You would think that after all these centuries, people living in a First World country would have evolved past the point of superstitious stupidity. But no, there are still idiots in Iowa (and other states, I have no doubt) who think that book burning is righteous act and a moral duty. In all likelihood, these are the same brain-atrophied individuals who rant and rave about religious fanatics and zealots in the MiddleEast, steadfastly refusing to recognize their own faces in the mirror.
I support their right to burn books. I can't believe in the democratic process, free speech, and general tolerance if I don't. But that won't change the fact that they're small-minded religious bigots, nor that I find it enormously funny that the fire codes, of all things, have proven such a stumbling block (see original article, attached to continuation of this entry).
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) -- A church's plan for an old-fashioned book-burning has been thwarted by city and county fire codes.
Preachers and congregations throughout American history have built bonfires and tossed in books and other materials they believed offended God.
The Rev. Scott Breedlove, pastor of The Jesus Church, wanted to rekindle that tradition in a July 28 ceremony where books, CDs, videos and clothing would have been thrown into the flames.
Not so fast, city officials said.
"We don't want a situation where people are burning rubbish as a recreational fire," said Brad Brenneman, the fire department's district chief.
Linn County won't go for a fire outside city limits, either.
Officials said the county's air quality division prohibits the transporting of materials from the city to the county for burning.
Breedlove said a city fire inspector suggested shredding the offending material, but Breedlove said that wouldn't seem biblical.
"I joked with the guy that St. Paul never had to worry about fire codes," Breedlove said.
The new plan calls for members of the church to throw materials into garbage cans and then light candles to symbolically "burn" the material.
Attn: Free Staters: thanks, but no thanks. Supporting freedom means not imposing your views, ethics, or politics on the existing population. We like our towns, and our state, just fine the way they are. Kindly go away. I'm sure they'd love you in Wyoming; there's plenty of room out there for you to move in and set up shop without pissing off the locals.
[The inciting article is here, or click the "Continue reading" link below for the article's text.]
Free State Porcupine Festival draws mixed crowd to Lancaster
BEVERLEY WANG
Associated Press
LANCASTER, N.H. - They mill around the campsite dressed in shorts, T-shirts, socks and sandals, talking about freedom, how much they love New Hampshire and when they plan to move here.
"New Hampshire if you'd have me, I'd love to call you home, You have everything I need to rest my mind and bones," sings John Connell as he strums his guitar at a campfire.
Connell, 46, is visiting New Hampshire's mountainous north country for the Porcupine Freedom Festival, which is expected to be the largest-ever gathering of Free State Project members. Campground owner Crosby Peck said Free Staters booked 40 campsites and 26 motel rooms. Many other Free Staters came as day visiters.
"I'm probably the luckiest Free Stater because I'm close to the job," said Connell, who moved from Salem, Mass., to Salem, N.H., in March. The move was so short, he was able to keep his job at a chemical factory. "I'm not an anarchist. I do believe there are functions of government."
Wyoming was the runner-up in the free-state voting.
Between talks on gun laws and the future of the their movement, Free Staters bond over hikes and campfires. A dance is planned for Saturday night.
Cynthia Grossen, 28, drove from Lansing, Mich., to attend the Porcupine Festival. "I consider myself pretty normal" said Grossen, a computer programmer. She said she may move to New Hampshire if the Free State Project reaches its membership target. "All I have to offer is I'm a young person, hard working. I want to have a good life."
Are these the gun-toting, marijuana-smoking, prostitution-loving libertarians planning to take over New Hampshire?
Attracted to New Hampshire's low crime, low taxes and "Live Free or Die" slogan, Free State Project members last year chose New Hampshire as the best place to create a society with fewer laws and smaller government. They have been welcomed by Craig Benson, the state's Republican governor. Benson was the keynote speaker at a New Hampshire Liberty Alliance banquet Friday, which many Free Staters attended.
But others have not greeted them so warmly.
Critics of the Free State Project have highlighted what they believe are inappropriately close ties between Benson and libertarians. Two libertarians hold advisory positions in state government.
They also are alarmed by some of the project's goals, such as the decriminalization of marijuana and other "victimless crimes," as well statements about slashing government and social programs.
"One of the goals they have set forth is to cut state government by two-thirds," said Paul Johnson, a member of the citizens group, Democracy for N.H. "They have an incredibly narrow perspective of government that rules out anything that has to do with the greater good."
But Free State founder Jason Sorens, a Yale University political scientist, said the movement has nothing to do with control.
The Free State Project "invites us to imagine what could happen if people worked together to translate their hopes and dreams into reality," Sorens said in a speech Saturday. Allowing people "the freedom to pursue their projects means more freedom to me."
"This isn't the kind of thing where everybody gets marching orders," he said.
Free State Project members say they are simply a society of loners, united by twin desires to protect their Constitutional rights and to keep government out of their lives.
"We see here in New Hampshire a lot of things that we like," said Bill Walker, 34, a research chemist from Richmond, Va. "We want to come here because we want to be left alone," said Walker, who keeps a military pistol strapped to his belt.
"Enthusiastic people can be scary sometimes," said Wil Aygarn, 44, of Norfolk, Va. "What attracts us to the state is the fact that it does have a freedom oriented culture."
Aygarn was giving out free videos with titles like "Total Enslavement," "Matrix of Evil" and "The Master of Terror."
The Free State Project recently grabbed headlines when a member of a splinter group, the Free Town Project, published an "enemies list" that named several Grafton town officials. The member has since been expelled, but Free Staters have learned their lesson. They are urging members to tread lightly when they move to New Hampshire.
"When we move into New Hampshire, we're the new kids on the block," said Tim Condon, a Free State leader. "The people that I've met in New Hampshire do not want to be told how to live their lives."
At a meeting Friday, several Free Staters stood up to say why they joined the movement.
"I have a tremendous dislike of Socialism," said Patrick Houlmiere, 51.
"I'm here because this can work. I've never seen an idea this good," said Nixi Chesnavich.
"I'm tired of living in fear because the government will take my children away because they don't like what I'm doing," said Anne Keckler, 38.
Free Staters pledged to move to New Hampshire once their membership reaches 20,000. So far, 6,000 have signed up and only a handful have moved. Sorens told Free Staters to emphasize New Hampshire's high quality of life and relative economic freedom in its recruitment drive.
Even if they meet their membership goal, Free Staters will not be able to change the state the way their critics fear, one pollster said.
"If you look at the number of people who move into New Hampshire every year, 20,000 ... is a small percentage of people who will move in over the next several years," said Andrew Smith, director of the University of New Hampshire survey center. "I don't think they could influence any statewide elections with that number."
Asked if he thought the project would succeed, even Sorens expressed doubt. "It's not guaranteed by any means. We still have to emphasize recruitment."