And more details on the “aftermath”…
Who said they were different, some FSP propagandist? LOL.
Too many young brainwashed boot-lickers: “Especially because I am in the military, that is my boss, he oversees everything that I do,” More misguided youth: http://www.ledgertranscript.com/rindge-new-officers-17382702 Lil’ Nazis
Samm
The only time I talk to Free Staters is on these forums.
But I regularly hear from locals how New Hampshire Democrats are less “lefty” then elsewhere.
Maybe before the dawn of the smartphone and Twitterganda.
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Yep, that’s why I avoid most Free Staters 
Excuse me for not being up to speed with any negatives concerning the FSP.
What’s the problem/s with the FSP ? I can see 3 percenters as “boot-lickers”, but FSP ? Why ?
Samm
I’m going to guess he means, from my personal experience and observation, that most of them really are just Republican Party platform regurgitator patriots in practice. Regulated freedom, not actual freedom.
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The FSP was founded on essentially two principles-
- Anyone may participate who “can agree to the clause in the Statement of Intent which says that you should support the creation of a society in which the maximum role of civil government is the protection of citizens’ rights to life, liberty, and property.” With the only exceptions being made on the basis that the FSP “unequivocally rejects violence, racism, and fraud.”
- The FSP is “just the bus” and does not take political stances or endorse candidates/legislation.
They’ve violated both of these multiple times over the years. The most public and well documented were-
- Kicking out Christopher Cantwell (long before his turn to “race realism”, much less the Nazi-esque views he currently espouses) for “endorsing violence” by saying essentially the same things about shooting cops that Larken Rose had said as a paid speaker at FSP events.
- Actively raising funds to protest and campaign against Concord’s BEARCAT acquisition.
- Kicking out Ian Freeman for expressing his views on “age of consent”.
I’ve only ever been on the fringes of the FSP, but I’ve seen dozens of examples of “boot-licking” style herd mentality by Free Staters. Spend some time browsing through their own forums or reading through the history of their various Facebook groups if you want to find examples for yourself.
While we can’t say those types make up the majority of participants for sure, certainly very few are speaking up against such rhetoric.
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Yeah, that too. (Although a fair amount are also Democrats who include “positive rights” (right to health care, education, etc) in their definition of freedom)
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I think that occurred only after Occupy protesters were welcomed with open arms into the movement. Coincidentally or not, that is around the time things started going “bootlicker” with regards to FSP policy. But the liberty shaming Republicans have been in there since I started looking into it in 2002.
Which, by pure coincidence, is around the time I discovered FTL and first heard about the FSP.
Last person I would kick out of a “real” freedom movement would be Larken Rose. I guess if his speech violated their terms, then oh well, guess you gotta kick him out. D’s or R’s in any freedom movement isn’t really a freedom movement is it ? Are there dumb Anarchists over there that should be over here ? Looks like some Anarchists from here that occasionally go over there. Division is bad as far as gaining ground for real freedom. What to do ? Thanks for the clarification.
Samm
That’s collectivizing.
Um, no. It’s not collectivizing in any way.
I didn’t say “All Free Staters” are boot-lickers.
I said I’ve seen dozens of examples among Free Staters. Real, individual examples I’ve witnessed myself.
In fact, if one were to say there were no Free Stater boot-lickers then that would be collectivizing.
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It’s the squeakiest wheels, as usual. Ian & the crew have pretty much been the only outspoken people against such Statism.
Recently I made the acquaintance of a former Free Stater who moved to NH even before Ridley got here and she complained that the FSP moved away from its “constitutional conservative” roots.
I think when people say that NH democrats are “less lefty” all that means is there’s less rabid people politicized by democratic party operatives that one usually encounters in places like California, NY.
Both in Keene and the Upper Valley I’ve come to cherish many leftist friends who only talk about politics if it’s explicitly brought up, and know how to respectfully disagree and not let it come between us. I find apolitical left-leaners to be way more pleasant to be around than politicized libertarians and conservatives.
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This is exactly the definition I was using. It’s why I was surprised by the story of someone refusing service to a Trump supporter here in NH.
Despite New Hampshirites appearing to be more involved in the political process itself I’ve found them to be much more of the “you’re wrong, but that’s your right” mindset, regardless of where they lay on the political spectrum.
And if you’re able to tolerate talking to the rabid types for more than five minutes you’re almost guaranteed to find out that they’re originally from Mass or Chicago. Every. Damn. Time. Fucking flatlanders. That’s why I don’t even like Free Staters moving here, because most of them bring their city attitudes to this beautiful, polite state, although that doesn’t go to say that there aren’t unpleasant mountain folk either.