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2006 December 22
Copyright © Brian Wright

Happy Birthday, Lauren Canario
The Sacred Nonaggression Principle, Part 3

This column is a legitimate continuation of my series on the SNaP, because it brings up one of the main social justifications for state aggression (eminent domain) and it shows the damage to real human flesh and blood that do occur when one accepts that justification.

Lauren Canario is this marvelous woman I know from the Free State who took a stand against property theft by the state of Connecticut (the celebrated Kelo vs. New London, CT case), and now sits somewhere in that state’s incarceration system awaiting trial. 

Lauren has been held for 90 days without trial, often in chains and often in solitary!

What was her offense?

When the bulldozers came to demolish the home of one of the residents whose property was condemned, Lauren took a seat on the front porch of that residence.  That’s pretty much it.

The gendarmes proceeded to cart her off and put her where the sun don’t shine (9/22/2006).  This is the second time she’s been kidnapped by the Rogue State of Connecticut—the first was for attempting to attend a New London city council meeting (9/20/2005).

Please access the link from the cartoon, then find out the details and history of Lauren Canario’s cases from the NHfree.com page.  She isn’t cooperating, and Judge Kevin McMahon is letting her jailers torment her. 

He says he may not release her or put her on trial for months. 

From the Bill of Rights:

Amendment V

No person shall be ... deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation. 

Amendment VI

In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the state and district wherein the crime shall have been committed…

I suggest that everyone reading this column contact all the public-coercion officials germane to Lauren’s case and politely remind them of the Constitution they’re sworn to uphold. 

[Editor's Note: On the night this column was posted, Lauren was released.]

More important, remind them they’re human beings and Lauren is a flesh-and-blood, living, breathing person just like they are.  Would they commit such monstrous acts on their own mothers, sisters, or daughters?!!  Ask them to look in the mirror and be honest about what they see; then turn around and open the cell… for Lauren especially, but might as well let go anyone else they have in there for sin crimes.

Tomorrow is Lauren’s birthday.  She will be 50.  Her story is unique, coming to Connecticut from Nevada expressly to stand up for helpless people being thrown out of their homes by the state. 

She’s one of the brightest stars in a star-studded, cause-oriented, freedom-fighting lineup—mostly energizing the Free State Project and its colleagues.

Today as a tribute to and celebration of Lauren Canario, I have created a modest tool that I hope will help real people turn off the spigot of legal aggression in communities around the world.  I call it the Public-Official Nonaggression Pledge (PONaP). 

Public-Official Nonaggression Pledge

As one charged with legislating, executing, or judging laws, I uphold the Bill of Rights and the Sacred Nonaggression Principle.  I’ll take no part in any act of force upon persons who have not used force, and I seek conviction of any public official who does so aggress.

Simple, huh? 

We’ll all sleep better knowing our public officials are committed to alleviating aggression not implementing it.  What do you think?

Happy Birthday, Lauren. 
Merry Christmas. 
We love you.