Free State Project Meets Milestone

The Free State Project, the organization that is encouraging 20,000 people with liberty minded political viewpoints to move to the Granite State by 2015, announced on Oct. 25, that 15,000 people had committed to make the move.

Carla Gericke, the president of the organization, said reaching the 75 percent was “a major milestone” and probably prompted by the policy actions of the last two presidential administrations.

“As America devolves into a police state, well-informed people are seeking safe havens,” Gericke said. “The FSP offers a proven strategy for individuals who are looking for more liberty within a community of like-minded people.”

Almost 1,500 people have made a move into the state with the expressed intent of exerting “the fullest practical effort toward the creation of a society in which the maximum role of civil government is the protection of individuals' life, liberty, and property,” according to the group’s statement of intent that committed members are asked to follow, she noted.

Gericke said some members have become more politically involved than they had before while others have set up businesses or encouraged homeschooling initiatives. 

Gericke stated that two incidents during the last year appeared to cause “spikes” in signups: Remarks made by state Rep. Cynthia Chase, D-Keene, who stated that the group is “the single biggest threat the state is facing today” as well as the Bearcat armored vehicle proposal in Concord. 

Chase made her remarks on the Blue Hampshire political blog writing that while there was nothing anyone could to stop the Free State Project supporters from moving to the state, leaders could “make the environment here so unwelcoming that some will choose not to come, and some may actually leave” adding that one way would be to “restrict the ‘freedoms’ that they think they will find here.” Some legislators tried but failed to have Chase censured and impeached for her remarks. 

On the Bearcat grant application, Police Chief John Duval likened the Free State Project, Occupy New Hampshire, and others, as domestic terrorism security threats to the community. Duval later apologized for the way he worded the grant application, the application was modified, and the city council approved of the grant.

The two incidents, which garnered national attention, boosted the group’s website traffic and people committed to move to the Live Free or Die state, Gericke said.

“Frankly, by showing their true colors, these state agents did us a favor,” she said.