About 30 concerned citizens attended the meeting and were from all walks of life.

To start off, we each introduced ourselves, our ward, our neighborhood and any previous involvement in city politics.

Click here to find your ward.
Click here to find your neighborhood.

I gave a short presentation on the workings of the website. Basically the settings allow for everyone to take part in their own way; since emails can be turned off, some on or all on -depending on your own level of involvement.

Mark Ogier then gave a presentation on being the public in public meetings.
Be sure to check out the witness contingency and the public meetings calendar.

It was decided to also have an activist events calendar.

Something I forgot to mention- networking is encouraged! Please feel free to promote any groups you belong to at our meetings, there is plenty of table space for handouts and I will gladly post any events on our activist calendar.

There were concerns mentioned at the meeting but we didn’t have anyone taking minutes and I don’t want to try to list them for fear of leaving someone’s concern out; next meeting we will take note of the concerns mentioned.

Please let me know if:
Any meetings or events in the city are not listed on the calendars.
You are a member and would like your blog promoted on Neighbor’s blogs.
You would like to learn more about the website and setting options.
You have a speaker in mind for our meetings
All suggestions are encouraged!

Our next meeting is scheduled for March 6, 2010 at the Kingshighway St Louis City Library. Doors open at 9:30, meeting begins at 10 and adjourns at noon.

Special thanks to Brother Bob and Darin, the two videographers that covered the first meeting.

Some updates from around the city:

1/16/10 – Arlington Heights Redevelopment Meeting – Alderman Boyd speaks on Eminent Domain

1/21/10 – City Earnings Tax could be put to a vote
1/25/10 – Neighbors assume greater Responsibility for Trash in Soulard
2/04/10 – Consent Judgment orders city to remove leafleting law from the books
2/06/10 – Photos of Gateway to Liberty meeting
2/09/10 – Delor Street Plant Holders in Ward 14 – you paid for it
2/10/10 – City Budget Meeting was standing room only!
2/15/10 – Tax for Metro Link expansion
2/16/10 – Push for Local Accountability of Police
2/16/10 – Court hearing on Blighting of Northside -McKee’s Redevelopment Plan

I also wanted to share this important eminent domain petition update from Ron Calzone, if you attended the meeting, you already received the update below.

If you would like to be removed from this email list please reply to with subject line “remove from list”.

Eminent Domain Petition Update

We are 4 ½ years into the battle against eminent domain abuse in Missouri. Our foes are powerful and well funded – largely by our own tax dollars. They fear the loss of millions, even billions of dollars in redevelopment subsidies.

As you know, last month the Western Court of Appeals ruled in our favor in the challenge to our ballot titles. They handed down their ruling in an unusually prompt fashion once we got the full case before the three judge panel. I believe that was their reaction to the evidence of the Missouri Municipal League’s misuse of the court system.

In spite of a resounding “win” in court (the three judges unanimously ruled exactly as we suggested in our brief), it came only after a year long delay. That delay was on top of several weeks of delay by the Secretary of State and AG.

That delay may prove fatal to our effort in this (2010) election cycle.

Winning the Skirmish, But Losing the Battle – Then Winning the War.

The court battle was but one of many skirmishes (albeit a big one) in this fight for property rights. We have MML’s law firm on tape admitting, that their “main objective” in bringing suit was to delay the gathering of signatures. Even in their court loss, they have won their objective. They had to break the law to do it, but they achieved it, nonetheless.

That delay greatly hindered our fundraising. Right after the ruling things looked good. In just a few days we garnered over $200,000 in pledges – but then we hit a brick wall.

Donors we hoped we could count on were understandably gun-shy. Even though we were going to have more time than our “near miss” 2008 effort, it wouldn’t have been a comfortably larger amount of time. On the other hand, the volunteer base has grown tremendously. Success, though, will depend on a combination of volunteer and paid petition circulators.

Without the cash to pay full time professional circulators, it is best to conserve our volunteer efforts for another day.

Motion For Sanctions

The intentional use of the court system for purposes of delay or adding expense to your opponent is against the law. When such abuse occurs, the law provides for court ordered sanctions – including monetary payments to the damaged party.

MML’s illegal use of the courts has cost our effort hundreds of thousands of dollars and we have filed a motion with the court asking for reimbursement. It’s probably a long shot, but if the court will award enough, and do it soon enough, we may have a chance to hire the professional circulators and make it to the ballot this November. We have not totally given up on this election cycle.

A Punt May Be Necessary

Realistically, the odds of the court reacting fast enough and strong enough to our motion for sanctions are pretty slim. More than likely we will have to begin the entire process over this fall, after the November election.

The good news is that we should not have the same problems with court delays. We will submit the same petitions and should get the same ballot titles, which have already been litigated. There will be no excuse for the courts to permit such long delays.

Although we have not scuttled the effort for the 2010 ballot, the MO-CPR board – all unpaid volunteers, just like the many volunteer petition circulators — are sensitive to & understand your sacrifices for this effort. We want to ensure that your efforts produce the most fruit, so we suggest that volunteers hold off on gathering signatures and concentrate on other helpful endeavors for this and future campaigns.

Do things like:
• Recruit more volunteers
• Scope out and document places to collect signatures later
• Organize training meetings
• Help pass legislation that will prevent the sort of court delays that hurt us so badly.

Those things will help whether we go for the 2010 or the 2012 election cycle.

The 2012 Election Cycle is Near

2012 sounds like a long way off, but it starts this November 3rd. If we punt, and the odds are we will have to, we will have a much longer, more comfortable time to collect the many signatures we need.

While it is true that we will have to put up with two more years of the injustice of eminent domain abuse, our likelihood of success will be much, much greater. We must not forget, our fight is very much like that of the Founding Fathers against King George – and they had to fight 8 long years to win freedom!

We Will Win The War!

For me, personally, it is disappointing to think that we may have to drag this out two more years – I would like to go on to other projects. I stand undaunted, though, and will continue the fight until the war is won! I have talked to many of you in the last few days who have expressed the same resolve.

Together we will win – we have to because at the root of it, this war is for Economic Freedom and Economic Freedom is the foundation of ALL of our liberties.

Justice for all!

Ron Calzone and the rest MO-CPR Board
–

*************************************
Ron Calzone, chairman
Missouri Citizens for Property Rights
33867 Highway E
Dixon, MO 65459
Phone: (573) 759-3585
Cell.: (573) 368-1344
http://www.mo-cpr.org
*************************************

We stand here 46 years after the assassination of John Kennedy. You don’t have to like the man, or the title of President. We’re here to honor an action. It’s an idea that no matter who you are, the pedigree you came from….the views you’ve had in the past, Liberal, Conservative, Anarchist or Socialist….The ability to recognize a danger to the American People and stand up as a Patriot is within all of us.

I don’t expect everyone to like Kennedy’s policies or his family. But His speeches struck a chord in the hearts and minds of men. and with one action, he attempted to remove some of the hidden corporate slavery of the debt machine. Executive Order 11110 was a chance to be free and with 3 shots in Dealey Plaza that chance was silenced.

JFK Once Said: “Those who make peaceful revolution impossible, make violent revolution inevitable”

In March, Liberty Restoration Project as well as our allies across the country recognized a threat to peaceful revolution in the name of the MIAC Militia Report…and uncovered other threats in the other MIAC reports…all of them demonizing grassroots movements as violent extremism that pose a threat to government.

Missouri Law Enforcement declared activists their enemy with 4 words I quote: “You Are The Enemy” As hard as they tried to deny it, it was clear in black and white. They said violent people support Ron Paul………Violent People Might Just Have Bumper Stickers…Violent People Attend End The Fed Rallies

I say Violent People Might Wear Underwear and Drink Pepsi too, where is that listed in the report?

The other reports demonize groups on the grassroots Left…. I don’t care what you think about these movements or the actions some fringe members of these movements have taken, the point remains that the entire grassroots accountability movement from the right and left are both being laid out as too dangerous to be allowed because of a few bad apples.

Committees of Safety…The New Black Panther Party…Here’s one I heard Glenn Beck demonizing…Copwatch, a non-partisan group that documents police-citizen interaction so that either party may use that documentation in a court of Law. That is potentially violent extremism?

There was another report warning that people in Prison might just join Al Qaeda….I wonder if that goes for Bernie Madoff and Ken Lay types who have used Wall Street to loot our economy of billions….our private prison system and the consistant crackdown on nonviolent self-destructive offenders is never addressed when they parade the terror boogeymen.

The First Hearing about these reports occurred the SAME DAY that an extreme abortion activist walked into a church and gunned down one of the most well known Abortion Doctors in the country.

Before I had even heard of the shooting, this one instance of an extreme act of murder was being paraded by Law Enforcement in front of this state’s legislature as proof that we all need to be profiled as dangerous.

The Mainstream Media immediately jumped on board, tying extremism in with “Militias” and “Anti Government”

I Have the Government RIGHT HERE…it’s called THE CONSTITUTION and if anybody is ANTI Government it’s the people who would dare work against it. On the contrary, Gathered in front of me is a bunch of the most pro-constitutional government people in this region.

I have since seen several Mainstream Media reports where they do exactly what the MIAC center has done. They look to the politicized Southern Poverty Law Center for their boogeymen.

I’ve now seen Three CNN and MSNBC reports teaming up with the SPLC demonizing Oath Keepers, a group that is asking Police, Vets, and active duty military to read this Constitution, Reaffirm their oath, and if their commanders should ever give them an order that would turn our forces against the people, to refuse it.

This constitution scares the HELL out of these Corrupt Media, Corporation, Banking, and Political Party Power Brokers.

They say these things are threatening, and that they use the reports as valuable tools to prevent crime. Ladies and gentlemen, they use these tools because they are afraid of the peaceful revolution and they know that if they create a big enough fear climate, their system will accumulate so much power that a violent outbreak would mean pure victory for them. Violence legitimizes the fear climate and at Fed buildings all across the country today we send a message back that the First Amendment IS PEACE AND PEACE IS WINNING IN THE HEARTS AND MINDS OF MEN.

Another JFK Quote: “The Word Secrecy is Repugnant in a free and open society.” There has been NO AUDIT since the Fed was created in 1913. They used to offer M3 reports on Cash Flow….not an audit…it’s like me giving the IRS a letter saying that my books are okay and not offering any receipts or documentation…but for years they at least gave us that…but now they’ve stopped and when asked why, they said that Monetary Supply has grown so large that it was not worth it to print it all on paper and give to Congress. For almost 100 years the bankers scheme has gripped American Economic and Monetary Policy. Now I know economy speak turns people off so let me repeat that in layman’s terms…Bankers control the future of Jobs and Your Money and they aren’t telling anybody how they’re handling things and when people demand they give answers they tell us to take a hike…..I say it’s time for Ben Bernanke and Tim Geithner to take a Hike and take the rest of the Goldman Sachs and JP Morgan crew with em!

Friday’s Wall Street Journal Front Page Headline: “House Panel Attacks Fed, Treasury.”

The Audit will get a vote in the House. It is a small victory, that comes with a huge sacrifice. In order to get the bill past the special interests of the committee, it had to be attached to Bailout Legislation. Lets face it though, They will always continue to pass their bailouts and their corruption, but this time if they want it, they’re going to have to help us expose the secrecy of the Federal Reserve.

I Repeat, Peace IS WINNING THE HEARTS AND MINDS OF MEN!

Even if the Audit does not make it through both houses, I want you people to understand the meaning of the word on that LRP shirt we sell. Vigilance. Very rare that a battle is ever won with the first strike. One Year Ago we had a rally and march right here…in the days leading up to that rally I had several conversations about Gold and The Fed where I could not get one person to agree with me that accountability was important or that inflation was dangerous.

I had Liberals tell me that we needed the “Fed Credit Card” to continue government programs….I Had Conservatives tell me that attacking the banking system didn’t sound very “Capitalist”

Ladies and Gentlemen The Central Bank and Graduated Income Tax Are not only planks of the communist manifesto, but provide the mechanism for the entire platform of communism.

So for the much of the 20th Century while our country was in war all around the world fighting “Communism” We had communism established right above our heads.

They say that an Audit would endanger the system. It’s in Danger either way. They say that The Fed Must be “Free” from political influence. It’s influenced either way.

One Last Thing To Remember as we wrap up, for 233 years, this nation has strived for one thing. Freedom. From the Founding Fathers gathering as Minute Men and fighting the red coats to escape the tyranny of British Kings, to the Underground Railroad and the Abolitionist movement trying to prove to a nation that African Americans were indeed humans with rights, to the Civil Rights movement and the fight of many Americans to just be able to walk into a school or voting booth. We have now come full circle. Just as our Nation began to fully honour our commitment to All Persons Being Created Equal, We’re being told that our Economy is above all.

The bankers stood in front of Congress and the Media, You still hear people parroting the line every single day.

They HAD to concede to the bankers, or the economy would have collapsed.

Ladies and gentlemen. The Bankers put a gun to the head of the prosperity of an entire nation of FREE people, and said You now become economic SLAVES or we will Kill the economy.
There is only one answer to a threat like that: GIVE ME LIBERTY OR GIVE ME DEATH!

Time to Celebrate! (Case Dismissed) Maplewood has dismissed the case against me for my “failure to comply” with the arresting officers unconstitutional demands!!!! This is great news as I leave for the Continental Congress of 2009 TOMORROW and return the day before I was supposed to go to court – It would have been hard to focus on solutions to the many issues we face with the potential of 30 days jail or $1000 fine looming over my head, especially since I committed no crime!

Read part one of the story here: http://www.libertyrestorationproject.org/2009/10/15/part-1-the-arrest-or-kidnapping-in-violation-of-my-first-amendment-protections/
Read part two of the story here: http://www.libertyrestorationproject.org/2009/10/16/part-two-the-unlawful-detention/

Further Action (Taking them on): This will NOT stop here. Today I requested any discipline against my arresting officer, including but not limited to disciplinary action surrounding MY arrest. He is a rookie who only became an officer in May of this year, but I still need to know if this was an isolated incident or not. I picked up the full surveillance tape today, too.

Growing Together (Constitution Course): The Maplewood Constitution Course is this weekend (please rsvp so we know how much pizza to buy). It will be taught by Scott Wood who teaches the advanced Constitution Courses for the Riverbend 912 group. It will have an emphasis on individuals rights in relation to law enforcement, driving and an overall idea of the Constitutional role of government. Saturday November 14th from noon to 4pm. Please RSVP here: http://maplewoodconstitutioncourse.eventbrite.com

Fighting Globalism with Localism (What is CC2009 anyway?): The main reason I am so grateful these charges were dropped TODAY is so I may focus more strongly on the Continental Congress of 2009 – and it is nearly 24 hours out! This historic event is taking place in the suburbs of Chicago and will bring three citizen delegates from each state together for 11 days to discuss strategy we can implement to shift the growing trend toward tyranny in America. I have been elected as a delegate and feel very blessed to be the citizen spokes person for the state of Missouri. I have formed a state/local caucus of delegates and am working, with Josh helping every step of the way, along side with activists from all across the country to come up with a state/local initiative plan that can help guide us on our path to freedom.

How to Support Us (Rocking CC2009): If you are interested in supporting our trip to the CC2009, we are raising money to cover costs (approx $750). We have already received a total of $375 in donations from 6 amazing folks. I cannot tell you how blessed we feel to have your support, please accept a big, genuine “Thank You”. If you can help at all, even $5, we are raising funds at http://kctodc.chipin.com/continental-congress. You know me, I don’t like to ask for money, but this is something in which I feel we MUST have a strong presence. I have been diligently volunteering for LRP in a fulltime capacity for almost 2 years now and rarely ask for a thing in return, this time I’m asking for your support in prayers, finances and even advice

The ongoing battle (back to Maplewood): If you are interested in supporting my ongoing fight against unconstitutional arrest (kidnapping) and detainment I was forced to endure on October 12 in Maplewood, here are the things that would be the greatest help:

1. Help spread the word about the Maplewood Constitution Course (we have fliered the community for three Sundays) – know a local radio host – have an interested email list? http://maplewoodconstitutioncourse.eventbrite.com

2. Educate yourself on your rights and the Constitutional role of law enforcement - if we expect those making the laws to abide by their oath, we sure as heck better make sure those with guns who enforce the laws are, too! You can attend this free course my RSVPing here: http://maplewoodconstitutioncourse.eventbrite.com

3. Consider supporting the Liberty Restoration Project financially - You can set up a monthly donation as low as $5 by visiting: http://www.libertyrestorationproject.org/donate.php The funds you donate to LRP go straight to streets of Missouri or the halls of Jefferson City. Your donation money goes a very long with with LRP, we try to spend money only in ways that provides a direct interaction with the community – gas money to testify in committee hearings in Jefferson City, paying for documents obtained through the Missouri Sunshine Law, printing fliers to put on doors or pass out in the community (we have handed out 10s of thousands of fliers in the Kansas City and Saint Louis metro areas in the past year), etc.. We have found great success in our style of direct, assertive, yet loving activism, and we could not be where we are today with out each and every one of you And yes, we are all 100% VOLUNTEERS!!!

4. Spread the word about my arrest: People need to hear the truth about what is happening in many of our law enforcement communities today, the greater we can grow the buzz around the incident, the greater the likelihood I will be successful in an offensive strategy against them. One of my goals is to ensure every employee of the city of Maplewood understands the Constitution before I’m done. Same goes for the citizens. I am not out to smear our law enforcement community, just hold them accountable to the Constitution in the same fashion many of us are working to hold our elected officials accountable to the Constitution. I hope you will support that

I love you all, and will be live tweeting from cc2009 for the next 11 days at www.twitter.com/donttreadoncat ( I will be back in StL for the Constitution Course).
You can also follow my video blogs and personal blog updates at www.donttreadoncat.com . I will be updating as relevant to LRP at www.libertyrestorationproject.org

peace, love and LIBERTY,
Catherine

Catherine Bleish
executive director
Liberty Restoration Project
http://www.LibertyRestorationProject.org/

blog: http://www.donttreadoncat.com/
facebook: http://www.facebook.com/DontTreadOnMe

Freedom reaches across party lines.

After going through an unlawful arrest and detention, it is easy to feel defeated by the system. (read part 1 here and part 2 here)

While I am frustrated that the prosecuting attorney has yet to sign off on my charges (so I’m technically STILL not charged, although I spent 5 hours in jail and had to post $750 bond), I am feeling very optimistic about finding a resolution – let me tell you why.

While in jail I learned that many of the women incarcerated do not understand their rights. They do not understand the Constitution or how our country was formed, nor do they understand the proper role of government or law enforcement. They have accepted police abuse and targeting as a fact of life. One girl, after arriving, said, “well I better kick back and enjoy a few free meals, I’m sure I’ll be here a few days”. Why were these women in jail? Most were unable to afford the property tax on their vehicles and were swooped up off the streets and incarcerated, the remainder were for other issues surrounding the use of a vehicle. None of them had hurt anyone or damaged/stolen any property. Doesn’t sound very free to me.

In response to the situation found in Maplewood, the Liberty Restoration Project is excited to announce that we are sponsoring a FREE four hour Constitution Course for the citizens of Maplewood. This course will be taught by Scott Wood who teaches Advanced Constitution courses for the Riverbend 912 group and will take place at the Maplewood Library on November 14th from noon to 4pm. You can RSVP here: http://maplewoodconstitutioncourse.eventbrite.com.

For the past 3 weeks we have gone door to door in the community of Maplewood handing out fliers for the course. We also have fliers up in 9 area businesses. The response from the community was overwhelmingly supportive. Not one person disagreed with our course of action, all stating that Maplewood Police have a reputation that is NOT favorable, although most folks we spoke to made sure to clarify they DO support fair law enforcement (so does LRP).

What action will I be taking personally?
1. I have received 4 minutes of the surveillance footage, and am picking up the rest today or tomorrow. I have also requested and received the Oath of Office of the arrest officer (he was a rookie, sworn in May 26, 2009).
2. I have filed a complaint against the city of Maplewood and the arresting officer – I have already met with Internal Affairs over this matter. My entire conversation is recorded, I will try to post soon.
3. I have filed a complaint against the city of Richmond Heights and the officer who treated me so poorly in jail, they have not responded yet.
4. I am working closely with Fox Channel 2’s investigative reporter – big things coming Stay Tuned.
5. I have found a first amendment attorney who is going to represent me pro-bono. Both offensive and defensive. Gear up.

If you want to help in anyway, feel free to get in touch

Catherine Bleish
executive director
Liberty Restoration Project
816.868.8806
Catherine@libertyrestorationproject.org

Part 1: The “Arrest” (or kidnapping)

The story of my arrest is ironic at best. After exhausting myself with my volunteer work the past few months I decided to take a few days away from the cell and email. So when Josh and I left for Maplewood for his court date, I left my camera and cellphone at home. How many times have I said you should ALWAYS be armed with a camera? Yeah, listen to me eat those words through this story.

We arrived at the Maplewood courthouse and there was a line out the door. Maybe 45 people standing in the late dusk dark. Josh got out of the car and I parked it. When I arrived. It was cold, I regretted only wearing a hooded sweatshirt and the infant in line in front of us had tears on her cheeks because of the wind. It was misting on and off that entire day. Every one’s court time said 6:30, yet we were standing outside despite the ticking clock and colder/darker surroundings.

In line folks joked about leaving a note on the door that said “we arrived to our appointment at the schedule time, where were you?”. Or “Its 7:15 sorry we missed you”. Everyone in line that we spoke to were there over a traffic violation – lots of unregistered plates (all citing they could not afford property tax on the car, yes, that’s right, the state of Missouri taxes us hundreds of dollars per year to own a car, AFTER we’ve paid sales tax on it. Sucks), lots of failure to pay for car insurance (maybe if they didn’t have to pay property tax they could afford insurance!), almost everyone had been pulled over to or from work.

They let about 15 people into the courthouse and the group moved forward. We all stepped up onto the patio area where it was lit so we didn’t have to stand on the dark sidewalk (there was room now that the others went in). A police officer came out and started demanding the folks line up against the wall. I was talking to a girl a few years my junior about the situation, who I later learned is named Kimberly. I said “Line up, show us your papers, give us your money; Welcome to the New America”. The officer heard me say that and asked me to repeat it. I repeated the comment and he walked toward me asking “does any body have a leash for her, if so put it on her”. Kimberly, the girl I was talking to, shouted, “Did you seriously just say that? Are you implying she’s a bitch?”. The officer then walked up to us and said, “do you want to go to jail tonight”? I asked “for what”, he said, “I will make something up”. I turned and asked the crowd if they had just heard that. They responded in chorus, yes! and he then repeated “I will make something up!” – Kimberly was saying something while this was going on (it was inaudible to me), he turned to her and said, “I know who you’re here with I have something for you” and pointed right at Kimberly – she said, “What are you threatening me?!?” – he walked back inside.

When he came back out he walked up to me and said I had two minutes to leave or he would arrest me. I said on what charges, you said you would make something up! I told him he had no right to make me leave as I had done nothing wrong and that he was supposed to be upholding his oath the to Constitution and protecting my first amendment instead of trying to take it from me.

When he walked inside I grabbed a pen and piece of paper and wrote down that I had just been told I would be arrested on made up charges and handed it to Josh and asked him to have the crowd sign it if he came back out. I asked everyone if they would support me if I stayed and the crowd said yes. A few said it was not worth it, but I told them I had to stand my ground and exercise my constitutional right to SPEAK!

Three officers, in violation of my first amendment protection of speech, ran out onto the patio, surrounded me, lifted me by my right arm as it was twisted behind me and slammed me into the railing. Kimberly started shouting things like she’s “just a girl” and “you dont’ have to hurt her like that”. While the officer cuffed me, another pointed a taser gun at Kimberly’s chest (I later found out Kimberly has had a heart attack previously). Kimberly told he cop, “you will NOT use lethal force against me”. She left the grounds of the courthouse in fear that she would be further attacked.

At this point I was escorted to a cop car – the entire time I asked repeatedly why I was being arrested and if he had taken an oath to the Constitution and if he understood that he was violating my first amendment.

I was put in the car where I spent the entire time with my face in the ear of the cops talking about the Constitution and OathKeepers.org – the officer in the passenger seat told me he “did not remember if he took an oath to the Constitution”.

They put me in a holding cell by myself at first. I did not stop talking about the Constitution and how they could not take my right to speak freely away, I chose to assert that right despite the cuffs and bars.

I was wrongfully arrested for saying something the officer did not like, that was bad enough, I will summarize my experience in jail in part 2 and you will see with absolute certainty that our “justice” system has become a mechanism for the state to extract money from the peoples by force. And they literally do think of us as animals (evident by the leash comment).

Here are all the sections of the Missouri Constitution that were violated during my arrest and bailing proceedures. Many more were broken during my time in their cage.

Article 1 Section 2: That all Constitutional government is intended to promote the general welfare of the people, that all persons have a natural right to life, liberty and the pursuit to happiness and the enjoyment of the gains of their own industry… To security to these things is the principle office of government and that when the government does not confer the security, it fails in its chief design.

Article 1 Section 8: …..Every person shall be free to say write or publish or otherwise communicate whatever he will on any subject…
- I was told to leave the property of the Maplewood Courthouse in violation of my god given, constitutionally protected, 1st amendment right to practice free speech. I was subsequently put in a cage like an animal for refusing to obey an unlawful and unconstitutional order.

Article 1 Section 9: People have the right to peaceably assemble for the common good and to apply to those invested with the powers of government for redress of grievances by petition or remonstrance.
-The comment I made was reflective of the sentiments of the entire crowd forced to stand outside in the cold, dark wind. We did not chose to assemble there, but we were peaceful and expressing our grievances vocally.

Article 1 Section 10: That no person be deprived of life, liberty or pursuit of happiness without due process of law.
-Maplewood police attempted to deprive me of my liberty (free speech) by violating their oath to the Constitution and arresting me for refusing to obey an unlawful order after that same officer said he would “make up charges” to arrest me, they also deprived me of my liberty by putting me behind bars and preventing me from pursuing happiness by putting me in a cage. I was never told what I was arrested for. My mother was told I would not be charged at all, yet held for 24 hours. The Maplewood police at one point apparently had the intention of holding an innocent person behind bars without pressing charges for an entire day.

Article 1 Section 20: That all persons shall be bailable by sufficient sureties except for capitol offenses when the proof is evident or the presumption great.
Section 21: That excessive bail should not be required nor excessive fines imposed nor cruel and unusual punishment inflicted.
- I was voluntarly in line at court to accompany someone else, there was no reason to beleive I would not show up to my court date. A bail of $750 when you were not only entertaining the idea of not event charging me at all, but telling my family and friends that there would be no charges, seems quite excessive. Also considering the bail set for my boyfriend who had three charges was only $500.

Written by Travis Maddox.

For us to see a resurgence of Liberty and Freedom in America today I believe we must find our way back to our roots, not roots in a particular political party or the roots of conservatism or libertarianism but back to the roots of Liberty. Our Founders did this when they took on the endeavor to establish a more perfect Union. We must understand what Liberty is and where it comes from.

Our Founders believed that we are endowed by our Creator certain unalienable rights, that man was a free being. Free to work, think and choose for himself or herself. They believed man only answered to God. The belief was that these unalienable rights were “untouchable” or “incapable of being alienated, that is, sold and transferred” as Black’s Law Dictionary puts it. In other words man nor government could take them away. Our Founders were well educated and well read and understood Liberty and where it came from.

Today conservative/constitutional/libertarians understand Liberty but only as it pertains to their agenda. We are divided and only focus on our “pet projects”. Life, guns, sovereignty, drugs, the FED and many others are very important issues to fight for but if we do not know where the foundation of those and other issues are rooted in we might continue to fail.

Our founders knew this and that is why many of them looked upon the issues they faced through the eyes of individual liberty. Man is free regardless of his physical state, his mind, body and spirit were created free and only answerable to his creator and himself. Many Founders knew that the only way for man to prosper, create and develop true growth as a being was to be completely free. So one might ask if this is true then why create a government at all? Our Founders feared that complete anarchy would turn to tyranny. It is easy for man to become corrupt when there is no protection for our rights, the strongest or the one with the most guns, rules.

So their task was simple yet difficult. Create a system where man is free to worship, live, create, build and prosper but with only enough government to protect those rights. You see our Founders knew that the only true responsibility of a government was to protect a person’s individual rights. Everything they did was weighed against that principle. Were they always right? No. We are imperfect and imperfect being’s create imperfect things. That is the reason though behind the Constitution being the supreme law of the land. They knew with the Constitution there would always be a foundation to fall back on.

So where have we gone wrong today in our fight for freedom? Today we focus on our pet projects and some of us have several. We fight these issues most of the time autonomous of other organizations or parties and most always with good intentions. Our flaw in all of this is many of us have forgotten our founding principles; that man is free and governments only responsibility is to protect that freedom, all other actions a government may do treads on that freedom.

I hear all the time that we need to go back to the Regan or Goldwater days or go back to the roots of conservatism or even back to the Founders. While all that talk may be good it is still in vain because it does not go deep to our founding principle. It will only take us back to a flawed man. What is that founding principle? LIBERTY!

Now I know by now I have stepped on a few toes but maybe that is a good thing. You can still fight for the issues that are important to you just remember where the principles of that battle are founded. Man is free and governments only job is to protect that freedom. Now with that point of view things become clear as we debate certain issues. Do we have a right to live? A right to protect our lives? Yes. Then governments only job is to protect that right. How about to own property and be secure in it? What would the government’s job be? And to defend our lives and property? You see when we view these and other issues through our founding principles the answers to what government’s role is, is easy. Our Founders even acknowledged that government’s job is to protect the right of the individual to overthrow and change the said government when it becomes too far reaching.

Now ask yourself how many things does our government do that does not protect mans right to be free? If whatever action a government is doing does not protect the Liberty of man to be free then we must fight against those actions and maybe against the government committing those actions, it is our duty.

Today our government has become the antithesis of our founding principle. Everything they do these days works against individual Liberty. I fear we are closing in on the day when we must decide to take up our duty and throw off such a government. Until that day comes and while you continue fighting the issues that make you a passionate patriot remember the foundation fighting those battles is mans Liberty and right to be free. Do this and it will strengthen you for the larger battle that may still lie ahead.

Commentary from my blog over at nerfmild.blogspot.com

http://nerfmild.blogspot.com/2009/06/miac-hearing-worse-than-we-thought.html

MIAC Hearing: Worse than we thought? Guilt by Association Until Proven Innocent & The DC Museum Shooter.

Government, Media, and Police Perceptions of State Intelligence Fusion
by Kevin L. Kobe

The following was written over the course of June 10-13, 2009

JUNE 10, 2009 | Jefferson City, Missouri

The Missouri House of Representatives special committee on state intelligence held its first hearing on the Missouri Information Analysis Center. After the recent actions discussing de-funding MIAC, The change of leadership at MIAC, and the politicians denouncing the Militia Report, we were to believe that the issues were understood and being addressed.

However, This committee hearing has opened my eyes that the Missouri Highway Patrol and members of the state house have no idea why their operations are dangerous and tyrannical. This three hour hearing went forward, beginning with some structural rules, followed by a slide show powerpoint on the operations of the MIAC. This slide show outlined how and when the MIAC was created, the agencies that utilize their services, and some of the cases where MIAC has provided successful information in solving crimes. One thing missing from this powerpoint was the hot button issue of Strategic Reports. The powerpoint was filled with examples of “Cattle Theft Intelligence” and the presentation even included a case where a website moderator contacted law enforcement, who then contacted MIAC, who then contacted Lee’s Summit Police, who then contacted a school to verify a comment on a website where a child expressed concern about the possibility of his school being attacked. The concern turned out not to be an active plot.

One of the first comments that stood out in the minds of the patriots listening, was from Representative Viebrock. He mentioned “A revolutionary war mentality I’m hearing around the state that needs to be watched.” Shortly after, the questions turned to the Strategic Reports, and it seemed that the longer the discussion went on, the less ashamed the officers defending their organization appeared to be in relation to profiling citizens.

First Col. James Keathley was asked if MIAC still issues Strategic Reports. MIAC apparently is not currently issuing these, and they aren’t looking to in the near future, with the current feelings about such reports.

Then the line of questioning turned to future reports. The possibility of future Strategic Reports is not ruled out, but again, are not currently being planned or worked on.

Continued testimony mentioned several times extreme cases of citizen violence on police or the public. Including the shooting of Dr. George Tiller 2 weeks ago, and the shootings at the National Holocaust Museum this very morning. The citing of these extremes as an excuse to “detect and analyze trends” would have been disturbing enough, but the case they really pushed was the shooting of a Missouri Law Enforcement Officer years ago by “A guy that possibly could have been identified by the rhetoric on his bumper stickers.” Questioning from the committee revealed a response that information should always have a criminal predicate.

The first of the public testimony was from LRP’s own Catherine. She mentioned various flaws from federal funding, the use of federal agencies through state operations, the direct mention of the Federal Reserve and other “Government Criminals” and who is profiling and studying this criminal activity. She then asked the committee if the “Revolutionary mentality” frightened them more, or that the actions of government has placed people in the position where they feel they need to take that approach frightened them more. She asked about reports that much of the information in the Milita Report came from the Southern Poverty Law Center, a political based influential study group. She also brought up an interesting point on the timing of the creation. It was mentioned earlier that the Militia Report was started in June 2008, upon request (didn’t mention who requested it), and compiled by an employee who they were keeping anonymous, an “Iraq Vet.” Catherine pointed out that May 31, 2008 was the state convention in which Ron Paul’s state campaign was at odds with the established members of the Missouri Republican Party. Within a month, this document which directly names Ron Paul and Campaign For Liberty begins being drafted by the State, upon request?

The next citizen testimony came from a passionate man who was concerned with state family services and warned of the dangers of targeting those passionate against government intervention in the lives of individuals.

The next public testimony came from the Cole County Sheriff Greg White, Who described himself as an Iraq Veteran, pro-life and pro-second amendment. He advocated for the strategic reports to be reinstated as an active policy, mentioning the need for examining behaviors, and likened the practice to “School personnel studying bad behaviors to find out which students are problem children.”

The final testimony came from myself. I mentioned how nervous the buzzwords of the day had made me. I mentioned the dangers of profiling, The absurdity of comparing a free populous to school children to be studies and dealt with, and how talking about how bumper stickers can change the fight or flight response of a police officer during a public interaction is not always a good thing.

The following day, June 11, KY3 the NBC affiliate in Springfield, MO covered this hearing. They also have a “Political Notebook” blog in which they took segments of Catherine Bleish and Sheriff Greg White’s testimony and “pitted” them against each other in all of their coverage. They also had a video of Governor Nixon requesting that the House members not read too much into the MIAC operations.

In this coverage, only the other police testimony is described, not the other citizens who testified against profiling. The testimony shown is shortened, and David Cantanese’s twitter posts from the MIAC hearing, one which says “Ron Paul supporter on a diatribe” have conversations traced to a few individuals who are insulting the idea that we wouldn’t agree with what police feel they need, one even repeating the guilt by association idea that the Holocaust Museum shooting showed the need to profile “All Fringe Groups”

The reason I bring this last point up, is not to associate KY3 or David Cantanese with those who follow and comment on his Twitter, but to show how guilt by association seems to be the name of the game now.

The night of June 12^th, I managed to catch a report on CNN of “Lone Wolf Extremism” where Anderson Cooper and several “experts” were discussing racist extremist behavior. Statistics and reports from the Southern Poverty Law Center were being cited every few minutes. Every expert during the 20 minutes that I was watching came from either a racial diversity group or from a diversity department of a University. They even had a “former skinhead” who now worked under a diversity group. It was even mentioned that the current dislike for President Obama is fueling racist groups.

Since then, Glenn Beck has associated the Holocaust Museum Shooter with 9/11 protesters, without citing any source.

Keith Olbermann felt the need to mention that someone who worked on the Ron Paul Campaign lives in the same house as the person that the Holocaust Museum Shooter gave a website to.

And a CBS News blogger has written a report calling for “People who spread hate” to be “Rounded up” before “More Holocaust Museum Shootings” happen.

I am not going to be afraid of perceptions. Some will read this and say that I’m reading more into these things or tying random things together or taking things too personally. Let the facts be known in a manner that shows why I feel targeted by media, government, and the attempt to create public perception of hate:

1. Several media attempts are now being made to tie in grassroots political activists with racist extremism, without citing credible sources.

2. The MIAC Militia report mixes racist & extremist behaviors with things supported by grassroots political activism

3. Several attempts are being made to associate dislike for the President’s policies with hatred and racism.

4. The MIAC report, even though the Highway Patrol says that there has to be a “Criminal Predicate” they still specifically listed by name the “End The Fed” rally that was organized by Liberty Restoration Project. If our speech is not being accused of being criminal then why weren’t we contacted with information that criminals attended or planned to attend our rally? If we are being accused of being criminals, where is the evidence or the case against us? Or is Freedom and the restoration of Constitutional Principles now considered criminal? Also mentioned were supporters of presidential candidates, and we are not hearing any reports of criminal activity around Ron Paul, Chuck Baldwin, or Bob Barr. I also would like to know what the film “America: From Freedom to Fascism” has to do with crime.

5. Not a single person associated with MIAC has been able to answer the “Trends” and validity question with recent examples of extremism tied to the profile in the Militia Report. Every case so far, cited in the report and from members and supporters of MIAC happened years before the Ron Paul, Bob Barr, and Chuck Baldwin campaigns. Years before the release of “America: From Freedom to Fascism” and years before the “End the Fed” rallies. The Holocaust Museum and Dr. Tiller shootings happened after the release of the militia report. Why was there a need for this report in June 2008 when the Militia Report began or February 2009 when it was released?

6. If we create these organizations to examine and report on criminal trends, I would like to know which other “Trends” that have been reported on. In the Kansas City area our local government has installed several red light cameras because we had a problem with people running red lights. Where is the Red Light Running trend report? A few years back there was several news stories of women attacking pregnant women and cutting babies out of them. Has there been a report on these practices? How about a report on Teachers having sex with students, or religious leaders sexually assaulting children? These are all things we hear about as “Criminal Trends” in our society, are these groups being profiled? How about Governors? With what happened to Former Governor Elliot Spitzer of New York and Former Governor Rod Blagojevich of Illinois, and the recent accusations that Governor Jay Nixon’s office was attempting to influence legislators’ votes with career advancement opportunities show that Governors can be included in a “Criminal Trend Report”

7. Why is Governor Jay Nixon flip-flopping on this issue? First he supported the document fully, then he had nothing to do with it and blamed his predecessor, and dealt out punishment, and now he is coming out again asking us not to throw the baby out with the bathwater when it comes to our Highway Patrol profiling us?

8. Catherine asked in the hearing about Centralization in reference to Knowledge as Power. When the State and Local governments are collaborating with the Federal Government in a program that collects Intel on our state’s citizens, is it a general good idea to give power on that level upwards in the chain? Is the Department of Homeland Security using the information gathered by local governments? If so, are they using it to database and compile profiles on whole segments of local populations, or profiles on innocent individuals?

9. The media and government commentary on “Hate crime” and “Hate speech” never define the terminology of these phrases. When they do discuss “Hate” they never make a calculated examination of what should be protected under the First Amendment and what should be watched and controlled. They appear to cast a wide net that seems to include all controversial speech that they do not agree with.

Cointelpro was a program spying on Civil Rights activists. It was profiling and intelligence. I did not agree when our government targeted these Civil Rights activists. While I agree with closing the borders, I did not agree with our government targeting Latinos that are already here. After 9/11 I did not agree with the wish of some to profile middle easterners and members of the Muslim religion.

One of the key backbones to our society is Innocence until proven guilty. Justice must remain blind. If you didn’t agree when the media said that “anti-war supports terrorists” then please don’t buy into the current feeling being portrayed that “conservative ideals and activism supports racists and extremism.”

If you live in Missouri, it is your duty to keep an eye out for the Missouri House of Representatives Website for the upcoming roaming committee town hall hearings on the MIAC center and try to make it to one near your area and defend free speech and the freedom to associate without being guilty by association.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/06/12/usnews/whispers/main5083962.shtml

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/columnists.nsf/tonymessenger/story/70B986F245B647E0862575D300049068?OpenDocument

http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2009/06/10/politics/politicalhotsheet/entry5078760.shtml

http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/06/11/navarrette.hate.crimes/

I’m noticing more and more in my every day paradigm breaking that there seems to be a syndrome of people who try to tie in every legitimate concern with illegitimacy to discredit the processes of life and life’s information.

I call this the “Boy who cried wolf” syndrome. Lets examine the classic children’s fable:

From Wikipedia:

“The Boy Who Cried Wolf, also known as The Shepherd Boy and the Wolf, is a fable attributed to Aesop (210 in Perry’s numbering system[1]). The protagonist of the fable is a bored shepherd boy who entertained himself by calling out “Wolf!”. Nearby villagers who came to his rescue found that the alarms were false and that they had wasted their time. When the boy was actually confronted by a wolf, the villagers did not believe his cries for help and the wolf ate the flock (and in some versions the boy). The moral is stated at the end of the fable as:

Even when liars tell the truth, they are never believed. The liar will lie once, twice, and then perish when he tells the truth.”

They boy cried “Wolf” over and over again, with illegitimate reasons. The townspeople got tired of being alerted for no reason, and let him get eaten alive.

The 10th Amendment
Regardless what you think of the Civil War and its reasoning, what we’re expected by the mainstream to take away from Civil War Studies is that the Southern States were trying to use the 10th Amendment to justify what they felt was a legitimate practice, in violating the rest of the Bill of Rights of certain individuals. The 13th and the 14th Amendment was written.

Ever since then, 10th Amendment discussion has been based mostly on Abortion Law.

There is now a movement to re-assert 10th Amendment rights of the States. We are not being taken seriously.

“10th Amendment!! 10th Amendment!!”
“aww you’re just using that to take other humans’ rights”..slaps the boy..goes back to sleep
“10th Amendment!! 10th Amendment!!”
“Abortion? Really”…goes back to bed
2009-
“10th Amendment!! 10th Amendment!!”
“Not again!@ Who Cares? Go to Bed!!”
………..as the states are eaten by wolves.

Impeachment
“Impeach!! Bad President!!”
“He’s lying about a blow job. This is what is so important, that you called all of us here?”…goes back to bed
“Impeach!! Bad President!!”
“NO MORE PARTISAN GAMES!! GO TO BED!!”
……the wolves eat the constitution

Who do we blame?
Those who make our processes and information illegitimate?
I say we blame the townspeople.
When it’s your duty to watch a child, no matter how many times he gets out of hand and cries wolf, he is still your responsibility.

Reject the notion that any information or constitutional process is no good based on past experience.

Keep an open mind and an open eye trained on your Government.
Or we are ALL Dinner to the wolves.

-Kevin L. Kobe