Good panel discussion of Free State Project on New Hampshire Public Radio

[jct74]

Worth the listen if you have some time to spare, it's about an hour long.



'Triggering the Move': What's Next for N.H.'s Free State Project

By THE EXCHANGE
MAY 11, 2016

Recently, this movement announced success in its plan to encourage twenty-thousand libertarian-minded people from around the country to move to New Hampshire. And already, Free Staters have had an influence on Granite State politics, although it's not always been welcome. We'll check in on this project and its impact.

GUESTS:

• Carla Gericke, former president of the Free State Project as of March, and a current board member. She moved to N.H. in 2008 as part of the project.
• Drew Cline, communications consultant in Bedford and the former editorial page editor of the New Hampshire Union Leader.
• Dan Eaton, 13-term Democratic Representative from Stoddard. He's also Stoddard's Town Moderator.

We'll also hear from Jason Sorens, founder of Free State Project and lecturer at the Department of Government at Dartmouth College.

http://nhpr.org/post/triggering-move-whats-next-nhs-free-state-project

[jct74]

The Free State Project Makes Inroads in the Live Free or Die State

By THE EXCHANGE
May 13, 2016

They volunteer at food pantries and sled-dog races. They exhibit negative and disruptive behavior.

Those are the competing impressions among some Granite State residents when it comes to members of the Free State Project, the so-called “liberty-minded” group that recently announced success in encouraging 20,000 people from around the country to move to New Hampshire to further their agenda of less government and more personal freedom.

Here’s how founder Jason Sorens described the origins of the movement on The Exchange this week: “The whole idea was to get Libertarians from around the country signed up and agree to move to a state that we chose and get active there to create a freer society.”

Carla Gericke, former Free State Project president and current board member, said the behavior of some FSP members– such as the Free Keene group that gained national attention for filming parking meter attendants in ways that some considered aggressive -- represents a very small minority.

“For every time we hear one of those shocking stories, there are a hundred great things happening by productive people in the state, ” she said.

...

read more:
http://nhpr.org/post/free-state-project-makes-inroads-live-free-or-die-state

[jct74]

Here's the Free Keene write-up, correcting a few misconceptions.



Keene Activism & State Reps Dominate NHPR Interview About Free State Project

by Ian
May 12, 2016

The Free State Project migration of liberty activists to New Hampshire continues to be a topic of discussion in NH media, because we’re making an impact, unlike libertarians pretty much everywhere else in the world. Most libertarian groups never or rarely get press, but liberty activists in New Hampshire get coverage frequently.

On this morning’s “The Exchange” on New Hampshire Public Radio, former FSP president and current board member Carla Gericke was the in-studio guest.

Dan Eaton, also an in-studio guest and a state rep from Stoddard called Free Staters in the state house “obstructionist” and accused them of hiding their true political affiliations. He also insulted Keene’s Robin Hooders, calling us “rude” and suggested that we are un-civil. Eaton trotted out the claim, long since proven false, that Robin Hooders “harass” the parking enforcers. Gericke let this slander slide by with no response. Overall, Gericke did well in the interview and did defend independent media when Eaton accused us of “intimidating” senators with our video cameras from the NH senate gallery.

Eaton and a caller accused Free Staters of hiding their true beliefs to get elected. While some people may not be being honest in politics, no one can accuse Keene libertarians of hiding. One caller did point out correctly that Free Staters are running as republicans and democrats because the ballot access for third parties in NH is very difficult and was made that way by the very same people who are complaining about the Free Staters “hiding”.

Eaton specifically attacked Free Keene and suggested that we somehow set up the topless open carry event from several years ago, which we didn’t – we just reported on it. Eaton (or maybe it was Union Leader’s Drew Cline who was also a guest on the show) also called for the FSP to purge its rolls of all anarchists and Carla did not respond. While I personally don’t identify with the term “anarchist”, as I am a voluntarist, I am pretty sure that Carla has referred to herself as an anarchist in the past. Is Carla now a “minarchist” (a supporter of small government) or is she also hiding her true beliefs?

Exchange host Laura Knoy has been made aware in the past that Keene’s Robin Hooders would be happy to appear on her show to address the lies told about us, and she’s never taken us up on it, instead allowing the slander to continue, interview after interview. Carla, despite knowing the truth about us, sits silently rather than defend the peaceful Robin Hooders that brought the Free State Project millions of dollars in good publicity internationally. Further, Carla even labels Keene activists as “shock jocks”. Is that a term only for those of us doing talk radio here or all the controversial activists?

http://freekeene.com/2016/05/12/keene-activism-state-reps-dominate-nhpr-interview-about-free-state-project/