Liberty Movement Under Fire in NH?
The conspiracy theorist in me says there's a coordinated effort underway to discredit the Free State Project and its members, people who have chosen to (or pledged to) move to New Hampshire and work within the structure of local and state government for the promotion and preservation of economic freedom and individual liberty.
Two New England newspapers, two days apart, both managed to publish pieces critical of the Free State Project and its members, using the broadest of brushes to portray them in as negative a light as possible.
First up, from the Boston Globe, comes this portrayal of FSP'ers as anarchists who want to abolish all forms of taxation and work toward the complete dismantling of government.
And, the commenters are, by and large, lapping it up.
For anyone daring to venture into the comment section there, a full-blown hip wader alert is in effect. You've been warned. One of the more "intellectual" folks there tried to make the argument that people in New Hampshire are, in fact, less free than Massachusetts residents.
Boston Globe: The appeal of 'Live free or die'
Next up, is a piece in the Keene Sentinel from Michael Schuman, who apparently went to a Bob Dylan concert, encountered a rude fan who refused to sit down when asked by the fans seated behind her, and decided that she was the quintessential Libertarian.
He then goes on the paint all FSP'ers as selfish louts (and, of course, gun-toting potheads) who think only about themselves, and have no respect for the rights of others.
Yeah, might as well leave those hip waders on for this one too.
Keene Sentinel: Will the Free Staters please sit down?
Now, this could be just a coincidence that two articles were published locally within a few days of one another, both denigrating the people making up the Free State Project in as disingenuous and broad-brushed a manner possible.
On the other hand, there could be some coordinated effort underway, in the "progressive" media, to actively misinform the public and portray the Free State Project as some kind of dire threat to civilized society, in hopes of keeping the voters feeling all warm and fuzzy about the notions of nanny-state government, intrusive legislation, and reckless fiscal policy (i.e. Hopenchange).
As I'm wont to say, stay tuned.
Two New England newspapers, two days apart, both managed to publish pieces critical of the Free State Project and its members, using the broadest of brushes to portray them in as negative a light as possible.
First up, from the Boston Globe, comes this portrayal of FSP'ers as anarchists who want to abolish all forms of taxation and work toward the complete dismantling of government.
And, the commenters are, by and large, lapping it up.
For anyone daring to venture into the comment section there, a full-blown hip wader alert is in effect. You've been warned. One of the more "intellectual" folks there tried to make the argument that people in New Hampshire are, in fact, less free than Massachusetts residents.
Boston Globe: The appeal of 'Live free or die'
Next up, is a piece in the Keene Sentinel from Michael Schuman, who apparently went to a Bob Dylan concert, encountered a rude fan who refused to sit down when asked by the fans seated behind her, and decided that she was the quintessential Libertarian.
He then goes on the paint all FSP'ers as selfish louts (and, of course, gun-toting potheads) who think only about themselves, and have no respect for the rights of others.
Yeah, might as well leave those hip waders on for this one too.
Keene Sentinel: Will the Free Staters please sit down?
Now, this could be just a coincidence that two articles were published locally within a few days of one another, both denigrating the people making up the Free State Project in as disingenuous and broad-brushed a manner possible.
On the other hand, there could be some coordinated effort underway, in the "progressive" media, to actively misinform the public and portray the Free State Project as some kind of dire threat to civilized society, in hopes of keeping the voters feeling all warm and fuzzy about the notions of nanny-state government, intrusive legislation, and reckless fiscal policy (i.e. Hopenchange).
As I'm wont to say, stay tuned.
