smile on our face.

Do-It-Yourself Outreach

Are you interested in doing outreach for the FSP? A gun show? an LP convention? Anywhere that people are going to be more receptive to hearing our message? The FSP can help you set it up we just need you to be the local contact and man the event. Contact events@freestateproject.org.

Find Jobs

Looking for a job? Want to start a business with other Free State Project participants? Then join the Free State Project Professional Networking LinkedIn group. You can post your resume, your interests, and make useful connections. If you are not yet a member of LinkedIn, you can join here. It's free and quick.

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

Manchester Has Second-Lowest Tax Burden

According to a District of Columbia survey, Manchester is in the #2 slot (after Anchorage, AK) for city with the lowest taxes in the United States.

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: 13,222. 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: 9,138
Participants in NH: 675
as of March 13, 2009

Advertisement

Calling all liberty-minded students! Come join Young Americans for Liberty (YAL) and spread the message freedom on your campus. YAL is the Ron Paul-endorsed youth organization educating and training young people committed to winning on principle. Please visit our website to learn how you can get involved and start a YAL chapter on your campus today. You can also support the education and training of our young people by donating $50 or more to support the youth movement for liberty.

FSP News - February 2009

FSP News - February 2009

2009 Liberty Forum - It's not too late!

Less than a month away, it's not too late to register for the Liberty Forum.

Come join us and others dedicated to liberty from across the country. Hear speakers on gun rights, education, personal liberty, and more. Reinvigorate yourself with conversations with like-minded liberty oriented individuals! Come attend the liberty event of the year!

New Additions

And of course, John Taylor Gatto, Dick Heller, William Norman Grigg, representatives from Reason Foundation, NHELD, and more! See the whole line up!

Make your reservations now! Join in the conversation and camaraderie about Liberty in our Lifetime!

Answering Objections to and Misconceptions of the FSP

A new marketing pamphlet is available that provides responses to common misconceptions and objections to the Free State Project. Topics covered include: NH's weather and population; the role, purpose, and goal of the FSP; and issues holding people back from making the move or simply signing up. It's a useful handout for any prospective participant. Download this and other materials at the FSP downloads page.

The FSP at Boston Tea Party '08

Keith C. and Greg S. worked a table at historic Faneuil Hall in Boston, MA on 12/14/2008 for the Boston Tea Party '08 event. We handed out a bunch of Liberty Forum cards, FSP bookmarks, and a flyer similar to the one Michael Hampton made for FSP activists to hand out at the I.O.U.S.A. movie. The FSP Gadsden Flag and porcupine hand puppets were big hits. Steve, a MA libertarian activist who recently woke up to freedom because of the Ron Paul movement joined the FSP at the event. Afterwords, we went to a party at the Green Dragon and did more recruiting. A guy even went up to us at the restaurant and said he found a couple more people interested in the FSP and we gave him Liberty Forum cards. I also managed to network on Facebook with about a dozen MA residents who attended the event.

All in all, it was great spending the day in Boston with a couple hundred mostly MA and NH liberty activists.

See pictures of the event

Gunshow Outreach

Sonya Setting up A couple members of the Bluegrass FSP Local Group set up a Free State Project table at a gun show in Indianapolis on the weekend of November 29-30. "The place was really busy," said member William Brinda. "In all, there were well over a thousand people who went through and saw the FSP display. Fifty or sixty people chatted with us and/or picked up some literature. About half of them were seriously interested." Sonya Sawtelle, who also attended, added, "It's refreshing to talk to so many people who are eager to hear about liberty movements."

Gun show attendance is currently higher than it was over the last few years. Now is a great time to recruit at a gun show near you. For help with this, check out the related section of the FSP Forum.

Action of the Month - Liberty Forum

The New Hampshire Liberty Forum is only a few weeks away. There will be wonderful speakers to excite (and possibly incite) the freedom-loving regions of your brain. There will be many opportunities to network, socialize, and enjoy camaraderie with fellow freedom-seekers. There will be corners in which to stand and observe the fine goings-on (for those that aren't the glad-handing type). There will be gun classes, and comedy, and lunches, and dinners. There will be rejuvenation, a renewal of the spirit of liberty that can languish when alone in the "lower 49". When was the last time you were in a room where the proportion of socialist/rent-seeking/proxy-nannies to rational, freedom-loving individuals was less than 99%? Less than 85%? How about a room with hundreds of people, and 100% of them freedom-minded; not a single one of them interested in stealing your money, or telling you how to live, or commanding how many gallons of water a minute your shower head can use. Not that there won't be lively discussions on a range of subjects so varied that I couldn't think of most of them or have the room to write them down. A final selling point for the Liberty Forum, those of us who have not been able to "make the move" yet, for whatever reason, will be able to spend time in the Free State. While it may not be a truly free state, it's the best we have and only getting better. With each Homo Sapiens that crosses the border into New Hampshire and transforms into Homo Freepians, the goal of Liberty in Our Lifetime gets a little closer.

Merchandise

"Good morning sir, and welcome to the Free State Project store. How may I be of service?"
"Oh, I'm just looking around, seeing what you have."
"All right, let me know if I can help with anything."
"Well, actually, I was looking for something...special, you know, unique."
"Ah, in that case, let me show you the 'special' room."
"The special room?"
"Yes, it is where we keep the exceptional items. The rare items."
"What kind of things do you have?"
"Just a moment, let me unlock the door and pardon my change in voice once we're inside, the boss thinks it lends a certain air of respectability. Let's see, retina check, thumbprint scan, 32 digit combination, voice recognition 'LIBERTY-IN-OUR-LIFETIME', both padlocks, secret release button - OK there."
"Wow, this is a neat room."
"Oui, oui monsieur, az I said, zis iz our 'special' room."
"Oh, that must be the voice thing. Anyway, what is this stuff?"
"We have zee most merveilleux items in here. Handcrafted items from far, distant shores. All 'tre bon'.'"
"Wow, awesome. What a great pillow with a porc on it and I love these little pouches, how much?"
"Ah, my apologies monsieur. They will only be for sale at the Liberty Forum."
"What you've got to be kidding? These are great, they've got the cool porc logo sewn into them and a drawstring - I couldn't possibly wait until the Liberty Forum."
"Again my apologies, mon ami. Zee boss says only to sell zem at Liberty Forum. If zere are any left, well zen zey will be put up on the website."
"OK, if that's the way it's gonna be, I'd better make sure I get there early. Will you be selling any other FSP items at the Forum? Wait, let's get out of this room before you answer."
"Thank you. Ah, that's better. Yes, we'll have the full complement of FSP merchandise available for sale at the Liberty Forum. Shirts, magnets, pocket Constitutions, fluffy porcupine hand puppets - we'll have it all."
"And what about the special items?"
"We'll have them there too - some of the more special items may only be available through auction, we'll have to see."
"Fair enough, I'll have to wait until then. While I'm here, let me get a PorcFest'05 can koozie, a keychain, 2 pins, and a tee shirt."
"Very good, sir. Will that be gold or silver..."

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:

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: 12,995. 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: 9,033
Participants in NH: 663
as of February 13, 2009

advertisement

Are you looking to get involved with other liberty lovers from across the USA and around the world? With over 1,600 freedom fighters from 65 countries Bureaucrash Social is that place. Described as "a vibrant online activist community" it's the heart of operations for Bureaucrash. It's an easy, private and fun way to connect with other people and pro-liberty events in your area and share and view related videos and photos. Visit bureaucrash.com today, where you can get your daily fix of freedom. And be sure to check out our selection of thought-provoking clothing and accessories at our Contraband store and podcasts with liberty-minded thinkers, musicians, entrepreneurs, and activists at our Podcrash. All this and more, at bureaucrash.com.

FSP News - January 2009

FSP News - January 2009

Want to Visit New Hampshire?

If you are interested in visiting New Hampshire at any time of the year and experiencing the Free State Project community, we would be glad to show you around. Simply let us know through our brand new Visit NH page. Provide us some basic details and a representative of the FSP will contact you to facilitate your trip. Also, as this is a new site, if you have any comments, complaints, or suggestions, please forward them to rgoldman@freestateproject.org.

2009 Liberty Forum - Two Months and Counting!

Dick Heller, John Gatto, Mary Ruwart, Lisa Snell, Angela Keaton, David Bergland, David Nolan, and many more! The Liberty Forum is the place to be for exciting speakers, roundtables, and discussions about freedom and the many paths to liberty!

If you haven't made plans yet, now is the time! The Liberty Forum is less than two months away.

Too busy for a full weekend of liberty? Just want to see the speakers on Saturday? Only have time for the Friday Keynote dinner? A la carte pricing is now available. Check out the schedule and registration for details and more information!

Have questions or need more information? Contact libertyforum@freestateproject.org!

PorcFest 2009

Save the date! The Porcupine Liberty Festival is June 25 - 28, 2009 at Rogers Campground in beautiful Lancaster, NH.

Stay tuned for more details...

Online registration opens March 15, 2009

To book your accommodation, call Rogers Campground at 603-788-4885 (please note it is off-season, so leave a message and someone will call you back) or visit them online at http://www.rogerscampground.com/. Call before May 1, 2009 for your 10% discount.

Action of the Month - Librarything

How often have you read a book and thought, "Wow, everyone should read this!" How many books are on your shelves right now that meet that criterion? How often have you wondered, "Is there anyone else out there that reads these kinds of books?" and "What joy and knowledge could others gain, as I have, from these biblio-messengers?" Books, like heralds from some other's mind, from times recent as last year, or from millennia past, speaking their message of hope, or fear, or shame. Books can be papyrus teachers, sometimes so intimately engrossing that you feel the author to be a close friend or mentor. Sometimes they can seem cold and soulless with all the warmth of a black dwarf, frigid and dead in the blackness of space, only to have us discover, upon reading and reflection, that it contains diamonds the size of battleships. Some books shine with the brilliance of a hypergiant sun bathing us with philosophy and wisdom we could never see on our own. Then there are the deceivers, those books that seem to make sense, they seem to give truth and light, but are instead an insidious betrayal of all that is honest and good. Don't you wish there was a way to tell friends and like-thinkers of these wonderful books you have found? Don't you wish you could warn others of the banal, fallacious, and just plain stupid books you've trudged through and wish you hadn't? Wouldn't it be great to introduce someone to that One Book? That One Book that sets things in place, that makes order out of chaos, that rings so true like a thousand sonorous, silver bells gleaming in the bright rays of reason? Sounds good, yes? How about we make that 'One Book' a 'Those Books'? How about you go to the Free State Project Reading Group on Library Thing? See what other liberty-minded people have on their shelves. See what they say about the latest work by P. J. O'Rourke. See if it usually does start with Ayn Rand. See if you've missed a good Heilein read. See what to avoid and what you shouldn't. See if you can find Liberty in Our Lifetime. Can you handle the Mises? Can you find that rare Rothbard? A great portion of the world's knowledge waits for you in books. Finding the good, dodging the poor, and connecting with others who know the difference is what Library Thing can do for you.

Merchandise

237, 238, 239, 240, 241, 242, 243, 244, ...[wa wa wa] What? Oh, hi. I'm just counting FSP bumper stickers. 245, 246, 247, 248, ...[wa wa wa] Huh? Oh, well thousands. Yeah, really. Oh sure, me too. It'd be a lot better if all of these were on a car or sign or something. Much better to have them out in the world advertising the Free State Project, than here on the shelf collecting dust. 249, 250, 251, 252, ...[wa wa wa] Sure, we have plenty of t-shirts in stock as well. [wa wa wa] Magnets? Totally, look at all the magnets. There's an eight-pack, one of each, or five of each kind, or...[wa wa wa] Well, yeah, we have awesome pins, nice and shiny - and don't forget the Golden Porcupine pin you can only get if you're responsible for three people signing up (and I hear there will be some recent achievers of the Golden Porcupine pin at the Liberty Forum this year). Um, let me see 255, no, 522, no darn. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, ... [wa wa wa] Duh, of course we have Ultimate brand flying discs. Yes, with the FSP logo proudly emblazed on it, sheesh. 7, 8, 9, 10, ... [wa wa wa] Porcupine what?!? No, we don't have porcupine-scented body oil. [wa wa wa] Huh? No, we don't have any Official FSP Carbine-Action Two-Hundred-Shot Liberty Model Air Rifles. ... [wa wa wa] Eh? What's that? A what? Of course not, what self-respecting organization that promotes Liberty in Our Lifetime would carry a thing like that? [wa wa wa] Oh, that's what it means? Well, we do have toy stuffed porcupines, and I guess the small ones could be like babies, so sure we have them. They're hand puppets to boot. Ah, 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, ... [wa wa wa] Where? Well the web site of course! Uhg, go to freestateproject.com, then click on the merchandise link on the left. It's not hard, even a government employee could do it. [wa wa wa] Now don't you take that tone with me. Look I've got counting to do. [wa wa wa] La la la, not listening. 10, 11, 12,...

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:

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: 12,816. 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: 8,956
Participants in NH: 654
as of January 14, 2009

advertisement

Are you looking to get involved with other liberty lovers from across the USA and around the world? With over 1,600 freedom fighters from 65 countries Bureaucrash Social is that place. Described as "a vibrant online activist community" it's the heart of operations for Bureaucrash. It's an easy, private and fun way to connect with other people and pro-liberty events in your area and share and view related videos and photos. Visit bureaucrash.com today, where you can get your daily fix of freedom. And be sure to check out our selection of thought-provoking clothing and accessories at our Contraband store and podcasts with liberty-minded thinkers, musicians, entrepreneurs, and activists at our Podcrash. All this and more, at bureaucrash.com.

FSP News - January 2010

FSP News - January 2010

NH Liberty Forum

It is that time of year again! The NH Liberty Forum 2010 is just around the corner. If you attended last year you remember the feeling of having 300 people who you don't have to explain yourself to. You remember the electricity in the air during the talks and between the talks. You remember surrounding yourself with liberty lovers. Come back in 2010 and charge your batteries!! If you weren't there last year...come and see what it is all about!

We have some exciting new speakers Stewart Rhodes from Oath Keepers will be there. Pasha Roberts from LinePlot will be there talking about his cool new animated film that wants to END THE FED. Tom Baugh will teach us all how to Starve the Monkey.

Come hear those speakers and more! A further list can be found here: www.freestateproject.org/libertyforum. And we have some more speakers to announce shortly. And we added a Sunday brunch.... Who doesn't want brunch with 300 libertarians?

Inexpensive ads are available for sale for the LF booklet. Contact libertyforum@freestateproject for details.

Sign up NOW you won't want to miss it.

Volunteering

Last month we put out a call for volunteers and many of you answered the call... THANK YOU. But we still need more. The FSP runs on volunteers. We could use your talents. Spend as little or as much time as you want. Check out our help wanted page.

If you see something that the FSP is NOT doing... make a suggestion and we can add that job to the page. There are great ideas out there about how to get more people interested in the FSP...we just need help implementing those ideas. Volunteer TODAY!

FSP Job Alert

There is a new group on Facebook: FSP Job Alert. A group of people are posting jobs in NH to this page. If that is the only thing holding you back....contact that group right away so that we can help you find a job. Join this group so that you can see all the job listings. And if you are in a specific field let us know.

Recruiting

Want to recruit new FSP participants? This Ridley Report video mentions several ways to recruit that you may not have thought about. Here is the link to the FSP download page mentioned in the video, http://www.freestateproject.org/volunteer/downloads.

Speaking of recruiting, a few people are distributing FSP bookmarks, buy them here, at libraries around the country (but mostly in Massachusetts). If the idea interests you, a thread on the FSP Forum has the details. Keep in mind that the above types of recruiting are neither endorsed nor sponsored by the FSP.

- Keith and Stuff

Do you know people who are interested in the FSP but might not be ready for the commitment? have them join as friends and they can get this newsletter. They don't have to move and there is no charge. Sign up a friend TODAY.

Local Groups

The FSP local groups are picking up steam throughout the nation. If you want to find a local group near you post on the forum or Email localgroups@freestateproject.org with your name and city/area, and we'll help you get connected.

Merchandise

A new batch of pins has arrived. They look as gorgeous as ever, but we now have two different attachment types. The safety pin and the butterfly clutch. These look great and are wonderful conversation starters. The conversation often starts with "Hey, what's that pin?" and can end with "Wow, far-out man, that Free State Project scene is like the happeningest group of freedom loving cats around, I totally dig it". Or it can end with "Awesome dude, I can't wait to kick it with those bodacious liberty guys in New Hampshire, they're the bomb". Or it can end with "Ah, yes, your lucid explanation concerning the preeminence of liberty as the casual agent of human consummation has me eagerly looking forward to a time when I shall reside in the Free State". Or it can end with "OMG, those d00ds rock! They kewl or what? Tyrant n00bs will taste the pwnage for sure. Gimme a woot 4tw!". Or it could end with, "Like, mega-rific man, that is like so totally dee-vine, I mean like think of all the nifty guys and gals totally making freedom work, like I'm like ready to freak out about how swell that will be". Or it could end with a simple "Yeah" (you know, one of those off-the-grid guys you see a month later and says, "Yeah, I moved, but didn't want to tell anyone".) One of the many great things about a free state is the kind of people you meet and better still, the ones actively promoting Liberty in Our Lifetime. And hopefully all of the freedom-loving, liberty-leaning people around the world will be displaying the fine FSP pin.

http://freestateproject.org/store

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

A Visit to Keene

FSP forumite kyfornow recently visited Keene, and has posted a nice two-part description of the trip.
Part 1
Part 2

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: 14,556. 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: 9,873
Participants in NH: 791
as of 01/15/10

The Free State Project (FSP) is an effort to recruit 20,000 pro-liberty activists to move to New Hampshire, where they will exert the fullest practical effort toward the creation of a society in which the maximum role of government is the protection of life, liberty and property. The work of creating and sustaining such a society in New Hampshire is the job of residents, including project participants, not the Free State Project itself.

The FSP does not endorse any specific changes to government or strategies to achieve them. The FSP does not take positions on issues, candidates, legislation, places to move within New Hampshire, tactics or methods of action. The one stipulation the FSP does make is that people who promote violence, racial hatred, or bigotry are not welcome.

Reporting by the FSP on participant activity or NH events on the website, in the newsletter, or in any other place does not represent support or endorsement and may not portray the diversity of opinions and activities that exists among participants.

FSP News 2008

FSP News from 2008

FSP News - December 2008

FSP News - December 2008

Joining the activism in New Hampshire

Once you get to New Hampshire, it's important to connect with other liberty lovers at social events and to get involved in activism. You can find both at http://www.nhlibertycalendar.com/. You can also find those types of events at http://calendar.nhfree.com/ and http://calendar.nhliberty.org/. NHFree focuses on market based activism and NHLiberty on political activism.

Mystery of the Missing Movers

We've seen a large jump in movers lately, but there are still many people who have moved and not updated their address. Updating your address allows the "Already in New Hampshire" counter on the main FSP webpage to move forward, and helps us with recruiting future movers. Whether or not you think you're address is updated, send an e-mail to Moved@FreeStateProject.org to check.

2009 Liberty Forum

The 2009 Liberty Forum is coming fast! (And early bird pricing expires soon!)

The New Year is nearly upon us! As we hear about economic turmoil, goals of our new president, and continued battles for minimal government across the country, let's gather together and talk about liberty!

Come hear Dr. Mary Ruwart, author of Healing Our World in an Age of Aggression and 2008 Libertarian Presidential candidate.

Our Saturday Keynote Speaker is Richard "Dick" Heller who worked with attorneys of the Bill of Rights Foundation and successfully overturned the ban on handguns in Washington DC!

Don't miss our Education Track including John Taylor Gatto, Lisa Snell of Reason Foundation, Charlie Arlinghaus of The Josiah Barlett Center for Public Policy, and a panel on New Hampshire Homeschooling!

Also attending:

Early bird pricing ends 12/20 so register today!

Help the Ridley Report Gain Viewers

The Ridley Report continues to gain more subscribers and become more popular. The Ridley Report now has more than 1500 subscribers and has been in the top 100 "most viewed" reporters on YouTube quite a few times in the last few weeks. In fact, the Ridley Report is only a few subscribers away from being in the top-100 most subscribed reporters of all time! If you haven't yet, please go over to http://www.youtube.com/user/RidleyReport and click "subscribe." Geting the award for being one of the top-subscribed reporters will help Ridley gain more views, which is good for liberty and good for the Free State Project.

Action of the Month - Porcers in Arms

No, not those kinds of arms. Boy, you 2A guys are always jumping the gun. :) I'm talking about the arm-in-arm kind of arms. Think more "1970's with flowers in your hair" rather than "1770's with muskets in your hands".

But with whose arms should we link? Whose elbows are worthy of our clasping? What other limbs are brave enough and strong enough to stand with us against the awful onslaught of an uncontrolled and rapacious government? There are quite a few. Some organizations may officially cold-shoulder us, as we often get their best people to join the fight for freedom in New Hampshire, while personally cheer us on and give us philosophical fist-bumps. One organization I think that is certainly more with us than agin'us is Bureaucrash. I don't know if you've heard about them or not, but their people always have the best stories. They "crash" statist gatherings and delight in showing the folly of the more feather-headed of that ilk. Sort-of like getting greenies to sign a petition against dihydrogen monoxide. They have an awesome collection of tee-shirts and other items for sale in their "contraband" section of their website.

Getting back to the arms thing, socially locking arms with these people can only be a win-win. They are most often young, smart, and willing to raise their arms in defense of liberty. Yes, their arms with hands attached. Not raised in some feeble sign of surrender or capitulation. Nor in narcissistic glee of hands raised high on the roller coaster as the FED plunges the value of the dollar ever lower. Their arms are raised in defiance of what academia tries to shovel into their heads on campus. Their arms are raised shining the light of free-minds and free-markets, often with a dose of humor thrown in for good measure. So be a good net-neighbor, and socialize with the folks at Bureaucrash. Let them know there's plenty of people in New Hampshire that think along their lines, that we need good people like them to join us, and that we're cheering them on from the Free State. Locking elbows for liberty, and not being the weakest link.

Merchandise

(If you don't know the tune for this song, consider yourself lucky :) 

I want some Porcer merchandise for Christmas
Only Porcer merchandise will do
Don't want the Gore, no filthy Iraq war
I want some Porcer merchandise to handle and adore

I want some Porcer merchandise for Christmas
I don't think Ronald Paul will mind, do you?
You won't have to use a dirty congress tax
Just order from our web site,
then you sit back and relax.

I can see me on some Concord morning,
climbing up the stairs
Oh with my shirt and plushie porc
legislation to uncork
They'll see some Liberty in Our Lifetime.

I want some Porcer merchandise for Christmas
Keychains, bumperstickers, those will do
Yes Constitutions, yes for flying disces
I only like the Porcer Merchandises
And Lysander the Porc who likes me too

Mom says the Gov will eat me up, but then
Jason says a Porcer is a vegeterian.
...
There's lots of room for us in New Hamp-a-shire
We'll free us here and show 'em there, the whole world we'll inspire

I can see us now on any morning,
shining like the stars
Blazing freedom to their minds
Just like open-ing the blinds
and they will know the Porc is happ-e-ning

I want some Porcer merchandise for Christmas
Only Porcer merchandise will do
No higher taxes or socialisterisms
I only like NewHampshireFreederisms
And HampshireFreederisms like me too!

- Lots of neat stuff in the FSP Store - If you need something by the 25th, order it right away.

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:

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: 12,705. 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:

  • Check out NH housing and other community & logistical information at NH Info

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

Participants: 8,900
Participants in NH: 641
as of December 13, 2008

FSP News - November 2008

FSP News - November 2008

NH Election Results -- More Free Staters Elected!

Our influence in New Hampshire politics continues to grow by leaps and bounds. While in 2006 only one early-moving Free-Stater was elected to the NH House of Representatives, in 2008 that individual was joined by 3 more pioneers. That's right, we now have 4 FSP Pioneers in the State Legislature!

These four individuals are a diverse group: a Democrat, 3 Republicans; two men, and two women. Two of them have served on the Board of Directors of the NH Liberty Alliance; another is the NH coordinator for the 2nd Amendment Sisters; another is an activist with privacy group NH CASPIAN. These four Free State Pioneers are joined by another four Friends of the Free State Project -- legislators who signed on as Friends after learning about the FSP and meeting us, or who joined the FSP before New Hampshire was chosen as the target state. Moreover, recounts are currently underway, and at least 1 more FSP Pioneer has a decent chance of winning in the recount. Good luck!

Meanwhile, the NH Liberty Alliance endorsed 154 candidates for NH State Representative. Of these, a whopping 98 won! These people are all "upper-quadrant Nolan Chart" folks; they either scored above 80% in Nolan-style questionnaires, or have consistently voted pro-liberty on economic and personal freedoms during their prior times in office.

Congratulations, and thank you to the many liberty-lovers elected to the New Hampshire legislature!
More info about the 2008 NH elections is here.

Liberty Forum 2009

It's another month closer to the 2009 Liberty Forum. Have you registered yet?

Richard Heller, (District of Columbia v. Heller), instrumental in overturning the ban on handguns in DC & around the nation is our Saturday Keynote Speaker!

Speakers from Reason, Independent Institute, Seasteading Institute and more will be presenting!

Also presenting are:

See the full line up of speakers.

For more information about the 2009 Liberty Forum contact the Forum Coordinator!

Liberty, or lack of it, in Massachusetts

While the Free State Project elected 4 of its members to the New Hampshire House of Representatives, liberty did not do so well in other states. In Massachusetts, voters voted overwhelmingly to keep their state income tax. It must be lonely being a libertarian in Massachusetts so we decided to reach out to them with an advertisement. You can donate and view the advertisement at fsp.chipin.com. Donations will go straight to the advertising campaign operated by Seth H, who is posting daily updates to the FSP Forum.

Action of the Month Nov 08 - Universal Porrcerage

The votes have been cast, the ballots counted, the plebiscite ended. The "great quadrennial" has resulted in a change of administration. The yeas and nays of the franchise give way to the "Yeahs!" and "Noooos!" of the varying electorates. Whether the poll went the way you wanted, or the tally played tattoo on your sense of civic virtue - it is done. Another set of thieves have won the auction for our stolen goods. The power heaped upon the previous tenant will be passed to, and no doubt expanded upon, the next. So ask for a show of hands and tell those that feel the assault on our freedoms that there is hope. Have them exercise their suffrage and let them know there is hope in New Hampshire with the Free State Project. Those who hear the "whisper of the porc" will respond. Voting with our feet is a concrete, positive move towards liberty. If your friends, neighbors, coworkers, and occasional strangers on the street are all tapped out, consider making a donation to the FaceBook advertising project to help us all get Liberty in Our Lifetime.

Merchandise

Let's see, FSP merchandise and the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday. Hmmmm, maybe t-shirts can be used for potholders. Liberty Forum DVDs as those "protect your table from hot pots" things (I can never remember the name of those). How about 'fridge magnets spelling out the time the feast will be ready? Pocket Constitutions to read while you're waiting for the gravy to thicken. Logo pins to keep the napkin firmly under your chin (not like you'd slop or anything). Key chains to attach to pot lids (you know how you hate burning your fingers on those things). FSP Ultimate flying discs make great plates and serving platters. Cute, stuffed, plushie porcs are sure to make a fantastic center-piece. And let's not forget FSP bumper-stickers to cover up the charred area around the oven (mistakes do happen you know). Obviously there are plenty of non-standard uses for the quality FSP merchandise available on the web site. Please remember though, the main purpose of these items is to advertise Liberty in Our Lifetime and to keep freedom and New Hampshire close to mind and heart.

New Pilgrim Chronicles

On November 9, 2008, Free State member and early mover Brian Wright released the second edition of New Pilgrim Chronicles, "his personal travelogue turned into a book about why people are coming to the Free State of New Hampshire for more freedom and to improve the quality of their lives." Brian tells us, "This is really an extensive rewrite. I took out all the 'rant.' I wanted to produce a more readable and usable literary companion for those who are considering making the trip here... whether for freedom or for the social reasons."

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:

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: 12,610. 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:

  • Check out NH housing and other community & logistical information at NH Info

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

Participants: 8,822
Participants in NH: 626
as of November 15, 2008

FSP News - October 2008

FSP News - October 2008

Free State Project Turns Five

The Free State Project is now five years old, and has a long list of successes under its belt. The biggest goals still lie in the future, though, and we need every bit of help we can get. Check out the Ridley Report's great retrospective/promotion video.

2009 LIBERTY FORUM - Speakers list firming up!

The Liberty Forum team received an overwhelming response to our offers for speaking opportunities. Some of the speakers confirmed so far are:

  • John Taylor Gatto, author of Dumbing Us Down: The Hidden Curriculum of Compulsory Schooling and The Underground History of American Education. Mr. Gatto will speak to us about his new book, scheduled for release this month, Weapons of Mass Instruction. He has also graciously agreed to do a book signing!
  • Angela Keaton, Development Director from antiwar.com
  • Gary Franchi, National Director of Restore the Republic
  • Adam Kokesh, from Iraq Veterans Against the War

And, just confirmed! Dick Heller will be our Saturday night Keynote Speaker along with Dane von Breichenruchardt, President of the Bill of Rights Foundation!

See all confirmed speakers on our website and check back often for new additions. And while you're there, take advantage of early bird pricing by registering now!

For more information or questions about the event, contact us at libertyforum@freestateproject.org

FSP In The News

The Independant, one of Britain's nationally-distributed newspapers, published an article on September 20 about New Hampshire in general and several times mentioning the Free State Project and the efforts of the porcs already in the state. The tone of the article is fairly amusing, seemingly a combination of honest admiration and the sort of admiration you feel when you watch alligator wrestling. It's a fun read, and a good thing to show your almost-convinced friends.

According to the Concord Monitor, the porcupines of the Free State Project are partially responsible for the New Hampshire Libertarian Party being able to run a full ticket of candidates this year, and hopefully become an officially recognized major party in the state, with no need to collect signatures before appearing on the ballot.

The Buchanans and their Walk for Liberty project have made the news again, this time in the Beloit Daily News and the Mankato Free Press. Will and Brooke Buchanan are painting a swath of local coverage of the Free State Project right across the country!

Action of the month Oct 08 - Cry

Yes, It's time to cry. Shed a tear for the republic. Weep over lost liberties. Let flow your sadness for the founders' price squandered. Go ahead, collapse into a spasmodic, lachrymose bag of blood and bones on the floor. Then arise. Raise your chin. Lift your eyes to take in the shining beacon on the hill that is the Free State Project. Though we are 700 billion dollars poorer today, and we will either be an Obamanation or McCainangrad in November, there is still hope. The Porc calls to us, raising us up from the blubbering pit of despair to the freedom and liberty of New Hampshire. Dry your eyes, put on your brightest smile, and tell the others whose eyes are damp with despondence that there is something to feel optimism about, the growing freedom in The Free State. The sanguine land of brave men and women, who love freedom and are willing to do what it takes to get it, will clear the tears of future neighbors. Let us strike while the iron is hot, while people's indignations are fired red-hot by the prevarications of the politicians seeking to win the "advance auction". There is no better time than now, and just after, the electoral violations of the American public by the major parties to spread the words of freedom. Seek out the political gatherings, search for those with moist eyes, quivering lips, and sickened looks on their faces - these are the people who need a shoulder, these are the people who need the sweet, hopeful words of liberty whispered in their ear. And we, the Participants and Friends of the FSP have the absorbent shoulders and the gentle voices that will show the way to Liberty in Our Lifetime. The Free State Project and New Hampshire: hope and facial tissue for the dark days ahead.

Merchandise

We have a limited number of 2008 PorcFest T-shirts available - check the website for size availability. There are still a few 2008 Liberty Forum shirts available as well. Speaking of shirts, we have older event shirts too. Now don't give me any grief about "I wasn't there", or "That was a while ago". If you have a problem with owning a shirt from an event you didn't attend, just get a marker and put "I should have gone to..." in front of the title, or "I missed a great time at...", or "I wish I hadn't just gotten the shirt from..." Besides, it does none of us any good to have these shirts sitting on the shelf when they could be out there in the world advertising for the FSP (and all the fun we have). By the way, the older shirts are less expensive, as if you needed any more motivation.

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 Fight Over Public Kindergarten

The Coalition of New Hampshire Taxpayers has an update on the status of statewide, state-mandated kindergarten. The fight for local control isn't over yet.

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: 12,563. 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:

  • Check out NH housing and other community & logistical information at NH Info

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

Participants: 8,727
Participants in NH: 592
as of October 13, 2008

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:

  • Check out NH housing and other community & logistical information at NH Info

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:

  • Check out NH housing and other community & logistical information at NH Info

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:

  • Check out NH housing and other community & logistical information at NH Info

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

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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.

  • Once you have learned the skills we'll share, you will be given the opportunity to work as an independent consultant to an internationally established professional Forex Trading Team. You may choose to practice your new skills alone and/or in association with our Trading Team. If you join the Trading Team, you will have the means to live freely and independently anywhere you please, secured by your own ability to accumulate risk-free wealth 24 hours a day, 5 ½ days a week through trading.
  • Full details are disclosed in the free materials you'll find at: http://u15198738.onlinehome-server.com/trainingportal2/seminarregister.aspx
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:

  • Check out NH housing and other community & logistical information at NH Info

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:

  • Keene Police Ignore Illegal Gambling Operation
  • Walk for Liberty
  • Double Trouble of Taxation
  • Bailing out Banks
  • LEAP Speaks
  • The Fatherphobia of Family Courts
  • Ain't Nobody's Business if you Do
  • A Heated Conversation about Marijuana with Molly Kelly
  • Dancing for Freedom in Public will get you Arrested
  • Watching the Watchers
  • A Strategy for Freedom

 

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:

  • Check out NH housing and other community & logistical information at NH Info

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

  • Civil Disobedience Victory
  • Never put your Fate in the Hands of a Bureaucracy
  • Reader Letters
  • Consent of the Governed
  • $42 Million Question
  • Tombstones Mark Anniversary
  • On 5 Years in Iraq
  • Can the Free Market Secure Airlines?
  • Live Free or Die Celebration
  • Sudoku Puzzle
  • Why I am an Anarchist

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:

  • Check out NH housing and other community & logistical information at NH Info

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:

  • Juror's Rights Wookiee Hits Manchester Streets
  • Lies and Torture: Impeach Bush
  • Reader Letters
  • Peace Rallies
  • Sudoku Puzzle
  • Illegal Wiretapping for Dummies
  • Night of the Brown's Capture
  • Feminist Abuse of Domestic Violence Laws
  • Keep the Revolution Going
  • The American Dream
  • Frogs on Preheat
  • "Evidence Suitable for a Court of Law"

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:

  • Check out NH housing and other community & logistical information at NH Info

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:

  • Check out NH housing and other community & logistical information at NH Info

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 (yeah that one), Michelle, Chris L (another one), Rich, Rochelle, Phil, Ron and all the other volunteers who made this event a success.

The Liberty Forum saw coverage in several newspapers, including The Nashua Telegraph (twice), The Union Leader, and a halfhearted mention in The New York Observer.

"Thank you to Chris Lawless and the entire 2008 Liberty Forum organizer/volunteer crew. The event was a smashing success! On behalf of the FSP, I thank you all for your tireless effort. And, to all Liberty Forum attendees, thank you all for attending, and I sincerely hope that you had a good time. If you have photos, videos that you want to share, please let me know." - Irena Goddard, FSP President

Brian Wright chronicles the Liberty Forum

FSP "freedom rider", early mover, and panegyrist Brian Wright attended the recent Liberty Forum. As he has done for the previous Porcfests and last year's winter Liberty Forum, he has generated a writeup and commentary on the 2008 Liberty Forum - Free State Great in Winter of '08: Moving liberty forward and the rapture of Ron Paul. Brian is also the author of New Pilgrim Chronicles, a diary of his early days in the Free State.

Free Staters' Impact on the New Hampshire Primary: A Statistical Analysis

A new article by FSP Founder, Jason Sorens - "The recent New Hampshire presidential primary, coming now with well over 500 Free Staters in the state, affords us the first opportunity to examine our prospects with hard evidence." Discussion about Jason's research is on the FSP Forum.

Porcfest 2008

It's that time again. Building on the success and fun of our Liberty Forum, its now time to start focusing on the Porcupine Freedom Festival, aka PorcFest, which will be the week of June 9th - 15th at Gunstock Mountain Resort. Whether you are considering signing up to be part of the Free State Project, want to socialize with fellow pro-liberty activists, or want to experience the Live Free or Die state, PorcFest is a great event to attend. The weekdays will emphasize organized tours around the state and the weekend will emphasize New Hampshire and the FSP community through concerts, team sports, BBQs, bonfires, and more.

Now (not later) is the time to start setting time aside in your calendar, making travel and lodging arrangements, and telling your friends! Information on lodging, previous festivals, and answers to some typical questions are posted on the PorcFest website. Registration, schedule, and volunteering details will be in next month's newsletter. If you have any questions or concerns, please email Rich Goldman. See you at PorcFest :-)

FSP Mini-Documentaries

Heller Goodale has produced rentFREE**, a nice mini-documentary about the Free State Project, showing friendly and dedicated Porcs working and living in New Hampshire.

Shuvom Ghose has produced Finding Life and Liberty in the Free State Project, which does a great job of showing off what friendly, interesting, dedicated people Porcs are. Part 1 Part 2

There are so many videos covering the FSP, the Liberty Forum and activity in New Hampshire that it is difficult to keep up with them all! bikerbillnh has about twenty such videos posted.

Free Talk Live

FTL added KBZZ 1270 AM "The Buzz" in Reno, NV to the weekday show. KBZZ is FTL's 33rd affiliate. The FSP is one of FTL's sponsors - tune in live on the radio or to its archived shows. For a peek into their studio during showtime, watch this Ridley Report

Ian Bernard, host of Free Talk Live, has made "The Market for Liberty" available as a free audio book. The Market for Liberty, by Morris and Linda Tannehill, strongly makes the case that "government is an unnecessary evil and freedom is the best and most practical way of life." There are lots of folks out there who need to hear that message; spread the word!

New Member of the Board of Directors

Peter Eyre replaces Brian Sullivan on the FSP Board of Directors this month. Thank you to Brian for his service to the FSP and welcome to Peter.

The December Board of Directors meeting minutes have been posted.

FSP in New Orleans

Matt Simon and Phillip Allen attended the International Drug Policy Reform Conference and represented the FSP last month. Matt describes the conference and all the contacts.

FSP participants and friends attend relevant events with vendor tables and speakers. This is an area of the FSP that that does not currently have a volunteer coordinator. We increase our presence in the liberty community and recruit more people by attending events. If you're interested in helping out in this area, please let us know!

Your chance to help out

We are looking for the few, brave IT souls out there who would like to help the Free State Project. These people should have some programming/development experience. Drupal is a plus, but by no means necessary. Oh, of course, this is a volunteer position and can be very part-time or almost full time - based on your availability and interest. If you wish to investigate this opportunity, please e-mail Louis Calitz, IT Manager. Whatever your skills, please consider volunteering to help the FSP grow. There are many areas with volunteer needs - please check the Volunteer Center.

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 participants and friends? Free State Blogs attempts to answer that question. Here's just a sampling of this month's blog entries:

  • Why I Left Massachusetts: More Corrupt Cops in Boston
  • Nearly 100 Civil Unions in New Hampshire
  • NH: RidleyReport interviews ex-Homeland Security Director
  • FreeKeene's Ian Calls WKBK's "Talkback" 2008-01-12
  • much more in Free State Blogs

The RidleyReport

Videographer, Dave Ridley 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 Liberty Calendar tracks liberty-oriented NH events. Check the calendar before a visit or a move - you are welcome to attend NH events!

FSP News Thanks & Statistics

FSP News circulation: 12,303. Back issues are posted on the website. 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:

  • Check out NH housing and other community & logistical information at NH Info

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

Participants: 8,158
Participants in NH: 511
as of January 15, 2008

FSP News 2007

FSP News from 2007

FSP News - December 2007

FSP News - December 2007

2008 New Hampshire Liberty Forum

Ron Paul is confirmed as one of our featured speakers! Nashua, New Hampshire is THE place to be in early January 2008, as the Liberty Forum will be held just days before the all-important New Hampshire presidential primary on January 8th. The New Hampshire Liberty Forum will be held from January 3rd - 6th in Nashua. Please make your reservations now by registering for the LF and booking your hotel room. We have just a few rooms left at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, and, just in case, we have some rooms at two other nearby hotels. Check the list of speakers below and the event schedule and make reservations ASAP. Buses to the shooting range and the NHLA State House Tour are nearly full - please register now! Take a look at some scenes from the 2007 Liberty Forum. See you there!

RON PAUL - BERNARD von NOTHAUS - JOHN SUNUNU
BABKA - BAGGE - CHRIST - COOPER - CRYER - EDDLEM - GREEN - GOLDSMITH - GORMAN - GRONSKI - HARMAN - HARRIS - HOWELL - HUDGINS - LARK - McPHERSON - MOTTAHEDEH - NADELMANN - PORTER - SCHULZ - STEARNS - WILSON

PorcFest Planning

Yeah! PorcFest 2008 will be the week of June 9th-15th at Gunstock Mountain Resort. Make your campsite or hotel reservations ASAP. Laconia Bike Week will start June 14th (and end June 22nd) and so there will be increased demand that weekend. Our weekend is not the main Bike Week weekend, but once things are sold out, that’s it. See full Lodging details for PorcFest 2008.

If there is an event or speaker you'd like to see at PorcFest, please email a description and we'll work to make it happen. Similarly, if you have ideas about how to improve PorcFest, want to have the inside scoop on what's going on, or would like to do some volunteer work for the FSP, then join the PorcFest 2008 Yahoo Planners Group.

The initial draft of the PorcFest 2008 website is up. If you have web development skills and would like to help spruce it up or simply have ideas you'd like to see us try to implement, please email us. .

For promotional purposes, we want pictures and testimonials of those who attended PorcFest 2007. If you still haven't uploaded your pictures from PorcFest 2007 yet, please either do so here or email them to Rich Goldman. As for testimonials (i.e. good quotes we can attribute to people) please email them in soon. Summer is on its way
 

Photo Contest Winner

Lou Eastman was the winner of the Fall Foliage Photo Contest! His photos are featured throughout this issue of the newsletter and his Porcupine Puppet prize is on its way. New Hampshire sure is stunning in the Fall...and in the Summer, Winter and Spring!

Fundraising Campaign

"Perfect Storm" - FSP, Liberty Forum and New Hampshire Primary. Every presidential candidate is taking every opportunity to be seen in New Hampshire. The media is swarming into our state. Our country stands at a tipping point: a nudge in the right direction, at the right place, at the right time, will change history forever. The right direction is freedom, the key place is New Hampshire and the time is Jan 3 - thought 8th. The time has come for true patriots who love freedom to join together, to make our mark. Please, give generously to the campaign, designed specifically to take maximum advantage of this once in a lifetime opportunity! - Irena Goddard

500th Free Stater in NH!

You may have heard of Trevor Lyman, a key man behind the huge 5th of November fundraiser for Ron Paul and other supporting events - he was the 500th Free Stater in New Hampshire! Trevor joins a fast-growing number of Participants in New Hampshire as the 500th - a milestone on our way to thousands of activists in the Free State. As of publication, the number of Porcupine activists that now live in NH and have updated their address is up to 505. Welcome to New Hampshire!

The Ron Paul campaign has brought the FSP new Participants and Friends and has also given us some good media coverage. The FSP and the Liberty Forum were mentioned in this new article in The New American - The Doctor is Calling in New Hampshire. And, New Hampshire comes in first in this new analysis of the Freedom IQ of each state. More FSP media coverage is posted on the FSP Forum, along with NH news. More NH news sources.

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

Action of the Month – Straight Speaking

There’s no hidden message in this month’s “Action of the Month” (Did anyone noticed it last month? :). Instead of some drawn-out, arcane prose, let’s use a simple chart:

Well-meaning, innocent, minding-their-own-business Word

Common usage in the current statist/media vernacular

Common usage by honest, liberty-loving people

Investment

Money spent on society to make the world a better place. (Often used in conjunction with the phrase “for the children”)

Tax, i.e. impost, levy, monetary extraction, pay-or-we’ll-throw-you-in-jail

(Keeping in mind, “Society’s” bank account has no number)

Public School

Wonderful centers of education, with child-centered administrations, unbiased curricula, and supplied at no cost.

Government School –

1) Fiscal black holes with an ever-expanding event horizon. 2) Union-Controlled works program 3) Puerile Indoctrination centers.

DoublePlusGood

Rarely used. (This would bring too much attention to the fact that, while not destroying or removing words from the dictionary, but by perverting words and collapsing their meanings, they are doing the same thing)

Not applicable (As we all know; ‘Oldthinkers unbellyfeel Ingsoc”. Therefore, Porcs and related beings would probably say something more like “Way wicked cool” :)

The Free State

Contrived, fallacious nickname for the state of Maryland.

Intrinsic, genuine element of the wonderful state of New Hampshire

I’m sure we all could add quite a few words to this list. The point is to make sure we correct all of the badthinkers (socialists) when they use a term that clouds the issue or mangles the English language, twisting it to fit their obviously twisted worldview. Letters to the editor, polite corrections at the holiday cocktail party, or screaming out the window that you’re “Mad as hell and not taking it any longer”, all good ways to help correct the slide towards serfdom. - Phil Denisch

Free State Shooting Match - The Big Bull

Free State Match logo The politicking season is heading our way. The candidates will spread out across the country like a plague of locust chewing and jawing their way into our lives and wallets. There's little stopping it (just the Free State Project, of course :). There will also be an attendant swarm of pundits, commentators, bloggers, and prognosticators bloviating their way from one coast t'other. Hunker down in your compound as you may, there is no escape. Like an a'a lava flow of hot smelly, bovine excrement suffocating everything in their path, they're coming. But before we get too depressed, let's have a little fun. An easy shoot this time around, The Big Bull. A single, large bull's-eye, with twenty chances to score a hit. Each shot in the black scores one, maximum score of 20. Categories for pistols and rifles (scoped and un). - Phil

Merchandise

Bringing in the new year with a new item. If all goes well, we'll have a new item for sale at the New Hampshire Liberty Forum. Silicone wrist bands in small, medium, and large sizes. They're easy to wear all day long and oh, so fashionable. Be prepared with a clever answer when someone asks, "Hey, what's that really cool-looking wristband you're wearing?". It's a great way to get the conversation going. We'll have them on the merchandise page after the NHLF. But that's no excuse for visiting the store now to get all those last-minute gifts and gear for your trip to the Free State and the NHLF - you are going, aren't you? - Phil

In New Hampshire

New Hampshire Liberty Alliance

The NHLA is a non-partisan coalition working to increase individual freedom in New Hampshire. The NHLA has just introduced its new political strategizing forum and you're welcome to contribute and join. bikerbillnh attends and videos a NHLA Bill Review Training Session - just some of the inside work being accomplished by Free Staters and liberty activists 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:

  • NH: Op. Live Free or die activists weather first blizzard
  • No More Kings
  • NH: Behind the scenes at Op. Live Free or Die Hampton
  • How Counterfeiting Can Make Us Rich
  • My Report to the State Commission on Seat Belt Usage
  • Bombed if you d, Bombed if you don't
  • The Plundering of the People
  • NH Capital Access
  • more in Free State Blogs

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: 12,247. 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:

  • Check out NH housing and other community & logistical information at NH Info

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

Participants: 8,087
Participants in NH: 505
as of December 15, 2007

FSP News - November 2007

FSP News - November 2007

Liberty Forum - Moving Liberty Forward

The Free State Project's annual Liberty Forum will be held in Nashua, New Hampshire from January 3rd - 6th, 2008. NH Senator, John Sununu will be the Saturday night keynote speaker this year, with more speakers to be announced as we have them - as of press time, there are 19 outstanding speakers booked. On Thursday night come hear from FSP and NH native authors while you enjoy a cocktail and chat with your fellow liberty lovers. There is still no word on the date of the NH presidential primary, so get your hotel rooms now, before they announce the date! The schedule of events as we have it, is now up on the website

For a good look at the Liberty Forum, please take a look at the "trailer" from 2007! Come home to NH to meet your future neighbors! Come home to NH to meet your fellow activists! Come home to NH to Move Liberty Forward!

New Free State Project President

The Free State Project is pleased to announce that Irena Goddard has been appointed by the Board of Directors as the new President of the FSP. Irena was the "Czarina" of the 2007 Liberty Forum and is also serving as a Director of the FSP. We thank our outgoing President, Varrin Swearingen, for his two years of service and leadership to the FSP - "thank you Varrin!"

And, a quick note from new President, Irena Goddard - "Please write blog posts. . . . .I know you have an opinion about the FSP. I know you have a story about how you found out about the Project, what the deciding point was, what you currently think about the FSP, what do you think about if/when FSP will succeed. I am particularly interested in your thoughts about Ron Paul and how his candidacy relates to FSP or if at all etc. etc. The important thing is that we want you to share your thoughts on various blogs, forums and websites. Please start 'talking' and include a link-back to freestateproject.org. Just talking about it creates a buzz and helps out a lot. You can do something real easy that will help us now."

New FSP Participant Growth Charts

The steady growth of new Participants and Friends of the FSP are now shown in the new membership charts on the Membership Statistics webpage. You can find the link to the new charts by clicking on the Participant counter or the Statistics link in the Community Center, both on the FSP Home page. There is a wealth of interesting information available there, such as Participants by state, country and migration status. Thanks go to our chart volunteers; Friend of the FSP, Curry Taylor, is the original author of the code, and our IT Manager, Louis Calitz, who made it work with the website.

PorcFest 2008 Planning

PorcFest 2008 will be the week of June 9th-15th at Gunstock Mountain Resort. Make your campsite or hotel reservation ASAP. Laconia Bike Week will start June 14th (and end June 22nd) so there will be increased demand that weekend. Our weekend is not the big/main Bike Week weekend but once things are sold out, that’s it. Lodging details and Gunstock reservation information for PorcFest 2008 can be found at the website.

Have ideas about how to improve PorcFest? Want to have the inside scoop on what's going on? Looking to do some volunteer work for the FSP? Please join the PorcFest 2008 Yahoo Planners Group.

The initial draft of the PorcFest 2008 website is up. If you have web development skills and would like to help spruce it up or simply have ideas you'd like to see us try to implement, please let us know!

For promotional purposes, we want pictures and testimonials of those who attended PorcFest 2007. If you still haven't uploaded your pictures from PorcFest 2007 yet, please either do so here or email them to Rich. As for testimonials (i.e., good quotes we can attribute to people) please email them in to PorcFest.

Moving to the Free(er) State

That's the title of the latest article by Bill Walker at LewRockwell.com - "Would you like a big tax cut? Would you like your state government to uphold the Second Amendment? Would you like to have neighbors with Ron Paul signs in their yard? You don’t have to be a billionaire with a great tax accountant, or have your own Caribbean nation… you just have to move to New Hampshire. That’s what my wife and I are doing next month." Help us spread the word -- Digg the article!

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

Action of the Month - Stay carefully apolitical (or at least a-politician-ical)

Realizing that the Free State Project doesn't endorse any particular political party or candidate, we need to be careful about the FSP aligning itself too closely with any one party or candidate. One must be on guard to separate personal actions from actions which might be seen as official FSP functions. Nowhere is this more important than on the trail of presidential elections (including this incredibly long one that started months ago). Perhaps it is best to let discretion be the better part of valor and not practice "in your face" campaigning. A simple message of truth and freedom is what makes the Free State Project great. Until we embrace and convey that message to the country and the world, we'll get stuck with the politicians we've had for the last handful of decades. Leaving a lasting legacy of Liberty in Our Lifetime is the best stump speech we can give. - Phil Denisch

Free State Shooting Match - The Big Bull

Free State Match logo The politicking season is heading our way. The candidates will spread out across the country like a plague of locust chewing and jawing their way into our lives and wallets. There's little stopping it (just the Free State Project, of course :). There will also be an attendant swarm of pundits, commentators, bloggers, and prognosticators bloviating their way from one coast t'other. Hunker down in your compound as you may, there is no escape. Like an a'a lava flow of hot smelly, bovine excrement suffocating everything in their path, they're coming. But before we get too depressed, let's have a little fun. An easy shoot this time around, The Big Bull. A single, large bull's-eye, with twenty chances to score a hit. Each shot in the black scores one, maximum score of 20. Categories for pistols and rifles (scoped and un). - Phil

Merchandise

(You know the tune :)
Up on the rooftop porcdeer pause,
Out comes a chorus of free hurrahs,
Down through the states with lots of gear,
All for the down-trodden,
Christmas cheer.
Free, free, free,
Who wouldn't be?
Hats, shirts, mugs,
Who says humbug?
Up on the rooftop,
Click, click, clik,
Down through the states,
For the sad homesick.
First comes the stickers,
For the car,
Oh, dear porcers,
Heal that scar,
Give us a signal,
With no disguise,
One that will open,
Up all our eyes.
Free, free, free,
Who wouldn't be?
Marks, yards, BORs,
All can be yours,
Up on the rooftop,
Clop, clop, clop,
Down through the states,
With the free state shop.
Next comes the freedom,
If you will,
Move your feet,
To this doorsill,
Here there are matches,
And lots of discs,
Also a Const.,
So loose your risks.
Free, free, free,
Who wouldn't be?
Flags, totes, pins,
Wish you were in,
Up in New Hampshire,
Clap, clap, clap,
Up from the states,
You'll need no map.
We also have magnets and totes and patches and posters and Buck knives
and keychains and [gasp] it's getting to much for me :)

In the affiliation department: Don't forget to see our New Hampshire Merchandise (link on the right-hand side of the merchandise store page). There are NH posters, NHToDo Magazine and NH flags in a variety of sizes. The FSP gets a 10% cut of the flag sales, so do your part :). You'll also find the fantastic FSP "Liberty Cards", great for handing out, sending out and leaving out - on a friendly merchant's counter that is - of course, never left out of mind. - Phil

NH #7 in 2008 State Business Tax Climate Index

The Tax Foundation just released its 2008 State Business Tax Climate Index and New Hampshire again ranked 7th nationally. The index can be used,..."as a tool for lawmakers, the media, and individuals alike to gauge how their states tax systems compare. States with the best tax systems will be most competitive in attracting new busi­nesses and be the most effective at generating economic and employment growth." - Tax Foundation website. How does the state where your business is located compare with New Hampshire?

In New Hampshire

Understanding the New Hampshire Constitution

On November 10, the New Hampshire Liberty Alliance held a class, "Understanding the New Hampshire Constitution". It was a smashing success -- the class filled to capacity within 2 days of being offered. Both Free-Staters and liberty-loving NH natives attended. The session was presented by NH State Representative Dan Itse, and is highly recommended for anyone who wants to understand how the structure of NH government is designed to keep it small, and to empower its sovereign citizens. Fortunately, the session was videotaped in its entirety and is available here on the NHLA website.

Free State Blogs

In Free State Blogs this month, you'll find many topics of interest to Porcupines everywhere! For all the stories and links, go to Free State Blogs. Here's a selection of topics just posted to the blog:

  • NH Capital Access
  • Why the Ron Paul campaign is dangerous
  • Marc Steven's Thoughts on Terrorism
  • Ron Paul distortions and smears
  • Loose Change, Final Cut Coming to Keene
  • Letter: Ride a Bike
  • NH: More Ron Paul wookies
  • Ron Paul 4th Place in NH
  • NH: Lauren Canario returns from jail
  • Requiring Self-Immolation
  • New Hampshire Liberty Update
  • More at Free State Blogs!

NH Common Sense

The New Hampshire Coalition for Common Sense Marijuana Policy has scored some notable successes in its campaign to take advantage of New Hampshire's "First in the Nation" primary. When candidates visit the Live Free or Die state, they have to answer tough questions about the "War on Drugs" from NH Common Sense activists. Executive Director Matt Simon writes an article about each candidate encounter and posts it, along with video, at SendTheRightMessage.com, and the last several articles have also been published by The Huffington Post. The campaign is starting to get some major exposure! (And if you think some of these question-asking activists in these videos might be FSP early movers, you might be right!)

The Keene Free Press

The November 2007 print edition of the Keene Free Press is now available online in pdf format. The Keene Free Press is the free online and print news and opinion publication covering Keene and Cheshire County, New Hampshire. This issue:

  • Keene Free Press Reporter Jailed Indefinitely
  • Opting Out
  • Reader Letters
  • Liberty Forum 2008
  • Congressional Control of Healthcare is Dangerous to Children
  • Quest for Freedom - Do you Own your Life?
  • Marshals Investigate Potential Threats to the Nation
  • New Alternative Video News
  • Letter from Ed Brown
  • Climbing off the Bandwagon
  • NH Common Sense
  • More at Keene Free Press

The RidleyReport

Videographer, Dave Ridley from NHFree.com is one of our Porcs on the scene in New Hampshire. He "...takes you to the front lines of the peaceful battle for liberty in New Hampshire." See some of what's happening in the Free State with 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: 12,237. 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:

  • Check out NH housing and other community & logistical information at NH Info

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

Participants: 8,030
Participants in NH: 496
as of November 15, 2007

 

FSP News - October 2007

FSP News - October 2007

 

Presidential candidate Ron Paul enthusiastically endorses the Free State Project!

Porcupine Irena Goddard and friends recently caught up with Dr. Paul in New Hampshire to inquire about his support of the FSP - see the video. Dr. Paul was a featured speaker at the last FSP Liberty Forum.

New Hampshire Liberty Forum

The Liberty Forum is the FSP's BIG Winter event in New Hampshire. We're busy gearing up for another great one, scheduled for January 3rd to the 6th in Nashua, NH. We have even more exciting speakers lined up - check here to see them all. Keynote speakers still TBA! Hotel has limited space so please reserve your rooms now.

People who came early last year were looking for something to do - come to the shooting range with us. If you are a newbie we will have qualified range instructors on hand to help you out. Then head on up the the New Hampshire State House to see all the action. After that relax with a drink at the Welcome Reception back at the Crowne Plaza with some very special guests (details to follow).

By popular demand we have added a 4th track of sessions on Saturday. That means more CHOICES for you. Stay tuned for the announcement of the full schedule. Register today!

The Porcupines Go To MassCann

On September 15, the Merrimack Valley Porcupines joined representatives of NHFree.com, Free Talk Live, the New Hampshire Coalition for Common Sense Marijuana Policy and thousands of others at the Boston Freedom Rally XVIII. The rally is an annual event hosted by MassCann (The Massachusetts Cannabis Reform Coalition) in their ongoing efforts to achieve a more rational and decent drug policy. The event was a productive one for the freedom lovers, giving them an opportunity to spread the word that liberty can be achieved in our lifetime, to distribute literature, and to sign up new members of the Free State Project.

The rally was also a chance to have fun, with live music, speakers, and plenty of good folks to talk with. Judging by the video available online, a good time was had by all... except the very dour state troopers, of course.

FSP Local Group Activity in Seattle

On Sept. 14, several Puget Sound area Porcs met at the Westin Hotel in Seattle for the Ron Paul rally there. We did some Ron Paul and FSP promotion, but more importantly, I got to meet some old friends from Porcfest and some new activists I'd never met before. As someone who's regularly involved with FSP members, I'd say that these kinds of events are key to building, and maintaining support both within the FSP, and with the greater American people as well. When we make pro freedom meaningful, inclusive, and fun, we help people warm up to new, powerful ideas, and enable them to have a stake in what's going on. When they have a stake in seeing freedom and liberty succeed, they are motivated to MAKE things happen, and change their environment for the better. This is a major reason why grassroots activism is so powerful. Is this good, or would you like more detailed commentary? - Andrew Del Vecchio. For more on getting your existing or new FSP Local Group active, contact Andrew, the FSP Local Groups Coordinator.

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

Action of the Month - Looking for the B*** Job

Some jobs are just no fun at all. Imagine being a pachyderm proctologist in Pittsburgh, or a cattle catheterist in Cleveland, or a hummingbird hematologist in Houston. What all these not-fun jobs have in common is... ain't none of them in New Hampshire! Whether boring or bracing, lucrative or lacking, any job you have in The Free State is better than one in the "lower 49" (and you won't have to pay a state income tax on it). So to help you find the BEST job (and you thought I was being dirty), check out the NH Jobs page. - Phil Denisch

Free State Shooting Match - The Big Bull

The politicking season is heading our way. The candidates will spread out across the country like a plague of locust chewing and jawing their way into our lives and wallets. There's little stopping it (just the Free State Project, of course :) . There will also be an attendant swarm of pundits, commentators, bloggers, and prognosticators bloviating their way from one coast t'other. Hunker down in your compound as you may, there is no escape. Like an a'a lava flow of hot smelly, bovine excrement suffocating everything in their path, they're coming. But before we get too depressed, let's have a little fun. An easy shoot this time around, The Big Bull. A single, large bull's-eye, with twenty chances to score a hit. Each shot in the black scores one, maximum score of 20. Categories for pistols and rifles (scoped and un). Details on the FSP website - Phil.

FSP Merchandise

The bookmarks are here,
The porcs are quite dear,
We've koozies for beer,
So spend without... worries that the store doesn't have something you'll
like.

There are lots of nifty items in the store. From collectible knives to
cheap t-shirts, from magnets to mugs. Plenty of ways to help support,
and more importantly, help promote the Free State Project and beautiful
New Hampshire. And while I hate to be one of those that keep pushing
you-know-what earlier each year, the season of credit card meltdown is
just around the corner. (ouch, ouch. Pardon me while I self-flagellate
for the preceding sentence; some people never learn.)

There are shirts and gear,
And mugs without peer,
P.C.s for our cheer,
That will last all... the time it takes to achieve Liberty in Our
Lifetime.

*P.C.= Pocket Constitution (So, OK, you try to rhyme that)

In the affiliation department: Don't forget to see our New Hampshire Merchandise (link on the right-hand side of the merchandise/store page). There are NH posters, NHToDo Magazine and NH flags in a variety of sizes. (The FSP gets a 10% cut of the flag sales, so do your part :) . You'll also find the fantastic FSP "Liberty Cards", great for handing out, sending out and leaving out - on a friendly merchant's counter that is - of course, never left out of mind. - Phil

PorcFest 2008 will be the week of June 9th - 15th at Gunstock Mountain Resort

If you will be planning to get a hotel, please make a reservation as soon as possible. Laconia Bike Week will start June 14th (and end June 22nd), so there will be increased demand for that weekend. Our weekend is not the 'big' Bike Week dates and area hotels currently have ample availability; but once the hotels are sold out, that’s it. Here's a list of nearby hotels. Additional PorcFest 2008 details will be announced in the November FSP News!.

Concord in the Top Ten Places to Retire

U.S. News & World Report has chosen Concord, NH as one of the top ten places to retire in the United States, thanks to its friendly community, beautiful surroundings, and easy access to art and culture. The article tells everyone what members of the FSP already know: New Hampshire is a great place to live, work, and build the future!

In New Hampshire

FSP on YouTube

Want to see what's going on in New Hampshire with Free Staters and friends? FSP supporters have increasingly been utilizing YouTube to get the word out. Using the Search function in the YouTube website header will uncover FSP related vids, both old and new. Also, Porcupine Dave Ridley has been reporting on lots of activism in New Hampshire. Go to Dave's latest, the RidleyReport - one of the top subscribed to YouTube contributors. Thanks Dave!

New Hampshire tech sector is facing a shortage of skilled workers!

The New Hampshire Business Review brings us the news. Opportunities abound for incoming Free Staters! Get started in your job search (in any field) at the FSP NH Jobs resource page.

Free State Blogs

Visit Free State Blogs for the up to the minute coverage of Free State New Hampshire activism. This month, we include the New Hampshire based individuals and organizations that are contributing to Free State Blogs:

New Hampshire Fall Foliage Photo Contest!

Those of you in New Hampshire can probably look out your windows and see the autumn beauty at its peak--please capture it! We can expect a large increase in visitors to the FSP web site over the next couple of months leading up to the Liberty Forum and the NH primary, so the more attractive we can make the site the better. Please contribute to the Fall Foliage Photo Contest!

We're looking for photos in several categories:
  1. Best New Hampshire Photo
  2. Best New Hampshire Halloween Photo (like from the Keene Pumpkin Festival)
  3. Best PorcFest Photo
  4. Best Photo of FSP Merchandise in Action
  5. Best Activism Photo

Send your contributions to Frank Todd, our FSP Media Librarian.

The Keene Free Press

The October 2007 print edition of the Keene Free Press is now available online in pdf format. The Keene Free Press is the free online and print news and opinion publication covering Keene and Cheshire County, New Hampshire. The issue contains a truckload of engaging articles:

  • The Police State vs. the Browns
  • None Dare Call it Genocide
  • Reader Letters
  • Julia Miranda for Keene City Council
  • 1995 People Control Your Life
  • History of US Currency
  • In Pursuit of Liberty
  • Between a Rock and Ed Brown
  • Evil of Inaction
  • Jailed in Defense of the Constitution, Part 3

Check the Calendar

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 Thanks & Statistics

FSP News circulation: 12,224. Back issues are available. Got FSP news? Please submit content by the 12th of the month, Thank you to all advertisers and contributors. The FSP News welcomes Daniel Arbuckle as Associate Editor!

FSP Participants - here are some quick links:

  • Check out NH housing and other community & logistical information at NH Info

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

Participants: 7,961
Participants in NH: 492
as of October 15, 2007

 

FSP News - September 2007

 

FSP News - September 2007

The FSP's New Hampshire Liberty Forum registration is now OPEN! Join hundreds of Free Staters and friends in Nashua, New Hampshire, January 3 - 6, 2008. Details about the speakers booked so far and registration and hotel information are all available now - we are still working on putting the finishing touches on the event, so please check back often as we update the Liberty Forum webpage! Many people came 'early' last year and we are going to be scheduling some great things to do on Thursday, including an outing to a shooting range, a tour of the State House and a Welcome Reception at the Crowne Plaza Hotel. As soon as you register, make sure you make your hotel reservations. Rooms are filling faster than expected (remember the NH primary is coming).

The video trailer for the New Hampshire Liberty Forum is now up on YouTube. Be sure to "Digg It!" to help get the word out to more people! If you don't have a Digg account yet, please do take a moment to create one, then click "Digg It!" to help promote Liberty Forum. The trailer is also a teaser for the 2007 Liberty Forum 3-DVD set, which is available for sale when you register for 2008 Liberty Forum!

Questions or comments about the Liberty Forum? Please email us. See you there!

FIRST 1000 SIGNERS! As you move to the Free State, please go back over to PledgeBank, login and add the checkmark to indicate 'they've done it'. And, movers - please tell your move story, your adventure. The We Made the Move! webpage was set up to record and inspire. And, of course, login at the FSP website and update your address to New Hampshire!

FSP Fall Foliage Photo Contest

According to the New Hampshire Foliage Report, the New Hampshire forests will reach their peak beauty in early October, so we are sponsoring a photo contest with the following categories:
  • Best New Hampshire Photo (maybe photograph a choice location every day and make a time-lapse movie? Set up those tripods!)
  • Best New Hampshire Halloween Photo (like from the Keene Pumpkin Festival)
  • Best PorcFest Photo (we saw a lot more cameras at PorcFest than we have photos in the FSP Photo Gallery)
  • Best Photo of FSP Merchandise in Action*
  • Best Activism Photo*

* Note that the last two categories are not limited to New Hampshire.

Winners will get a T-shirt (or maybe something else more to their liking) and a place in the annals of history. All the usual disclaimers apply: photos must be original, make sure you have your subjects’ permission, and by submitting the photo to the FSP you are giving us unlimited rights to use it for publicity purposes - thanks! Upload your photos (please, just the best!) or send them to Frank, our new Media Librarian. Submission deadline: November 4th.

A new article, The Free State Project: What Liberty is All About by Lynn Pina, was published in the July 2007 issue of the Mensa Bulletin.

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

Action of the Month - Vary Interesting. No, that's not a typo, I'm talking about the varying interests of people interested in Liberty in Our Lifetime. Freedom-minded individuals come in all shapes and sizes, and in all philosophical flavors and styles.
From atheists, Buddhists, and Christians to Wiccans, Yiguandaos and Zoroastrians; from aviators, bookmakers and chemists to webmasters, xenmasters, and zoologists; from amorists(poly), bimboists, and cunning linguists to whipmasters(and mistresses), yankophiles, and Zamboners. As different as we all can be from one another, there will always be those with which we share similar interests. That's where the FSP Interest Groups come into play. If you're looking for fellows and friends or you want to reach out and introduce the Free State Project to the world of others like you, check out the Interest Groups and especially the empty liaison slots. If your group is not yet represented, start one up and reach out to others around the block and around the world; and let freedom ring! - Phil Denisch

Free State Shooting Match - Join us in The Great Donkaphant Hunt of 2007 (Targets to be received by October 10) This is not a real hunt, of course. We won't be hunting for rotten candidates (too easy). We won't be hunting for narcissistic bureaucrats (also too easy). And we won't be hunting for nosy, meddling, officious busybodies. (too repulsive) Instead, a make-believe, fantasy hunt to rid ourselves of the clannish, tribal affiliations which divert far too much energy from the proper (and few) operations of government. - Phil

You know about the Free State Project, but how is it going? Can we really move 20,000 freedom lovers to New Hampshire, and why would we want to? What's life really like for those who have already moved? Find out! A new video by ShuvominNH on YouTube - Finding Life and Liberty in the Free State Project, Part 1. The FSP website now features a growing collection of videos posted at YouTube by FSP supporters!

Free Talk Live has finished up its third year of syndication with 30 radio affiliates! FTL just added WAAM in Detroit/Ann Arbor, MI to the weekday show, WKBK in Keene, NH to Saturdays, and KTAE in Cameron, TX all six nights a week. TALKERS Magazine's Michael Harrison recently called Free Talk Live "A rising star among the independents". Indeed, Free Talk Live has now won podcast awards three years in a row - this year taking home the award for Best Political Podcast of 2007. The FSP is one of FTL's sponsors - tune in live on the radio or to its archived shows!

FSP Merchandise: A special thank you to everyone who helped with the bookmark Chip-in campaign. A fresh order of bookmarks is on its way! Order now for placement in freedom loving books everywhere (and to help remember where you were in "Human Action", "Atlas Shrugged", and the possibly libertarian, "Cat in the Hat"). We have a special item, a signed, hardcover edition of John Stossel's "Myths, Lies, and Downright Stupidity: GET OUT THE SHOVEL -- WHY EVERYTHING YOU KNOW IS WRONG". We'll have an online 'silent auction' for this great book and unique piece of history (It was signed at the '07 NHLF in Concord, NH). Email your bids to merchandise@freestateproject.org, I'll relay bids to all other bidders, auction closes on Sep. 30th.

In the merchandise affiliation department: Don't forget to see our New Hampshire Merchandise (link on the right-hand side of the merchandise/store page). There are NH posters, NHToDo Magazine and NH flags in a variety of sizes. (The FSP gets a 10% cut of the flag sales, so do your part. :) You'll also find the fantastic new FSP 'Liberty Cards', great for handing out (see pic at right), sending out and leaving out - on a friendly merchant's counter that is - of course, never left out of mind. - Phil

FSP VOLUNTEER POSITIONS OPEN - Help Wanted

FSP News Associate Editor - I'd like to locate one or two people to work with me on the FSP News. We would gather, edit and publish the monthly newsletter and back each other up. It's a rewarding job and we need more than one person able to produce the newsletter. It's easy, and full training and support is provided. Contact Brian for details.

Ever wanted to help coordinate PorcFest? Well, here's your chance! We need a co-Coordinator for PorcFest 2008 to help backstop Rich Goldman, who has generously volunteered to head things up again for next year as Coordinator. Duties include writing PR blurbs, coordinating the events calendar, and possibly being the liaison with GunstockAcres.com, hired to assist us with local NH outreach and exposure. Being a NH resident isn't a requirement, but it's definitely a plus, as are good writing skills.

We are also looking for a Volunteer Coordinator to answer occasional email inquiries, point potential volunteers to the right FSP person, and revive the weekly volunteer teleconference and gab session. Duties include:

  • recruits volunteers for key positions
  • responds to volunteers' offers of assistance; providing all who ask with at least one task
  • maintains the How to Help list of volunteer activities

We have the details and organizational support to get you going, and are in the process of updating the Organization Chart and volunteer contacts to make things easier for you. It's up to you, but if you're good at this, you could develop the role to lead the Doers Meeting at PorcFest every year, and certainly be the liaison to FSP management concerning volunteer needs, goals and ideas.

If you're interested or have questions about the positions above, please email Lynn Pina. Use your skills to benefit the FSP by taking on one of the above roles and making it your own! And, if these jobs don't appeal to you, just let us know what you'd like to contribute - all are welcome to help move the FSP forward.

Though the FSP does not endorse any candidates, it continues to receive publicity from the Ron Paul campaign. From National Review: "Don't forget that New Hampshire is home of the Free State Project, and has always had a strongly libertarian streak. He is well represented here in terms of young volunteers." From Washington University: "Sounds like there's a Paul contingent in the audience. There oughta be, this is New Hampshire, after all, home of the Free State Project." From The Spoof: "This new 'signage' is visible from flights to the new Live Free or Die International Airport built by Free State Project members." And, one more for you, during an interview with college student Ms. Morales, CNN shows Ron Paul speech in front of FSP's NH Liberty Forum.

Our friends, the Granny Warriors are on the road speaking out for liberty! Can you spot the FSP banner on the red, white and blue van in the latest Granny Warrior video?

In New Hampshire

Send The Right Message! NH Common Sense kicked off its petition drive in support of a marijuana decriminalization bill that will be filed in New Hampshire in December. The bill will reduce the penalty for first offense possession of marijuana in small quantities from a misdemeanor to a "civil violation". This reform will prevent a lot of responsible marijuana users from being hauled into court and saddled with criminal records; it will also save tax dollars, unclog the court system, and scale back on some of the worst harms of marijuana prohibition in New Hampshire.

Audio from our Send The Right Message! campaign's encounters with Bill Richardson, Mitt Romney, and Ron Paul is available on NORML's AudioStash. Send The Right Message! is a special project of the New Hampshire Coalition for Common Sense Marijuana Policy.

Liberty activism in New Hampshire is well reflected in Free State Blogs. Here are some of the very latest blog entries:

  • Liberty Forum 2008!
  • Open Letter to Senator Clegg
  • Two Brown Supporters Arraigned in Concord
  • Against The Grain Radio
  • Silly Bureaucrats, trix are for kids
  • A Way-Cool, Web-2.0 Blogsite
  • Surrender Should Not Be An Option
  • Early September
  • Letter: Education is the Key
  • Party/Fundraiser at Ed and Elaine Browns 9/15
  • Social Insecurity and the Taxman
  • In Pursuit of Liberty
  • As the Free State Grows
  • song of solomon
  • Free Minds TV
  • The Keene Weekly News
  • NH Wins First Place from Ron Paul Campaign!
  • Meet Ward 4 Candidate Julia Miranda This Sunday! (9/9)
  • Ron Paul Gets More Money
  • Meat Markets in New Hampshire
  • Property tax bills soar in Massachusetts as services fall
  • Shootings and Brawling in Manchester
  • Fantasy Football Nation
  • Why Fred Thompson Sucks
  • Ted Nugent, Hillary and Obama
  • NH Legislative Employee Pay Raises
  • Fall Grey Squirrel Season Has Started!
  • more...

"A little bit hip and a little bit homey, these up-and-coming towns guarantee a fun detour on your next road trip. You'll be browsing the local real estate pages before you know it." - Frommer's Budget Travel chose Peterborough, NH as one of the 10 Coolest Small Towns

The September 2007 print edition of the Keene Free Press is now available online in pdf format. The Keene Free Press is the free online and print news and opinion publication covering Keene and Cheshire County, New Hampshire.

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 circulation: 12,133. 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:

  • Check out NH housing and other community & logistical information at NH Info

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

Participants: 7,898
Participants in NH: 479
as of September 15, 2007

 

FSP News - August 2007

FSP News - August 2007

The Liberty Forum 2008 - 'Moving Liberty Forward' is now scheduled! It will be held January 3 - 6, 2008 at the Crowne Plaza in Nashua, New Hampshire. This may seem like a strange time to have the Liberty Forum, but remember this is New Hampshire, home of the nation's first primary and we have special plans for that...(tba)..

We listened to your comments from the first Liberty Forum, and this year promises to be even bigger than last year. There are six confirmed nationally known speakers so far, but we aren't letting the cat out of the bag just yet! We're offering a special "earlybird discount" - $219 for the entire event. This includes a full pass to all speakers and events, the Friday night dinner and the Saturday night dinner. Register early for the best price! Early registration is coming - watch the FSP website for announcements and details. If you have any questions, please contact us.

Ever wanted to help coordinate PorcFest? Well, here's your chance! We need a co-Coordinator for PorcFest 2008 to help backstop Rich Goldman, who has generously volunteered to head things up again for next year as Coordinator. Duties would include writing PR blurbs, coordinating the events calendar, and possibly being the liaison with GunstockAcres.com, hired to assist us with local NH outreach and exposure. Being a NH resident isn't a requirement, but it's definitely a plus, as are good writing skills.

Are you a social butterfly? Like to attend events that would interest Free Staters or beg for FSP representation? We're looking for you! We are seeking an Events Coordinator to develop new opportunities and coordinate with us for FSP publicity and presence at existing venues whose audiences coincide with FSP's. The job description includes:

  • ensures that the FSP is maximally represented throughout the year and around the country at events where we are likely to pick up recruits
  • maintains a database of events
  • proactively seeks out new events at which the FSP can recruit and/or gain publicity
  • serves as initial liaison between FSP and event organizers
  • locates FSP volunteers to speak and/or man vendor booths as needed
  • ensures that FSP event representatives are adequately supplied with merchandise and supplies, such as banners and brochures
  • solicits feedback on events in order to judge their success

What kind of events could we use your help coordinating? How about the Big E as a great example? We would provide information on prior and existing venues, and help with volunteer coverage.

Have you been a natural contact for potential volunteers, a nexus online or in your community? We could really use your help!

We are looking for a Volunteer Coordinator to answer occasional email inquiries, point potential volunteers to the right FSP person, and revive the weekly volunteer teleconference and gab session. Duties include:

  • recruits volunteers for key positions
  • responds to volunteers' offers of assistance; providing all who ask with at least one task
  • maintains the How to Help list of volunteer activities

We have the details and organizational support to get you going, and are in the process of updating the Organization Chart and volunteer contacts to make things easier for you. It's up to you, but if you're good at this, you could develop the role to lead the Doers Meeting at PorcFest every year, and certainly be the liaison to FSP management concerning volunteer needs, goals and ideas.

If you're interested or have questions about the positions above, please email our VP of Ops (and current de facto Volunteer Coordinator) Lynn Pina. Come and have a good time, and use your people skills for the FSP's benefit by taking on one of the above roles and making it your own! And, if the above jobs don't appeal to you, just let us know what you'd like to contribute - all are welcome.

Action of the Month - Make your mark, with a Bookmark. The wonderful bookmarks designed by Jon Maltz are great for at least two reasons. One, they work very well as a place-marker in any book or magazine you're reading. It's very simple, you just place this thin, but sturdy, piece of laminated paper between the pages where you stopped reading and close the book. When you're ready to start reading again the bookmark is in-between the pages you were reading last! Amazing, pure genius! (It's OK, you can laugh now) There's no end to the remarkable abilities of these wonderful items. These bookmarks actually have writing on them, also. Starting off with "Join the Second American Revolution" and ending with "We look forward to welcoming you home" these bookmarks are also great for advertising and recruiting (reason #2).

Visiting your local tax-funded library and inserting them in books by Rand, Heinlein, any of the founding fathers or other books as appropriate, may bring home another liberty-minded person to the Free State of New Hampshire. Some may consider the local bookstore instead, but there are private property issues to consider, so please act as the moral agents we know you all are. For ideas on books to make your mark with, see this forum topic. - Phil Denisch (PD)

Free State Match - Congratulations to Art Curtis! - Winner of the FSM#2. He'll be receiving a gift certificate as well as a small, silly prize for beating my score <grumble, grumble>. Join us in The Great Donkaphant Hunt of 2007 (Targets to be received by October 10) - A great hunt is afoot! Be sure to arm yourself appropriately for this most dangerous of seasons. Don the Helm of Lucidity to keep your head clear while the candidates attempt to pour an endless stream of banality into your brain. Be ready with the Crystalline Shovel to keep your path clear of equine excrement and pachyderm poop. Don't leave home without your Wallet of Peril to keep out the grasping hands of political operatives. And last, but not least, go forth with the Shootin' Vest of Alacrity to keep your spirits high in the dark times ahead. See Free State Match details. - PD

Merchandise - (You know the tune)

Freedom on stickers and freedom on magnets,
Bright pewter keychains and cool cotton ballcaps,
F-S-P Bookmarks are 50 for 5,
These are a few of our merchandise things.

Standard white t-shirts and S-O-I magnets,
Matches and Patches and pins for your jacket,
Platters that fly just like porcs had their wings,
These are a few of our merchandise things.

When the law bites,
When the vote stings,
When you hear the lies,
Just simply remember our merchandise things,
And then you will see the prize.

(Please visit soon, before the ghosts of Rodgers
and Hammerstein catch up with me :) - PD

Former FSP VP, Organizer, early-mover and attorney Evan Nappen is profiled in the August issue of BLADE Magazine. The article profiles Evan and his legal specialty of "...defending those who are charged unjustly with gun or knife crimes."

New state rankings roundup: According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, New Hampshire (pdf) had the steepest decline in traffic fatalities in 2006. In The Best States for Business, a Special Report by Forbes, ranks NH as 1st in Labor, 5th in Quality of Life and 14th Overall. As reported by WebMD, the Commonwealth Fund, a foundation primarily focused on health care, ranked NH as tied for 3rd in state health system performance.

In New Hampshire

Free State Blogs provides "boots on the ground" info on what's happening in the Free State! It also provides "positive community feedback to those who are thinking about moving to the Free State". This month:

  • Policing the police
  • Machine gun shoot
  • Every legislator should be required to watch...
  • Washington a Force for the Good?
  • Radio Interview
  • Ron Paul Sign Wave at the Head of the Square in Keene NH, on Saturday!
  • Free Minds TV
  • The Keene Weekly News, July 6, 2007
  • This is Freedom
  • Jailed in Defense of the Constitution
  • Walking for Ron Paul
  • No security at Sky Harbor
  • Feds Arrest Activists at Keene IRS Building
  • New Hampshire in View
  • hot air
  • can't get there from here
  • Lethal Legality
  • Ron Paul 6th out of 16 in WMUR/UNH Poll
  • To harass and annoy
  • An example of a Verbal Ninja
  • An Orderly Society
  • Fantastic News (more pundits overheard grumbling)
  • Victory Against Income Tax (experts quoted as saying "pfft...whatever")

The August 2007 print edition of the Keene Free Press is now available online in pdf format. The Keene Free Press is the free online and print news and opinion publication covering Keene and Cheshire County, New Hampshire.

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 circulation: 11,844. 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:

  • Check out NH housing and other community & logistical information at NH Info

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

Participants: 7,844
Participants in NH: 475
as of August 15, 2007

Three Bedroom home in NH offered for sale by FSP member

Located in Claremont, NH, just minutes from I-91, lakes and ski areas. Listed at $119,000. Ready for immediate occupancy. We own the property next door. If you're ready to make the move, this is a great entry property. Live free or die!

For more details see the realtor's site or email the owners for more info.

- advertisement - contact us -

 

FSP News - July 2007

FSP News - July 2007

Chalk up PorcFest 2007 as another successful FSP event! With over 450 registered attendees, a nearly 50% increase over last year, the freedom message is ringing loud and clear! Thank you to everyone who traveled both near and far to attend, and to the dozens of PorcFest volunteers who worked hard all year to pull it off, especially our PorcFest Coordinator, Rich Goldman. This year we made a lot of changes, from moving to Gunstock to adding activism workshops and organizing tours around the state. The FSP and PorcFest are building solid momentum and we plan to continue the trend in 2008! Wrap-ups, media and post-PorcFest info below:

Media coverage:
Free Staters Make Camp at Gunstock - Laconia Citizen
Free-staters find common ground at Gunstock get-together - Laconia Citizen
300 Free Staters to gather in Gilford for 'PorcFest' - Union Leader
PorcFest Special live at PorcFest - Free Minds TV, Keene, NH
FTL Broadcasts Live from The Free State Project's Porcfest 2007 - Free Talk Live (mp3 file)

PorcFest Feedback Survey - We have placed the PorcFest 2007 Feedback Survey online. Please fill it out if you attended. The survey is crucial to improving PorcFest and shouldn't take more than 10 minutes to complete. If anonymity is important to you, be sure to "log out" of the FSP webpage in the left column before taking the survey. Thank you!

FSP Design Winner - First 1000 signer, Christa Siering won the PorcFest design competition. See her winning design above. If you have design skills and want to help out and/or compete next year, please join the FSP's Yahoo Art Group.

PorcFest T-Shirts - We have about 50 PorcFest shirts left. If you'd like one, they're available on the FSP Merchandise page for $15 (S&H included). Help spread the word and support PorcFest with this cool shirt.

PorcFest Cookoff Winners - The Liberty Ladies' Cookoff was a huge success! Thank you to all the cooks and participants. The food was prepared, seconds were obtained and votes tabulated - this year's winners are:

  • 1st Place - Joy Sandoz's Gumbo
  • 2nd Place - Edi Swearingen's Hotshot Brownies
  • 3rd Place - Tina and Seamus O' Scalaithe's Cold Sesame Noodle (tie)
  • 3rd Place - Steve Deeds' Porc Pulled Pork (tie)

PorcFest Photos - If you have photos from PorcFest that you'd like to share, the FSP website has a PorcFest 2007 Photo Gallery for viewing and uploading images. You must have an FSP account to upload however. Current members must login to upload photos. To create an account as a new Participant and signer of the Statement of Intent, please go here. If you'd like to create an account as a new Friend of the FSP, go here. Once logged in, you will be able to add pictures and perform other actions by means of the "album actions" drop-down menu located at the bottom of the page. Alternatively, if you email your photos to richgoldman@gmail.com, he will upload them for you.

First 1000 group photo at PorcFest



While not all of the First 1000 participants at PorcFest made it out for the above photo, we counted about 70 present for the group shot, plus about six dogs (no cats - we couldn't herd 'em up in time).

PorcFest Testimonials - We are looking for PorcFest testimonials to use in future promotional material. If you had a great and/or memorable time at PorcFest and would like to share your sentiments and experiences, especially to those who may be hesitant or unsure about whether it would be worth their time and money to attend, please email Rich Goldman with your name, current state of residence, and your statement(s) about PorcFest or any of its sub-events (e.g. bus tours, bonfires, workshops, etc.). Don't worry about writing something "perfect", all we ask if that you're authentic.

Free State member Brian Wright, author of New Pilgrim Chronicles and perennial diarist and panegyrist of the Free State Project and movement, provides his man-on-the-dirt-path narrative of the fourth Porcupine Festival at Gunstock Resort. "I found this Porcfest, though lacking the star power of its predecessors, to be the most productive in terms of socializing, or at least discussing, the need to take the organization to the next level. I'm extremely optimistic for the future."

PorcFest 2008 - If you are interested in helping out in any way with PorcFest 2008, please join the Yahoo Group. No experience is needed. See you next year!

Free State Match - Join us in The Great Donkaphant Hunt of 2007 - A great hunt is afoot! Be sure to arm yourself appropriately for this most dangerous of seasons. Don the Helm of Lucidity to keep your head clear while the candidates attempt pour an endless stream of banality into your brain. Be ready with the Crystalline Shovel to keep your path clear of equine excrement and pachyderm poop. Don't leave home without your Wallet of Peril to keep out the grasping hands of political operatives. And last, but not least, go forth with the Shootin' Vest of Alacrity to keep your spirits high in the dark times ahead. - Phil Denisch

Action of the Month - Get your groovies at the movies! (Just don't ask me why that rhymes) There are many good movies out there that show one aspect or another of people trying to live freer lives, fight the system, etc. Although few are 'pure', there are still many worth watching. But how to make the FSP and New Hampshire connection? You could mention that "Serenity", "V for Vendetta", and "The Fountainhead" have all been shown during previous PorcFests. You could point out that quite a few political movies and TV shows feature New Hampshire as a critical state during elections; "Dave" and [choke] "West Wing" come to mind. For a more intimate look at New Hampshire, you could go with the old classics: "Our Town" or "The Devil and Daniel Webster". Remembering, of course, that all movies can only be a weak reflection of life. But they can inspire thought, action, and new ideas. So whether it's "Hotel New Hampshire", "1984", "Rabbit-Proof Fence", "Silk Stockings", "The Castle", "Fahrenheit 451", "The Americanization of Emily", or "Monty Python and the Holy Grail", I'm sure you'll be able to find a way to make the New Hampshire and FSP connection to Liberty in Our Lifetime to all. - Phil Denisch

Oyez, oyez, oyez, come forward and be... Fleeced. Voluntarily that is. We have a great selection in the FSP store, from hats and shirts to stickers and magnets, just about anything a good lover of liberty needs (except of course, that switch that makes all politicians honest and all judges wise). We have a new magnet design, courtesy of Steve Cobb, perfect for putting up at work. There are some PorcFest 2007 shirts left, even in the 3X size (hurry, only 3 of those). The new batch of shiny, pewter keychains are in, and there are still some of those adorable, stuffed porcupine hand and finger puppets. The Ultimate Discs are a great idea, what with it being summertime and all. So heed the call: Oyez! Oyez! Oyez! All persons having business before the Honorable, the Supreme Store of the Free State Project, are admonished to draw near and give their money, for the Store is now open. God save the Free State Project and all Honorable Porcs! - Phil Denisch

The FSP and New Hampshire got a mention in the July 4th edition of Chron.com, online news by the Houston Chronicle. Where you can find affordable places to retire.

Free Talk Live added another radio station affiliate to its lineup. KSCO AM 1180 serves listeners in the San Francisco, San Jose and Santa Cruz area. The FSP continues to advertise and sponsor FTL as it spreads the message of freedom throughout the country. Free Talk Live again took the #1 spot in the June voting for top podcast in the world, even beating out the Harry Potter podcast. Listen online.

In New Hampshire

NO REAL ID in New Hampshire! Following the 24-0 vote of the New Hampshire Senate in May, Governor Lynch signed into law legislation prohibiting state agencies from complying with the federal REAL ID act. The NH House passed the bill 268-8 in April. From NH House Bill 685: "The general court finds that the public policy established by Congress in the Real ID Act of 2005, Public Law 109-13, is contrary and repugnant to Articles 1 through 10 of the New Hampshire constitution as well as Amendments 4 though 10 of the Constitution for the United States of America. Therefore, the state of New Hampshire shall not participate in any driver’s license program pursuant to the Real ID Act of 2005 or in any national identification card system that may follow therefrom."

The 2007 Liberty Rating of the NH House and Senate was released by the New Hampshire Liberty Alliance. "The Liberty Rating is based on pro-liberty and anti-liberty votes and their impact on the state of New Hampshire. Bills have been carefully selected for inclusion which clearly demonstrate the level of respect our elected representatives show for our individual rights and liberties."

Also just released, the 2007 New Hampshire Liberty Index - an independent evaluation of the voting records of the New Hampshire state legislature. "It reflects roll-call (recorded) votes from the state house and senate on legislation that, if passed, would increase or decrease the liberty of people in New Hampshire."

The Coalition of NH Taxpayers held their 9th Annual Taxpayer Reunion Picnic on July 7th. The successful event featured a presidential straw poll and Ron Paul easily won with 65% of the vote.

Free State Blogs this month gets you inside the Free State of New Hampshire. Please visit Free State Blogs online. Entries this month include the following topics.

  • Ron Paul wins straw poll at 9th Annual CNHT Picnic
  • Free Keene Festival
  • Free Minds TV PorcFest 2007 Special Parts 1 and 2
  • all along the watchtower
  • Free Minds TV Episode 26, 27, 28
  • DOJ: Ed Brown supporters will be "rounded up"
  • Inside the New Hampshire State House
  • tarot
  • random acts of YouTube
  • WKBK's Al Kulas spends an hour with Free Keene's Ian
  • Liberty Ratings
  • Liberty Activist of the Year

The Keene Free Press won "Best Underground Newspaper", an award given by The New Hampshire Magazine. It was an Editor's Pick in its Best of NH 2007 competition - "There’s still a touch of the radical and irrational in its pages, and founder Russell Kanning learned well from old-school street theatre and passive resistance tactics."

The July 2007 print edition of the Keene Free Press is now available online in pdf format. The Keene Free Press is the free online and print news and opinion publication covering Keene and Cheshire County, New Hampshire.

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 circulation: 11,810. 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 - have you moved to New Hampshire? Please contact FSP Participant Services with address updates!

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

Participants: 7,788
Participants in NH: 475
as of July 15, 2007

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FSP News - June 2007

FSP News - June 2007

PorcFest! Come up to New Hampshire!

"Discover New Freedoms, New Communities, and New Beginnings!"

PorcFest begins this Monday, June 18th. If you are coming, please register ASAP. You can specify to keep your information from appearing on the We'll Be There List. Having this information will help us better plan various aspects of the festival, from how many people to expect each day, to how much food we purchase from the caterer, to who can be counted on to help out during the festival. If you're coming, please register today!

BBQ and Cookoff Tickets - It is important that if you plan to eat at the Friday BBQ or Saturday Cookoff, you purchase tickets in advance. If you don't have a ticket, you will not be served. There will be a limited number of tickets available for purchase at the festival. If you have already registered and would like to buy tickets, please email Rich.

Cookoff Participation - The Liberty Ladies are still looking for contestants and judges for the Cook-Off. Here's how it works. We have three categories this year. Soup/Stew, which covers everything from your favorite Chili and beef stew to baked beans or split pea soup. Salads, sides and etc. is where everything else that isn't a soup/stew or a dessert goes. Tossed salad, pasta salad, or tuna casserole goes here. Dessert will be the last category. Nothing but the sweets ma'am.

The entered dish needs to be fairly large, but remember, this is a tasting contest, not an all you can eat buffet. You'll need to make enough to give 175 people a couple bites. For soups and stews that's about one ladle. For desserts, cut small pieces. There should be more than enough food there that no one will go away hungry. Gunstock does not have a kitchen available, so you need to be able to bring a pre-made dish, such as brownies, or know how to make it over a campfire, unless you have a portable gas grill or are lucky enough to have a site with electricity. The dishes will be judged by popular vote. Tasters will go around the campsite with plates, a map and a ballot and they will rate their favorite dish in each category. They turn these back in when they are done and the tallies are done. There is no set route that tasters have to take, they are free to wander at will. We will have volunteers walking the site with baskets of bread to not only provide a glutinous snack, but to help answer questions and direct tasters. Awards will be in the form of cash and will be handed out the following day. Those interested in participating as cooks, or anyone with questions, please email Llalania.
Doers Meeting - Are you a current FSP "Doer"?- one who is actively promoting the FSP and working on its behalf. Perhaps you'd like to join with members of the FSP Board and leadership volunteers in what will be an annual face-to-face opportunity for dialogue. You are invited to attend, participate and offer your ideas and projects to help the FSP achieve its mission - be a Doer!Please email your interest or suggested agenda items to Lynn Pina. The meeting will be held Saturday night at 7:30pm at PorcFest prior to the FSP Town Hall Meeting.
First 1000- If you are a signer of the First 1000 pledge, you'll especially want to attend the panel of early movers we are having from 10am-12 noon on Saturday, June 23rd and the group photo shoot of First 1000 signers at 1:30pm.


Birds of a Feather (Flock Together) Events - There's still time to schedule a special interest group meetup. If you have a hobby, issue, background, or anything you'd like to gather attendees around, please send us an email with the topic, a preferred date/time, and a sentence or two description of the topic. We'll provide the venue.

PorcFest ChipIn - Based on the initial success we had with ChipIn, we have decided to extend this PorcFest fundraising opportunity until the end of the festival (June 24th). As before, all revenues will be used to cover the costs associated with making PorcFest possible (e.g. venue rental, advertising, etc.) If you can't attend PorcFest, this is a great way to show your support - Chipin is located on FSP Homepage. And, if you are attending and donate $500 or more, you will be invited to a special donor lunch on Saturday June 23rd at Gunstock with FSP leaders and VIPs.

Join us for the celebration of the year - the 2007 Porcupine Freedom Festival! Make a last-minute plan!


A Candid World documentary filmmakers are looking to profile serious potential movers during this year's PorcFest. If you will be attending PorcFest June 23-24th and plan on touring New Hampshire towns and/or real estate during that time -- or are free to schedule a tour -- please contact Marc Femenella. (Please note that any footage could be used in fundraising materials for the film as well as in the final film itself). For more information about the documentary, visit A Candid World.

Free-Staters coming to Gunstock - The Citizen of Laconia featured PorcFest in a news story on May 31st. (Note that while their coverage of PorcFest is correct, the article erroneously says the FSP has only attracted 450 people to pledge to relocate to the state, when in reality, we have 7,722 people pledged.)

When John Stossel was our guest at the FSP's Liberty Forum in February, he interviewed FSP Founder Jason Sorens and FSP President, Varrin Swearingen. The full interview is being edited, but there is a pre-release sample video available now.

Two new editions of the FSP President's Corner have been posted. Join Varrin Swearingen, FSP President, as he reports to us from Washington DC on May 10th on the Reason presentation, PorcFest, media coverage, and a new Health Freedom Liaison. Varrin also reports to us from Shanghai, China on June 1st - topics include our Volunteer Coordinator, PorcFest, the FSP Welcome Wagon and the John Stossel Interview.

New Hampshire ranks #3 in The Commonwealth Fund's new State Scorecard. The ranking of U.S. states "...assesses state variation across key dimensions of health system performance: access, quality, avoidable hospital use and costs, equity, and healthy lives."

Free Talk Live adds six nights a week in Boston on WBNW 1120 and in Cape Cod/Plymouth on WPLM 1390. There are now 26 affiliate radio stations across the country broadcasting FTL. The pro-liberty talk show originates out of Keene, NH, 6 nights a week from 7-10pm EST. Check to see if the show is on in your area, or listen to it through the website.

Other FSP members with new radio shows include Michael Badnarik, broadcasting via the internet on the We The People Radio Network from 7-9am CST. And, in Washington DC and on the internet, there's The Tom deSabla Radio Program, airing 1-3pm EST weekdays on WMET 1160 AM. Tune in and give them a call!

In February of 2004, the FSP was featured on the popular New England TV news magazine show, Chronicle. The show aired on WCVB TV channel 5 in Boston, just a few months after the member selection of New Hampshire as the target state. It features some of our earliest movers! Here's the link to the video if you haven't seen it.

Reason Magazine sponsored a "Meet the Free State Project" happy hour May 10th, in Washington, DC. Lots of Reason staff members and other folks stopped by to learn about the project, including NH Senator John Sununu (shown to the right with Varrin Swearingen). Check out the photos! More in the President's Corner. Also, note the Reason article on the FSP, Revolt of the Porcupines from December 2004.

Action of the Month - Local Groups . A successful politician once said, "All politics are local." That particular politician's view on politics notwithstanding, there does seem to be some truth to that saying. So it's a good thing the Free State Project has a number of local groups to help you live locally, and, well, act locally as well. Local groups are wonderful, dynamic places. Wonderful because of the like-minded individuals and dynamic because your time is split between saying hello to new faces that just heard about the FSP and saying goodbye to other faces as they leave for New Hampshire. (no cracks now,... darn) Local Groups come up with many activities, like having picnics, chalking sidewalks, tax day protests, moving parties, lunchtime gatherings, fancy dinners with speakers, or anything else that welcomes new people, attracts interested parties, publicizing the FSP and just enjoying themselves. What!?! You say there is no local group in your area? Well, then, I guess it's up to you to start one! You don't need some politician to tell you its OK to start one up, just do it! See how many Porcs are in your area, find out how many there are yearning to be free. - Phil Denisch

We have a new item in our merchandise store! An embroidered FSP "Don't Tread on Me" patch. Suitable for jackets, bags, hats, jeans, and pretty much anything else you can think of. Well, it might be a bit small for your thong, although it might look cool on your baggy boxers, whitie-tighties, or stretchie-meshies (maybe a little scratchy, though). One of the main purposes of merchandise is to advertise, so not too many people will see it there, unless you, well, we won't go there... We have plenty of other items in the store. Order now so you're all set to sport your o-so fashionable FSP gear at the PorcFest and the rest of the world. We have shirts from previous PorcFests available. Even if you didn't go then, it's OK (and encouraged) to show your support and get people talking the Free State Project and Liberty in Our Lifetime. - Phil Denisch

In New Hampshire

The New Hampshire Coalition for Common Sense Marijuana Policy has been busy, announcing two new websites and releasing a newsletter (pdf). Reschedule Cannabis is an educational site, a portal for information on cannabis policy, anti-prohibitionist scholarship and the 2008 presidential candidates. The second website, Send The Right Message, is focused on effective activism - how to get involved in promoting marijuana reform issues to friends, neighbors, politicians and media. Matt Simon, the Executive Director, was interviewed on June 11th by NORML's Daily Audio Stash - play mp3. .

The New Hampshire Senate voted against a mandatory seat belt law for adults. It remains the choice of an adult in New Hampshire whether he or she wears a seat belt or not. Efforts against mandatory seat belt legislation will be carried on by New Hampshire Liberty Alliance.

What's going on in New Hampshire? Free State Blogs is a great source for activism information in the Free State. Some of the blog entries this month:

  • John Stossel Interviews the Free State Project President & Founder
  • Ron Paul Nation
  • Ron Paul Rally
  • Backlash on Civil Unions in New Hampshire?
  • Free Minds TV - episodes 22-24
  • Matt Simon on Free Minds TV
  • When they're not making laws
  • Hey, Minuteman, Wait a second!
  • One-woman pro-liberty lobbying force
  • The (un)surprising Relevance of New Hampshire
  • N.H. Senate Backs REAL ID Ban
  • Stepping Outside the Political Party Box for the Best Candidate
  • reichstag 911
  • Keene Weekly News

Concord #1, Lebanon #2, Claremont #18, Keene #26, Laconia #51. POLICOM examines and measures cities in the U.S. for more than 100 factors. Concord scored #1 for the third straight year!

The June 2007 print edition of the Keene Free Press is now available online in pdf format. The Keene Free Press is the free online and print news and opinion publication covering Keene and Cheshire County, New Hampshire

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 circulation: 11,795. Back issues are available. Got FSP news? Please submit content by the 12th of the month, Thank you to all advertisers and contributors.

Are you ready to JOIN THE FSP, move to New Hampshire and work towards Liberty in Our Lifetime? Join, and make a last minute plan to come to PorcFest!

Participants: 7,722
Participants in NH: 458
as of June 15, 2007

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NH, 2184 SF (4 bedrooms, 2 baths), PLUS 2456 SF of business space, PLUS 492 SF rentable apartment. Free Staters in the area. See the web site.

Email joeroy@joeroy.com or call 603-764-9099

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FSP News - May 2007

FSP News - May 2007

Make your reservations NOW for The Free State Project's 2007 Porcupine Freedom Festival! This Summer, the festival will be held at Gunstock Mountain Resort in Gilford New Hampshire from June 18 - 24th. Last year over 400 fellow Free Staters and liberty-lovers from all over the U.S. converged in NH for the big event and celebration! This year we've changed locations and promise lots of great events to "Discover New Freedoms, New Communities and New Beginnings!" There will be bus tours, shooting events, hikes and sports, speakers and special guests, the Liberty Ladies Cook-Off, trainings, workshops, Birds-of-a-Feather meetups, entertainment and lots of celebrating the growth of freedom. Join us in New Hampshire!

REGISTRATION - LODGING - SCHEDULE - VENDING - WE'LL BE THERE LIST - PORCS HELPING PORCS

PorcFest Challenge - Attention Free Staters! The Porcupine Festival is about a month away, and the resources necessary to make this amazing event the best yet are needed more than ever. It seems a good time to remind you that YOU are the reason the FSP can spread the pro-liberty message - thank you!!! We need your help now to make Porcupine Festival 2007 an amazing experience. We need to send out mailings, advertise in targeted markets and reserve spaces at Gunstock ahead of time.

I believe that a lot of people doing small things can make a big difference. That's why I'm inviting you to the Porcupine Festival Challenge. The Challenge is this – to have as many Free State Project Participants as possible donate $3 to the FSP in the next seven days (May 15th to May 23rd). To participate in the Porcupine Festival Challenge all you have to do is go to the FSP's ChipIn site. Once there, click on the ChipIn button and make your important contribution to the future of the FSP. Three dollars. It's that easy. But if you participate, you'll be amazed at the results when I send them them out at the end of this week. You'll also see the impact of your giving at a great festival this Summer and in growing visibility for the Free State Project. This Challenge is a special way to make a big difference. Here's your chance to shine - Make your Porcupine Festival Challenge gift now! - Carolyn R. Ham, FSP Development Director

Thank you to all our donors! The special FSP Donor Luncheon will take place during Porcfest this year, and all donors who have given $500 or more to the FSP since June 2006 are invited. If you would like to attend the luncheon by giving at this level, or have questions about how much you have given this year, please contact me - Carolyn Ham

Back by popular demand at PorcFest, it's the Liberty Ladies Cook-Off and we need cooks! Have a fabulous recipe that wows family and friends the world over? Think it can win the hearts and minds of fellow Porcupines? Then enter your dish and win cash! There will be cash prizes for first, second and third place, as well as prizes for honorable mentions. We'll also need volunteers, so don't hesitate to offer a helping hand and get a free meal. ^_^ Tickets to eat and judge the event can be pre-ordered during online registration and will be sold at PorcFest. For more details, please email Llalania.

Birds of a Feather, flock together. Part of the plan for this year's Porcfest is a batch of Birds of a Feather meetings on sundry topics, including non-traditional marriage, food and cooking, brewing, drug war opposition, freedom philosophy, parenting/home schooling, and metalheads!  Ward Griffiths is organizing the Birds of a Feather part of PorcFest. Do you want to meet other Porcs with your interest or be the leader of an interest group? Contact Ward through the  FSP Forum and set it up now!

Are you a current FSP "Doer"?  One who is actively promoting the FSP and working on its behalf. Perhaps you'd like to. join with members of the FSP Board and leadership volunteers in what will be an annual face-to-face opporttunity for dialogue. You are invited to attend, participate and offer your ideas and projects to help the FSP achieve its mission - be a Doer!. Please email your interest or suggested agenda items to Lynn Pina . The meeting will be held on Saturday night at PorcFest. See you there!


New Hampshire retains its #4 position in the latest Safest State rankings by Morgan Quitno. New Hampshire has consistently ranked among the safest states for the fourteen years that the company has been compiling the Safest State ranking.

Merchandise: Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue.
The old is the shiny, round, pewter keychain that is back in stock. Great for holding keys to the castle, the car, your heart, the gun locker, the medicine cabinet, the state house, and perhaps the oubliette (for holding you know whos ;) The new is a new lanyard. It's a freedom-lovin' yellow color with "Don't Tread On Me" emblazoned on it, and the FSP web address, of course. Great for not holding your REAL ID, nor your FBIDEAEPABTFFPFFAAFCC (Mix and match your favorite 3) badge, but perfect for holding your security edition Bill of Rights, pocket Constitution (available on the FSP merchandise page as well), and your microfiche version of Human Action and Atlas Shrugged. The borrowed is, well, of course we don't borrow things. Unless we're talking about the borrowing of great feelings and great times being with other liberty-lovers at the PorcFest. What! You haven't registered yet? Be sure to reserve your PorcFest 2007 T-Shirt at a discount when you do. You can catch up on previous or missed festivals by buying a 2005 or 2006 PorcFest t-shirt, at bargain prices, I might add. Now for the something blue. There are a lot of blue items in the FSP store, from shirts with blue, to magnets with blue, to hats with blue. This particular blue item that I'm thinking of is mostly blue. It's the 2005 PorcFest can Koozie. The next question usually is "What's a Koozie?" A Koozie is a name-branded can insulating receptacle. With the aforementioned PorcFest upcoming, I'm sure you'll want a way to keep your favorite beverage cool whilst strolling around the beautiful grounds of Gunstock, philosophizing with all the other porcupines. Whether it's water (mineral, flavored, fruity, filtered, caffeinated, juiced, hops derived, carbonated) or not, this insulator will keep it cool (and you'll look cool sportin' it :). Besides, I've a huge pile of these things and I'd like to get rid of them! Come on, they're only a buck and a half! I've never seen so many cheap, stingy, tightfisted, churlish, chary... Ahem, excuse me. As I was saying, the noble, honest, magnanimous porcupines of the Free State Project deserve the best, and indeed they are the best. So, please visit the FSP Store, as your heart's desire is only a click away; if your grubby little fingers aren't too tired from counting..., I mean, see the wonderful items that can adorn your life and show the world that you want "Liberty in Our Lifetime" and you'll be willing to work for it. - Phil Denisch

There is a new FSP Interest Group interested in discussing ways to increase and promote health freedom in the Free State of New Hampshire. Topics may include the free market in medicine, health care choices, alternative medicine, homeopathy, acupuncture, herbs, organic foods, health insurance, governmental involvement in health care and more, Please feel free to join the Yahoo discussion group and help get things started.

Varrin Swearingen's latest President's Corner videos for April have been posted. Reporting from Gunstock Mountain Resort and Alaska, Varrin keeps us up to date with the FSP.

Attention MySpace Free State Project members and supporters! Friend of the FSP, Scott Jones, of Progressive City, VT, has created a special Myspace Makeover Place for Myspace users. Add special FSP backgrounds and customizations to your Myspace webpage. To use, go to either "Basic or Advanced Layout Editor", then go to the area "Background Image" and choose "select one of our images". From the drop-down menu (scroll a little) you will see FSP-Blue, FSP-Blue II, FSP-Gold and Porc-07.

Free Talk Live just added FIVE more new affiliate radio stations to its syndication lineup! That brings the total affiliates to 23 now. Recent interviews by FTL included Russell Kanning, FSP Participant and civil disobedience activist in Keene, NH and FSP President, Varrin Swearingen. The Keene Sentinel ran an article about FTL's Ian Bernard - Monadnock Profile: Podcasting Freedom, Six Days a Week - coverage by Free Keene.

A new video has been made by Rick Angell, host of the community access television program, Sovereign Solutions. It's a two hour show "dedicated to the Free State Project, and why I'm leaving Montana for New Hampshire." You can find the program, which focuses on the 101 Reasons to Move to New Hampshire, at Sovereign Solutions.

Action of the Month - Read and share the 101 Reasons There is a wonderful document named "101 Reasons to Move to New Hampshire". It was prepared by Michelle Dumas on behalf of the LPNH. It is a great source for sound bites and answers to the question "Why New Hampshire?" From number 28: "NH has a long tradition of transparency in the legislative and executive branches" to number 47: "NH has no general income tax" (one of my favorites) there are plenty of outstanding reasons why New Hampshire is "The Free State". While NH isn't a perfect Gulch or perfect Luna City, or a perfect anything, (as nothing is), it's truly the best hope we have for "Liberty in Our Lifetime". It's a great document to read and an even greater one to share. Although the name could be changed to 100's or 1,000's, because every time a Porcupine moves in, it's another great reason - Phil Denisch

Free State Match #2: Simple, Sweet and Still Open
A simpler course of fire this time. No otherworldly scourges to take care of, just straightforward shooting. We'll use letter-sized targets downloaded from the match webpage. Submit targets via email or snail-mail. Two categories (.22 rifle and pistol), and two runs (fast and slow). All details are on the FSP website! Have fun, be safe, and let's make the world unsafe for a certain few selected pieces of paper...deadline for shooting: May 20th.

Reason magazine in Washington, DC hosted the Free State Project on May 10th. FSP members Varrin Swearingen, Rich Heller and Spear Lancaster were on-hand to represent the FSP at Reason's special Happy Hour.

In New Hampshire

Liberty activism is growing at a good clip in New Hampshire! Be sure to read Free State Blogs to keep up. This month we feature a selection of the blogs topics. To read all of the entries in Free State Blogs, please go to the website.

  • Testimony Against Centrally-Funded State Education
  • FSP Prez to speak at Reason Magazine Event
  • The Real Republican Debate
  • Keene's Russell Kanning Interviewed on Free Talk Live
  • Free Minds TV Episodes 17, 18, 19
  • 2007 Spring Turkey Season Starts Today!
  • Trout Season Underway in New Hampshire
  • NH GOP & the Democratic Agenda
  • Sayonara Montana; Hola New Hampshire
  • Free State Diversity
  • NH Senate Passes Civil Unions Bill
  • Union Leader: Ron Paul #2 Republican in New Hampshire
  • Governor John Lynch Will Sign Civil Unions Bill For New Hampshire
  • We Need Some SchoolHouse Rock, New Hampshire Style
  • New Hampshire Gun Owner Saves the Life of a Doorman
  • State Senate Passes Lynch's Amendment
  • See all topics for this month at Free State Blogs

Free Staters made recent issues of the Concord Monitor. Tax protest backers vow to disobey, Two Run for open council seat and Free State diversity.

The latest print edition of the Keene Free Press is now available online in pdf format. The Keene Free Press is the free online and print news and opinion publication covering Keene, New Hampshire and Cheshire County.

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 circulation: 11,780. Back issues are available. Got FSP news? Please submit content by the 12th of the month, Thank you to all contributors.

Are you ready to JOIN THE FSP, move to New Hampshire and work towards Liberty in Our Lifetime? Come to PorcFest to check it all out!

Participants: 7,676
Participants in NH: 458
as of May 15, 2007

 

FSP News - April 2007

FSP News - April 2007

This year's 2007 Porcupine Freedom Festival, or PorcFest, will be held at Gunstock Mountain Resort in Gilford, NH, from June 18 - 24th. Join us to "Discover New Freedoms, New Communities, and New Beginnings!" - speakers, NH bus tours, sports, Birds of a Feather Meetups, trainings, outdoor activities, camping, entertainment and more. REGISTER NOW!

PorcFest is about bringing together people that are, in any shape or form, connected to the Free State Project. Whether you are simply curious, whether you are a friend of the FSP, whether you are a signer of the Statement of Intent, whether you are originally from New Hampshire, or whether you are have already moved, PorcFest is the place to meet, talk, plan, and enjoy life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness in the Live Free or Die state. Come on up!

 

 

 

New Hampshire was again named Most Livable State in the nation for 2007! For the fourth consecutive year, .New Hampshire was selected by Morgan Quitno Press as #1. “New Hampshire does an outstanding job in a number of quality of life areas,” said Scott Morgan, President of Morgan Quitno Press. “The state has the lowest crime and poverty rates in the country. In addition, the citizens of New Hampshire are employed, well educated and involved in their communities.”

Which state is healthiest? Morgan Quitno also just released its annual Healthiest State Award and New Hampshire came in 5th in this year's ranking. This 15th annual publication is based on 21 health-related factors.

Action of the Month - Act on the small things. We can't all be famous, or smart, or popular. The giants have trod before us, as they shall after we are gone. I may not be a giant, though I could be. You may not be a giant, though you could be. But while we aren't, let's not forget to do the small things. There are small things that giants can't do. It would be hard to sell as many books as Ayn Rand has, but it would be easy to buy a few copies and get them to those who might benefit. (Resisting the temptation to strike out Galt's Gulch and replace it with New Hampshire - or not) It would be difficult to think as deeply as Ludwig von Mises, but it would be simple to vote for freedom-loving, or at least -leaning, politicians. (See the NHLF report card. Sorry no help for the lower 49, I guess you'll have to move to New Hampshire) It would be maddening to try and figure out where in this world one can be freer, but it is pleasant to know that the Free State Project has already done the brain work for you.

So let's attend to the small things; registering for the PorcFest, showing up at local group meetings, and donating time, money and talent to help achieve Liberty in Our Lifetime. - Phil Denesch

Phil is also our Merchandise Coordinator - Well, pull my quills if we aren't out of the "FSP Don't Tread on Me" Flags! It's been less than a year that we've had these great flags - and we're sold out already. We were basically selling these at cost and if it wasn't for the wonderful generosity of porcupines like Steve Cobb, we'd never have had them at all. If you think we should get another batch then step forward. Make a donation to the flag fund (just make a donation and note it's for the investigatory prologue for vexillogical enhancement or you could just write Flag Fund) If there's sufficient interest, we'll place another order. But let's not loose sight of all the other wonderful products held within the nearly magical FSP Store! Hats and shirts and bumper stickers and flying discs and lanyards and mugs and super-fancy collectable Buck knives and key chains and pins and magnets and (let me catch my breath here) - well, you get the idea. Help us out, help spread the word, and help yourself to the great deals (especially on Previous PorcFest items - hey, you haven't forgotten to register, have you?)

Congratulations to Jean Alexander and Irena Goddard, our two newest Board Members of the Free State Project. Jean also returns to her former position as Secretary of the FSP. Further info about the election and the latest posted Board minutes are available.

FSP POSITIONS OPEN

The Free State Project has benefited from the efforts of hundreds of talented and dedicated volunteers since its founding in 2001. We have volunteers that have an idea and follow through to make it happen and we have people who take on more responsibility and leadership in the operational side. All are equally important to accomplishing the mission of the FSP. If you have an interest in making the FSP a success, please consider lending the organization a hand! Whatever your time and talent, your contributions are welcome.

There are positions in defined areas that are currently unfilled. We need some new hard-working Porcs in key areas - it's very rewarding! Please look over the FSP Organization Chart for some of the openings - also see the Help Wanted page. Thanks!

Free State Match #2: Simple & Sweet and Still Open

A simpler course of fire this time. No otherworldly scourges to take care of, just straightforward shooting. We'll use letter-sized targets downloaded from this page. Submit targets via email or snail-mail. Two categories (.22 rifle and pistol), and two runs (fast and slow). All details are on the FSP website! Have fun, be safe, and let's make the world unsafe for a certain few selected pieces of paper...

In New Hampshire

Free State Blogs this month has blog entries on lots of legislation news, press, videos and activist reports out of New Hampshire. The prolific topic list for the past month is below - for the full stories, please go to Free State Blogs.

  • New Hampshire Gun Owners Defeat SB44!!!
  • Eminent Domain Public Hearing Reminder
  • Okay, I'm done with winter now...
  • Free Minds TV Episodes 12, 13, 14 & 15
  • Sentinel Article About FreeKeene's Ian
  • Fiat Money is Unconstitutional
  • Free Keene's March Meetup is this Sunday 3//25!
  • Free Minds TV on MySpace
  • Preserving Gun Rights in New Hampshire
  • NH House Committee Unanimously Opposes 'Real-ID'
  • A real solution for the Main/Marlboro/Winchester intersection
  • Ron Paul Revolution!
  • LTE: "A backbone transplant?"
  • Become a Free Keene Supporter!
  • March meeting success
  • Sorry Nevada but you're still not going to be New Hampshire
  • Ray Buckley...Creepy...
  • Civil Unions or whatever it's called in New Hampshire
  • Lynch's Amendment: A Trojan Horse for Broad Based Taxes
  • Catamount Hill, Bear Brook State Park
  • Two same-sex marriage bills pass the House
  • NH House Overwhelmingly Votes to Block Real ID
  • Nanny State Seat Belt Law Passes New Hampshire House of Representatives
  • Separation of School and State
  • A banner day
  • My Testimony Opposing CACR18
  • Action Item: Stop House Bill 802, Mandatory Seat Belt Law
  • No Real ID in New Hampshire
  • Whining leftists continue to push for sales and income taxes
  • New Hampshire House votes no on Real ID
  • Promising Outlook for New Hampshire Spring Turkey Hunt
  • The Federal Reserve Monopoly over Money

Looking for a job in New Hampshire? Visit the FSP New Hampshire Center - JOBS

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 circulation: 11,751. Back issues are available. Got FSP news? Please submit content by the 12th of the month, and thank you to all contributors.

Are you ready to JOIN THE FSP, move to New Hampshire and work towards our goal of Liberty in Our Lifetime? Join NOW! Come to New Hampshire for a visit. How about coming up for PorcFest!

FSP Member Address Changes: Login or write!

Participants: 7,645
Participants in NH: 458
as of April 15, 2007

FSP News - March 2007

FSP News - March 2007

The 2007 New Hampshire Liberty Forum was a resounding success! The packed event was held in Concord, NH February 22-25th and featured John Stossel, Ron Paul and Michael Badnarik, along with dozens of other engaging speakers. The FSP would like to thank Irena Goddard and her team of dedicated volunteers, who all worked so hard to plan and produce the event. We also thank all the speakers, attendees, vendors and friends - all of you made the weekend so special! Videos, blogs and photos of the event are being posted on the website, and Varrin Swearingen's opening ceremony remarks are also available to read. The Liberty Forum was covered by Manchester's Union Leader on Sunday, February 25th in its article, Free Staters see gains, obstacles and also in the NH Insider, Heeere Porcy, Porcy. And now, just around the corner is the 2007 PorcFest!

The 2007 Porcupine Freedom Festival

- Discover New Freedoms, New Communities and New Beginnings! -

New Hampshire is awakening with warmer Spring temperatures and our thoughts turn to the upcoming PorcFest, this year held at Gunstock Mountain Resort in Gilford, New Hampshire from June 18 - 24, 2007. Join us in New Hampshire for the party of the year! Here is the latest information about PorcFest:

Registration:
With NHLF successfully completed, registration for PorcFest moves to prime time. Please register as soon as you can. Your registration helps us plan PorcFest accordingly, so please start your vacation planning and invite your friends and family too! If you have any questions about PorcFest please let us know.

Birds-of-a-Feather:
A key aspect of PorcFest is meeting new people (and your future neighbors ;-). To encourage the building of friendships and community, we are setting up PorcFest for attendees to organize Birds-of-a-Feather Flock Together special interest meetings as part of the official schedule. If you have a hobby, interest, or issue, and would like to have a meetup at PorcFest, please post to the Birds-of-a-Feather forum the intended focus of the meeting and, if you have one, a preferred time during the week you'd like to have your meeting.

Cookoff:
Back by popular demand, it's the Liberty Ladies Cook-Off and we need cooks! Have a fabulous recipe that wows family and friends the world over? Think it can win the hearts and minds of fellow Porcupines? Then enter your dish and win cash! There will be cash prizes for first second and third place as well as prizes for honorable mentions. We'll also need volunteers, so don't hesitate to offer a helping hand and get a free meal. ^_^ Tickets for judging the event will be sold at PorcFest and can be pre-ordered during online registration. For more details, and to send a description of what you plan to cook, please email Llalania.

Bus Tours:
There is so much to see in New Hampshire and we want to show it off. We are therefore organizing bus tours during the week. Each bus trip will leave from Gunstock at 9:30am, and spend the day out and about. If we have enough tourists for two (or more) buses, we may offer to have one bus explore the nightlife scene, otherwise the bus will return to Gunstock in time for dinner. Bus tickets are $20 per seat per day, however, a weeklong access ticket, allowing admission to all of the bus tours, is only $75 per person (a $25 savings). If you'd like to go on one of these bus trips, be sure to specify this when you register for the festival. Bus Tour questions should be addressed to Seth Cohn.

FSP Art Group:
Are you a graphics designer? Can you do page layout? Do you need artwork made for your FSP promotions? (think PorcFest too). If you answered yes to any of these questions, please join the newly created FSP Art Department Yahoo Group! The intention of this group is to create an avenue for those with artistic ability to help the FSP and for those that need design work done to know where to go. If you have any questions about this group, please email Rich Goldman

Vendors:
PorcFest is an excellent way to reach pro-liberty individuals. If you are interested in having a table for yourself or your organization at PorcFest, please visit our Vendor webpage. Table space is limited, so please make your reservation asap

Porcs Helping Porcs:
Want to attend PorcFest, but are short on funds or resources? Have a room, campsite, money, or ride to share? If so, please inform us of what you need or can supply either privately by email or publicly on our Porcs Helping Porcs Forum.

Merchandising, merchandising, merchandising! (where the real advertising for the project is done ;) Check out our ever-expanding choice of FSP merchandise. The plush porcupines were a big hit at the NHLF - we sold out (don't cry now, a new order is on it's way). From cheap shirts to fine hemp/cotton blend polo's, we have lots of cool FSP stuff. Coffee mugs and flying discs, magnets and matches; all the stuff that's fit for the free. (A quick side note about the $5 PorcFest 2005 shirts - just because you weren't there doesn't mean you can't have the shirt and support the FSP. It's more important to keep getting the word out by having someone ask "What's a PorcFest?" than for us to have them sitting on a shelf.)

"In the universe of collective-action problems (CAPs), the Free State Project (FSP) can be categorized as a collective-migration problem (CMP). Comparing the FSP with similar problems and applying well-established theory leads to some suggestions for improving its structure and thus increasing its effectiveness". - Steve Cobb examines The Collective Migration Problem.

Free State Match #2: Simple & Sweet
A simpler course of fire this time. No otherworldly scourges to take care of, just straightforward shooting. We'll use letter-sized targets downloaded from this page. Submit targets via email or snail-mail. Two categories (.22 rifle and pistol), and two runs (fast and slow). All details are on the FSP website! Have fun, be safe, and let's make the world unsafe for a certain few selected pieces of paper.

As he has done for the previous FSP Porcupine Festivals, Free State author Brian Wright shares his on-the-road personal narrative of the 2007 NH Liberty Forum, The Free State in Winter. "As a gathering of freedom people on the verge of wide success, this Free State event tops them all," said Brian. "This special joy of kindred souls will fuel the struggle for liberty worldwide."

Action of the Month - Get to know your future home. New Hampshire is more liberty-minded than most places on the planet (and only getting more so, with your help). But why, you may ask? How does this bastion of liberty survive and thrive in the covetous, rent-seeking, nihilistic world around us? Who is John Stark? What about Bunker Hill? Where's the Concord Coach? When was America's Stonehenge? How does a bill become a law? Or, more appropriately, how do we expunge a nefarious law? Think what there is to learn about your new home, and the thinking never stops. - Phil Denisch

*GoodSearch.com * is a search engine powered by Yahoo! that donates a penny per search to an organization you select (FSP). Switching your search engine is a simple and easy way to support Liberty in our Lifetime (and if you already use Yahoo!, you won't even be switching at all). If you don't think one penny per search can make a difference, consider this. There are over 7600 FSP Participants, not including Friends of the FSP and supporters worldwide. Knocking that number down to 6,000 people and assuming they only search two times per day, that is nearly $44,000 raised per year!

Using a search engine is habit forming, so it takes a little getting used to a new one. Make a commitment to use GoodSearch exclusively for one week and make your decision at the end of that week. GoodSearch can be added to your browser or download the toolbar. If you add GoodSearch to your browser, make sure you go to the website and select the Free State Project as your beneficiary or we won't get credited. Thank you!

Free Talk Live, the syndicated pro-freedom talk radio show continues to pick up new listeners all over the country. FTL was again chosen by Talkers Magazine for their "Talkers 250", a list of the 250 most influential and important talk shows in America. FTL is also the top producer of new FSP members - welcome FTL listeners!

The FSP has openings on its Board of Directors. Nominations and an election will take place over the next 10 days for the first position. Please go to FSP Director Election for full voter and candidate information.

In New Hampshire

Bloggers in the Free State have been busy this month, reflecting the activism levels in New Hampshire! Keep up with some of the activity in New Hampshire by reading Free State Blogs. Here are the topics posted over the last month:

  • Testifying
  • Free Minds TV Episode 8
  • The Keene City Council votes in favor of eminent domain
  • Sunday’s Free Keene Meeting: Marijuana Decrim, Eminent Domain, Campaign ‘07
  • US Congressman Dr. Ron Paul wows crowd of 150 in New Hampshire!
  • A Few Liberty Forum Articles
  • First Free State Project "Liberty Forum" A Huge Success
  • Ron Paul in NH Fundraiser Video
  • Excellent Ron Paul Site, With Liberty Forum Posts
  • More Liberty Forum Photos
  • A Tale of Two Campaigns
  • Coming to America
  • Governor Lynch and the Great Moose Hunt
  • New Hampshire Republicans and the Anti-Liberty Smoking Ban
  • Nashua Telegraph Article on Marijuana Decriminalization
  • NH Republicans and the Smoking Ban Part 2
  • State Troopers in MA paid to drive their own cars?
  • Mumbles' Bait and Switch
  • Union Leader article: "Legalizing Marijuana would save lives and money"
  • Good Testimony: Zap 'Em Right Between the Eyes!

The New Hampshire Coalition for Common Sense Marijuana Policy, recently formed to end marijuana prohibition in NH, has updates on House Bill 92, the bill to decriminalize marijuana in NH. "A Criminal Justice subcommittee voted the bill “Inexpedient to Legislate” in a 4-1 vote today, but supporters of moderate reform were pleased to see all five subcommittee members voice their support. All five openly agreed that possession of marijuana in small amounts should be reduced from a criminal offense to a civil violation..."

One of the ways to learn about organizations and liberty-oriented activism in New Hampshire is to subscribe to their newsletters or groups! Here are the newsletter links for some NH organizations:

- New Hampshire Liberty Alliance sign up

- Coalition of New Hampshire Taxpayers E-Blast Newsletter

- Republican Liberty Caucus RLCNH Yahoo Group

- Keene Free Press email notification of print version pdf

- Libertarian Party of New Hampshire mailing lists

- New Hampshire Coalition for Common Sense Marijuana Policy email newsletter

- Free Talk Live latest news and updates list

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 circulation: 11,715. Back issues are available. Got FSP news? Please submit content by the 12th of the month, and thank you to all contributors.

Are you ready to JOIN THE FSP, move to New Hampshire and work towards Liberty in Our Lifetime? Join NOW! Come to PorcFest for a visit.

Participants: 7,617
Participants in NH: 448
as of March 15, 2007

 

 

 

FSP News - February 2007

FSP News - February 2007

There is still time to get a ticket to THE Libertarian Event of the year! The New Hampshire Liberty Forum , Feb 22 - 25th at the Concord Holiday Inn. Over 200 people have pre-registered. Mr. Stossel's Keynote dinner has SOLD OUT, but day passes are still available. Likely Presidential candidate Congressman Ron Paul will be speaking at the Closing Ceremony. Key members of the New Hampshire Senate and House of Representatives will engage in a discussion about the role of government and the changing face of New Hampshire politics on Friday, Feb. 23. Come and have YOUR questions answered.

The Center for Public Integrity just released its latest study of the ratio of lobbyists to state legislators in each state. New Hampshire leads the U.S. with the lowest ratio, just half that of the next "best" state of Maine. Also, just released as a part of the U.S. Census Bureau 2007 Statistical Abstract, in Median Household Income , NH ranked 6th highest. In Persons Below Poverty Level , NH scored the best at #50. When state Unemployment Rates were calculated by the Census Bureau, NH scored 6th lowest.

The new article in Blade magazine by Evan F. Nappen, Don't Step on the Porcupine Knife, details the FSP's limited edition, commemorative Buck Knife, with a laser-cut 24k-gold-plated porcupine in the 8.5" birch handled knife. Nappen, a former FSP V.P., also discusses the FSP - "For many folks, including your humble author, just moving to New Hampshire brought tremendous personal liberties. I formerly lived in New Jersey, a place the National Rifle Association officially called 'Gun Owner's Hell.' Conversely, New Hampshire knife and gun laws respect freedom and individual rights, and include a reasonable 'Shall Issue' carry license. It is actually prohibited in New Hampshire to be fingerprinted or photographed when applying for the carry license." The last few of of this limited edition, individually numbered FSP knife will be for sale at the Liberty Forum, and it is currently for sale in the FSP Merchandise Center.

While NHLF is the big event now, don't forget, PorcFest is just a handful of months away! PorcFest this year will be June 18-24 at Gunstock Mountain Resort, on 2,400 acres in Gilford, New Hampshire. The campground is located close to the shore of Lake Winnipesaukee, with beautiful mountain views. Up to date schedule, lodging, and other information is available on the PorcFest 2007 webpage. Registration for PorcFest attendees and vendors will be available March 1st.

Free State Project First 1000 press release "Significant successes by early movers motivate others to follow" - on January 23, 2007.

Blazing Bumper Buzzes Bash!
A new bumper sticker will make its debut at the NH Liberty Forum.
Be the beginner on your block to brandish this wicked-bad badge of freedom.
Bare this bravura and bear witness to the beacon of liberty!
(Picture unavailable so as to cause a mysterious, anticipatory effect)
Available in the store after the Liberty Forum...

Mark Owen refers to the Free State Project in his essay at LewRockwell.com, The Welfare State: Shedding Society

Action of the Month - Go Forth and Mingle. Mingle at your local watering hole, mingle at the happenin' club, mingle at the PTA, mingle at the church social. Meet new people, catch up with old friends and always keep an ear out for an opening where the seed of liberty can be planted. On most subjects, you can't talk for long without someone mentioning an area where government has gotten too big. When that happens, there's no need to lay in with a recitation of Human Action, an attack on social contract theory, nor the negative-reverse feedback of an unenforced law. A simple remark that people know how to live their lives better than politicians and bureaucrats is all you need to say if the ground is fertile or futile. If futile, walk away with a smile and don't waste your time; if fertile, you may just have made a new friend and fan of liberty (and telling them how great New Hampshire is can't be too far beyond :). - Phil Denisch

HOW'S YOUR AIM? Shoot at your local range then send your targets in and may the best Porc win (prizes, fame, fortune, etc.). A different course of fire with multiple categories every time will keep things interesting. Free State Match #1 targets are due back by February 20th. Read all about the Free State Match Shooting Competition on the FSP website. Good luck!

In New Hampshire

The New Hampshire Liberty Alliance is "a non-partisan alliance formed to effect political and cultural change in a manner conducive to individual liberty within the State of New Hampshire" - see what's new with this active, growing organization in their newsletter for January. The NHLA is providing the NH State House Tours at the Liberty Forum.

Another new activist organization has just sprouted up in New Hampshire. The Coalition for Common Sense Marijuana Policy was formed in support of New Hampshire House Bill 92, effectively decriminalizing marijuana, and to help end the war on marijuana in the state. News about the decriminalization bill was covered by the Concord Monitor and, listen to new 10 minute interviews with US Rep. Ron Paul, NH Rep. Charles Weed, a sponsor of HB92, and Matt Simon, a Coalition for Common Sense Marijuana Policy organizer. NORML's Daily Audio Stash conducted the interviews - download the MP3 from January 23, 2007.

In Free State Blogs this month:

  • Alleged Phone Jamming from the Statehouse!
  • How a Bill becomes a Law in New Hampshire
  • Fingerprints

A new column by author, Brian Wright was carried by the Keene Free Press. Why I'm a Free Stater - "Now, I want to specifically address my fellow libertarian activists throughout the movement. Let me suggest why the Free State Project—by which I mean moving to New Hampshire and fighting for freedom, now —is the best available technique for imminent liberation of humankind."

The following organizations and businesses will be Exhibitors at the Liberty Forum. Stop by and say hello! Day passes and three day passes for the Liberty Forum are still available.

* Gun Owners of New Hampshire
* Libertarian Party of New Hampshire
* Republican Liberty Caucus of New Hampshire
* Fully Informed Jury Association
* Second Amendment Sisters, New Hampshire Chapter
* New Hampshire Liberty Alliance
* Free Talk Live
* We The People Congress, New Hampshire Chapter
* Downsize DC
* Free State Project
* Gimme Liberty Bar in Secondlife
* Institute for Justice
* Integrity Plus Investments & Real Estate, LLC
* Gibson's Bookstore
* Flag-Works' American Cowboy Supply
* Marijuana Policy Project
* Students for Sensible Drug Policy
* New York Life Insurance

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 circulation: 11,503. Back issues are available. Got FSP news? Submit content by the 12th of the month. Thank you to all contributors.

Are you ready to JOIN THE FSP, move to New Hampshire and work towards Liberty in Our Lifetime? Join NOW! Come for a visit.

Participants: 7,574
Participants in NH: 446
as of February 15, 2007

FSP News - January 2007

FSP News - January 2007

What is YOUR Liberty Issue? Taxes? Privacy? The Right to Bear Arms? The War on Drugs? Liberty-minded New Hampshire residents are making strides! We will talk about the various successes & issues at the New Hampshire Liberty Forum from Feb 22 - 25, 2007 - Are you moving soon to the "Live Free or Die" State? Come to the "NH Info & Jobs" sessions; employment information and Realtors will be available to help you! Over 25 speakers including:

  - John Stossel, award-winning author and journalist from ABC's 20/20
  - Michael Badnarik, Libertarian presidential candidate and author
  - Jim Harper, from the CATO Institute, speaking on REAL ID
  - Bill Westmiller, national Chairman of the Republican Liberty Caucus
  - Rob Kampia, Executive Director from Marijuana Policy Project
  - Jack Cole, Founder of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition
  - Christopher Gronski, NH coordinator for the We the People Congress
  - Joe McQuaid, Publisher of Union Leader, New Hampshire's statewide newspaper
  - Jim Babka, President of the Downsize DC Foundation
  - Geoffrey Segal, Director of government reform for the Reason Foundation
  - Sharon Harris, President of The Advocates for Self-Government
and many more. . .

Participate in ENGAGING AND INTERACTIVE PANEL DISCUSSIONS - the Taxpayer Activism Panel, Education Panel, Broadcast Panel, 2nd Amendment Panel and more. Each panel will feature 4 panelists, representing interested organizations who will debate the issues and answer YOUR questions. Panelists include liberty-loving members of the New Hampshire House of Representatives. Register and read details here!

The Free State Project is very pleased to report that the First 1000 pledge reached its goal! Thank you to all those who worked so hard to make it happen, and especially to those who pledged to move to New Hampshire over the next two years. First 1000 Pledgers - join us to celebrate at the New Hampshire Liberty Forum! Come to the Free State in February, or to PorcFest in June... 

PorcFest 2007! Make your advance plans now for this Summer's big 2007 Porcupine Freedom Festival.
It will be held from June 18 - 24th at Gunstock Campground in Gilford, NH. The theme for this year's PorcFest is "Discover New Freedoms, New Communities, and New Beginnings!" 

Announcing open submission for PorcFest designs - we need designs for logos, t-shirts, and posters. If you are interested in submitting a design, please email Rich Goldman with your name and a brief description of what you intend to design by February 1st.  You may submit more than one design and proper recognition will be given to all entries. The winning design(s) will be used in merchandise and related promotions and the designer will be awarded $100. The deadline for design submissions is April 1st. General PorcFest questions and comments may also be sent to Rich.  See ya there!

Action of the Month - Go for the gold! The Golden Porcupine, that is. Do your part and reap the rewards. If three participants list you as the reason they joined the Free State Project, you can join the venerated rolls of the Golden Porcupine. There are no goofy handshakes and no silly songs, but there is a fancy gold pin you can proudly wear to proclaim your achievement. You will also get a certificate and have your name listed on the FSP website. Most of all, you will know you've done a fine job in helping us to achieve Liberty in Our Lifetime.

"My husband and I took a stand two years ago and moved to New Hampshire as part of the Free State Project. I don't know if the plan will work but the signs are good and we are optimistic. But, if nothing else, we are acting on our consciences." - by Jean Alexander in her essay, Voting Our Conscience, published in The Libertarian Enterprise.

"The best part about the FSP is that a concentration of liberty lovers wearing various stripes is impossible to pigeonhole. In theory we in New Hampshire are libertarians or free-marketeers or Goldwater republicans or Jeffersonian democrats, classical liberals or constitutionalists or zero-aggression anarchists; we are Christians or atheists or whatever; we are country people or city people or suburbanites or cavemen." - from Happy New Year from the Happiest Freedom Fighter! by Matt Simon.

Some intriguing new statistics shining a light on New Hampshire. The State ranking of mortgage closing costs for 2006 was just released by bankrate.com. And, newly updated figures from the Annie E. Casey Foundation's Kids Count state-level data online measures the share of children under age 18 who live in households without a computer and children without internet access at home.

How's your aim? Shoot at your local range then send your targets in and may the best Porc win (prizes, fame, fortune, etc.) A different course of fire with multiple categories every time will keep things interesting. Free State Match #1 targets are due back by February 7th. Read all about the Free State Match Shooting Competition on the FSP website. Good luck!

Free Talk Live adds its 20th affiliate radio station and its a big one, with 50kW daytime and 24kW nights, NewsTalk 850 WFTL covers all of southeast Florida from West Palm Beach to Miami. Check for an affiliate in your region, listen on the web live or to archived shows. FTL was also featured in Talkers magazine.

Blogger Michael Hampton in Homeland Stupidity writes Save liberty before America finally destroys it - "The time has come for all of those who understand and love liberty to make a stand. That’s why I joined the Free State Project..."

Brian Wright's new article is on The Sacred Nonaggression Principle (SNaP). He indicates that this is the central role of the FSP. The SNaP article is currently on Brian's Coffee Coaster website and will be published in February by Liberty Magazine. Brian Wright is the author of the New Pilgrim Chronicles, a new book about his journey to the "freedom portal" of New Hampshire with the FSP. "SNaP out of it, man!”

In New Hampshire

After being held for 90 days in a Connecticut prison, eminent domain protester, Lauren Canario was released December 21st. Welcome home Lauren! The Keene Free Press reported and Free Talk Live interviewed Lauren just after her release - here's the mp3 file of the interview. 

There are some new media sources in Keene, New Hampshire. Free Keene, a new blog, and Free Minds TV, are both bringing a new message of liberty to us from the Free State.

This month in Free State Blogs - on the ground blogging from the Free State with over 20 contributors, we have the following entries. Please visit the Free State Blogs website for full content!

  • Opening Day 2007
  • Happy New Year from the Happiest Freedom Fighter!
  • The Right to Know, The Right to Pledge and what CNHT does
  • NH is the best, and the socialists know it
  • so long, and thanks for all the fish
  • down by the old mill stream

A new Porcupine led organization, the Coalition for Common Sense is "an organized hub of information and activism, a vehicle by which New Hampshire citizens can communicate their desire for an end to Marijuana Prohibition." The new organization was formed to support House Bill 92, An ACT decriminalizing marijuana  - removing the criminal penalties for possession of marijuana. 

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 circulation: 11,440. Back issues are available. Got FSP news? Submit content by the 12th of the month. Thank you to all contributors.

Are you ready to JOIN THE FSP, move to New Hampshire and work towards Liberty in Our Lifetime? Join NOW!  Come for a visit! 

Participants: 7,524
Participants in NH: 442
as of January 15, 2007

FSP News 2006

FSP News articles from 2006

FSP News - December 2006

FSP News - December 2006

 

We all know the story of the frog in the pan of water. If you toss the frog into boiling water, it’ll hop right out again (and probably give you a very dirty look). But if you put it in cold water and gradually raise the temperature, the little guy will just keep taking the increasing heat until he's soup. Don’t be a frog! You know that your taxes keep going up while your freedoms keep being taken away (been in an airport lately?). How much more heat are you willing to bear? You don’t have to just lie there and take it. JUMP… to New Hampshire! This is your final opportunity to stand up and proudly be counted as one of the First 1000 liberty lovers willing to take a stand for freedom in New Hampshire. The First 1000 pledge sign-up period ends December 31st - if you've already have moved, or if you can move before year-end 2008, seize the day!

"New Hampshire may be the most libertarian state in the country..." - from new research and analysis by David Boaz of Cato, and David Kirby of America's Future Foundation. Covered by TCS Daily, with the full text of The Libertarian Vote published as a Policy Analysis by the Cato Institute.

Are you ready to mingle with hundreds of Free Staters and hear some of the top liberty writers and thinkers of our time? The Free State Project's Liberty Forum is for you! It will be held in Concord New Hampshire from February 23-25, 2007. Register now!

More speakers have been announced, including Jim Babka, president and co-founder of Downsize DC, an organization working to 'downsize' Washington DC. Just as Free Staters are working to downsize local and state government in New Hampshire, one of Downsize DC's primary goals is to reduce the federal government to a tiny fraction of its current size.

For full details of the Liberty Forum's 23 outstanding speakers and panelists, please look over our full schedule. Held at the Concord Holiday Inn in historic downtown, it is also conveniently located next to the New Hampshire State House. Thursday and Friday afternoon there will be guided tours of the State House and observation of the scheduled debate and committee meetings.

STOSSEL - BADNARIK - AITKEN - BABKA - BERNARD - COFFEY - COHEN - COLE - GOLDSMITH - GRONSKI - HARPER - HARRIS - KINGSBURY - McGUIRE - McQUAID - NAILE - PELLETIER - SEGAL - THORNTON - TWARDOSKY - VAILLANCOURT - WELCH - WESTMILLER

Looking for work in NH? You've found the place! How do you go about it? Simple! Take a look at our FSP NH Jobs webpage, follow the tips, and give our NH Jobs Coordinator, Lynn Pina a shout if you still have any questions or if you have the inside scoop on a NH job opening!

The Boston Globe on November 26th ran an article, Free State Project cheers one of its own in Winters. "This month, Joel Winters, a transplant to Manchester, N.H., by way of Tallahassee, became the first member of the movement to win a state-level office with his election to the state Legislature."

Free State Match Shooting Competition!

Save the planet! Do your part to protect the human race by sharpening your shooting skills. One can never tell when an alien invasion will blight our beautiful home. Be prepared to repulse an alien invasion, clean up a zombie infestation, or survive the predations of an off-world lizard. Pick one or all of the categories, shoot at your local range, and send your targets in. Fame, fortune, and prizes await the brave, honorable, and courageous Porcs who prove their mettle and come out on top. For full details, see the FSP webpage on the Free State Match Shooting Competition.

There are two film crews currently working on coverage of the Free State Project. Korean Broadcasting has been in New Hampshire of late making the rounds of Porcupine events. And, A Candid World is a forthcoming documentary about the FSP being put together by Tom Caruso and Marc Femenella.

Free Talk Live, now broadcasting on 19 affiliate radio stations out of Keene, NH, continues to bring its edgy, liberty-oriented talk radio show to the people! The FSP is a sponsor of the show, which in addition to its 19 radio stations, now boasts 8 internet affiliates, 2 satellite channels and 13 'unofficial' stations. It is one of the top podcasts in the world and is offered as webstream as well. Tune in! Get a free FTL bumper sticker (shown) with a self-addressed stamped envelope. Ian Bernard, co-host of the show, will be a media panelist at the FSP's Liberty Forum.

FSP VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES - We have several exciting FSP positions available as we revamp and expand the New Hampshire Information area of the FSP website. The positions include:

NEW HAMPSHIRE REAL ESTATE AND HOUSING INFORMATION COORDINATOR - This individual will research and keep their finger on the pulse of things related to real estate and housing in the Free State. Useful tasks include becoming familiar with real estate and housing resources in the state, being informed on housing trends within the state and being able to direct folks interested in moving to New Hampshire to resources to help them find places to call home.

NEW HAMPSHIRE RESEARCHER/WRITER - We'd like to find someone who can research New Hampshire's history, climate, and/or recreation opportunities and more and do custom write-ups on them for our website and New Hampshire Information brochures. If you like research and writing, this is the job for you. Being in state is not necessary for this task.

FSP NEWS REPORTER - A reporter to cover Porcupine activism and news in New Hampshire and across the country. Discover leads, check sources and track activity for the monthly newsletter. Work with the Editor.

FSP EVENTS COORDINATOR – Keep tabs on all the events happening around the country where the FSP might gain recruits and arrange for FSP representation. See FSP Job Description webpage for more details.

There are as many volunteer opportunities in the FSP as you can imagine. If there is something that you would like to offer the FSP - your services, your company or your time, just let us know. We'll help get you going. The FSP is the sum of the volunteer effort of hundreds and hundreds of activists - 'hat's off' to you all! Your help will move us further, faster! Please contact Nik Ludwig, Volunteer Coordinator, about the positions above, other jobs or your ideas about how to help out.

The Constitution Party of Michigan is now posting links to the FSP News on its website. And, The Libertarian Enterprise announces each new issue to its readers! Thank you for your support in getting the word out about our real-world plan to create Liberty in Our Lifetime! Feel free to forward this issue of the FSP News to your freedom friends.

iGive, you give, we all give with motive. It's the shopping time of year. If you're like many this season, you'll be going out to the malls and shops of this great semi-capitalist country, fighting the crowds, hunting for sales, and searching for parking spaces. Give yourself a break and give the FSP a cut of your holiday spending. Assign the Free State Project as your cause on iGive and let your holiday cheer extend to the free state. They have hundreds of stores willing to give a percentage of your purchase to the Free State Project. If you're going to spend anyway, you might as well go through iGive and have some of it sent to help achieve Liberty In Our Lifetime.

Action of the Month - It's down to the wire, the number grows higher, all the brave Porcs escaping the fire. With the deadline looming at the end of this month, it's time for serious consideration concerning the First 1000. While the FSP will carry on regardless, a chance to jump-start this beacon of liberty should not be dismissed in a casual manner. As early movers can attest, the Free State is certainly better than the "lower 49". She calls you to her, she makes you want to hurry, she waits with open arms at the first race's finish. Join the First 1000! - Phil Denisch

In New Hampshire

Early mover Brian Wright, author of New Pilgrim Chronicles - a Gonzo jounalistic "book look" at the Free State - has launched a daily web column of opinion and book/movie reviews called the Coffee Coasters™. Subjects to date have included the Liberty Dollar and the naturally successful connection between the Free State and citizen empowerment.

 

Free State Blogs - Chronicles of Progress Towards Freedom in New Hampshire this month features the following topics. Please visit Free State Blogs to read the content behind these blog entries:

  • Union Leader: "Free State Project has representative in House"
  • Greetings from the Land of Snow Crash
  • If this is not arrogance I don't know what is...
  • election 2006
  • Boston Globe story on Free Stater victory
  • Rugged Individualism
  • From the business side...
  • OUR RESPONSE TO GSFTC...

Porcupine, Lauren Canario remains in prison in Connecticut. She was arrested in a silent protest on September 22nd as she read a book on the porch of one of the homes seized in New London. Find out the latest on the NH Underground forum. Further links and How To Help are at the new freelaurencanario.com

** Courageous activist Lauren Canario was just named Freedom Fighter of the Year by Strike the Root!

From the Keene Free Press - silent demonstrator, Dave Ridley has his day in court. Local man charged with petitioning government for redress of grievances.

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!

FSP News circulation: 11,411. Back issues are available. Got FSP news? Submit content by the 12th of the month. Thank you to all contributors.

Are you ready to JOIN THE FSP, move to New Hampshire and work towards Liberty in Our Lifetime? Join NOW! When you join, also consider pledging to be one of the First 1000 Free Staters to live in New Hampshire by December 31, 2008. Jump off the fence.

Participants: 7,482
Participants in NH: 439
as of December 15, 2006

FSP News - November 2006

FSP News - November 2006

TIME magazine featured the Free State Project in the November 13, 2006 issue! The full-page article appears on page 46 in the Nation section. Titled How to Stage a Coup, American-Style. The article is also available online at TIME.com.

The First 1000 Pledge - "I will move to New Hampshire by 12/31/2008 where I will work to bring about a society in which government’s maximum role is protecting life, liberty, and property but only if 999 other liberty minded individuals will too." - Ian Bernard, Free State Project Participant On the fence? Jump off...to the Free State! Join the First 1000!

Patricia Evans left a First 1000 comment; "I made the move in June 2005, so signing this pledge is easy! As I said in my 'I Made the Move' story, there is a level of grassroots political activism here in New Hampshire that I haven't seen since the early 1970's. Free State Project early-movers are already taking active roles in their new communities in so many different ways. The Free State Project early-movers are like true pioneers, laying the groundwork, clearing the fields, and planting the crops that will support the liberty-loving communities of New Hampshire's future, and I'm proud to be a member of this group!"

REGISTER NOW for the 2007 New Hampshire LIBERTY FORUM - Attaining Personal and Economic Freedom in America's Freest State - Brought to you by the Free State Project, February 22 - 25, 2007 in Concord, New Hampshire. Keynote Speakers:

  • John Stossel will deliver a speech on The Enemies of Liberty, on Saturday following a four-course meal. Mr. Stossel will be available to sign copies of his books.
  • Michael Badnarik - was the 2004 Libertarian Party presidential candidate and 2006 candidate for Texas Congressional District 10. An FSP Participant, Mr. Badnarik will speak Friday night following a buffet-style dinner.

There will be multiple program "tracks" from which attendees can choose based upon their interests. Program Speakers include:

Engaging and interactive Panel Discussions include Broadcast, Print and Web Media, Education, 2nd Amendment, and Taxpayer Activism. During the 3-day convention, activists will hear about the political action methods already being effectively employed in New Hampshire. Members of the Free State Project community will enjoy the chance to meet, socialize, and get a firsthand New Hampshire experience. New Hampshire residents will learn about the Free State Project, meet its Participants, and understand their stake in its goals. Attendees will find a positive, enthusiastic environment and emerge excited about the reachable common goal of creating a State that is personally and economically free! The 3-day Convention will be held in historic downtown Concord. The hotel is within walking distance of the State Capital, where some of the programming will take place. Join us for the Liberty Forum. Register now - early discount ends Nov. 23rd.

Researchers find that New Hampshire is the least corrupt state in the nation. The 28 page study, Weathering Corruption, published by the Merctus Center at George Mason University, was authored by West Virginia University economics professors Peter T. Leeson, Ph.D. and Russell S. Sobel, Ph.D. Their research explores the effect of FEMA-provided disaster relief on public corruption. The Concord Monitor covered the release of the research.

Brian Wright, author of the FSP-related book, New Pilgrim Chronicles - his new book developed from his Free State experience, was interviewed (mp3) by James Hughes, executive director of the Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies (IEET). Dr. Hughes is the former executive director of the World Transhumanist Association, which is dedicated to extending and enhancing human capabilities and longevity. Hughes is sympathetic to the idea of the Free State Project and enabled Brian to expound on the depth, diversity, and success of our community.

FSP Volunteer Positions Available

Thanks again to all who have been working to keep the FSP moving forward. While you are enjoying the holidays this month and next, think if perhaps you might be the perfect person to fill one of these exciting roles - we'll help you get started:

FSP EVENTS COORDINATOR – Keep tabs on all the events happening around the country where the FSP might gain recruits and arrange for FSP representation. We have some tools already on the FSP website to help you manage events and volunteers, and we are constantly improving these to make it easier to organize events.

NEW HAMPSHIRE INFO COORDINATOR – This important position is responsible for the NH Info section of the FSP website, including updating and keeping current the information on jobs, housing and real estate, and community events and activities. You are encouraged to recruit other volunteers to help you with the various areas within NH Info. Lynn Pina, current NH Info Coordinator, will be taking on other roles in the FSP but will help you get oriented and up-to-speed.

Sound interesting? IT IS! Please contact Volunteer Coordinator, Nik Ludwig for your laminated ID card and secret decoder ring! The FSP Volunteer Center has lots of ways to help.

Look for the latest President's Corner, due to be posted later today, for New Hampshire election comments and an update on the Free State Project!

Action of the Month - S'virtual, s'online, s'marvelous. Are you leading a secret life...online? If so, let me