The Nanaimo Three - Political Prisoners in Canada

[Burnaby49]

I would suggest that those who left the Freeman movement did so only because of repeated failures, not because they had a Scientology type experience where they suddenly saw the light and realized it was all an illusion. Let's face it, these guys aren't into self-examination and introspection. When things go wrong they don't critically examine the premises on which they've built their lives and dispassionately evaluate how they got to where they are. It's always somebody else's fault, the RCMP, the Queen, whomever. Also, as Mowe and I have noted, they are generally low income and poorly educated. Not the types to go online and lucidly dissect the failures of the movement. I'd guess they just give up and move on, chasing the next bright shining object that promises them money for nothing. When they lose faith in a guru (bailing out on Dean Clifford now that he's in the dumpster) they don't seem to lose faith in the possibilities of the concept, just the flavour of the month pushing it. So they disappear or find somebody else.

Another thought, has the Freeman movement been around long enough in Canada for the real hard core to have that road to Damascus experience? I suspect that the real hard core are in too deep to come back and the rest just cut their losses. As a tax guy I see a lot of cases where these clowns go into Tax Court spouting Freeman beliefs about how they don't have to pay tax but are they true believers or just opportunists working on pure self-interest? I'm going with the latter. They fall for some stupid Porisky type spiel without having any core belief in what they are saying. Even if they got all confessional what are they going to tell us that we don't already know? The exceptions, like Eva Sydel, are, to be blunt, obsessed and crazed and are incapable of change. The relatively sane so-called leaders like Menard, Belanger, and Clifford, have nothing else to hang on to so they aren't about to spill their guts. For those of you that have followed the saga of these three guys ask yourself, what else have they got if they suddenly realized it was all BS? What would Menard do if he gave up his claimed beliefs and tried for a new life? They can't leave because there is no Plan B.

My own personal experiences with Charles Norman Holmes and David Lange has convinced me that the real Freemen are too far gone to come back. Lange has lost his home, can't drive (multiple cars impounded) has his belongings in storage, yet in court he is still full frontal Freeman without, as far as I could see, any self doubt. So, essentially, I don't see a pool of individuals with the necessary introspection, intelligence, and education necessary to give us a story worth hearing.

[arayder]

I used to get after Eldon Warman over on the google group can.taxes.

It seemed to me that it was easier for his short term mental health to keep up the pretense that his detax method was correct and useful then to come to the soul shaking realization that using it he had ruined his life, squandered his career, wrecked his family and driven his wife to suicide.

If plan B means freemen have to deal with the reality that they have needlessly put themselves and their families through hell, them most of these poorly coping bubbas are going to stick with plan A.

[The Observer]

I agree with Burnaby on his perspective of the sovruns. It is easy to start perceiving these people as being mentally ill, but I doubt that very few of them could ever be clinically diagnosed as such. This is a behavior issue, not a mental issue. It simply boils down to having a strong resentment towards authority. The only real question is the chicken-and-egg one: were they sovruns looking for something to contest or did an experience drive them into the arms of the sovrun movement? I suspect you can find both examples in the movement.

And Burnaby is right that many of these sovruns are just going to move on to the next flavor-of-the month once they get shot down in court or elsewhere. They already have an answer, they are just going to keep looking for someplace where it will be accepted.

[grixit]

I think perhaps an old sovcit, fotl, etc, would be like an old jacobite. "Aye, we fought the good fight, but the cursed redcoats wore us down and so we are still under the hanoverian yoke. I am past it now, but the dream still lives and another generation will continue the struggle."

[Hilfskreuzer Möwe]

I don't generally disagree with the characterization of the typical Freeman/Sovereign. Most clearly are social and personal failures who drift from excuse to excuse. I very much agree that cognitive dissonance traps many who have committed too much and dreamed too long for that idyllic life in Freeman Valley ... do Sovereigns have an equivalent?

That said, there are individuals who seem to be exceptions. One group are a number of apparently at least modestly successful handyman types who seem to live a semi-transient lifestyle and operate in a grey market niche. A couple Canadian examples are Sir Mika Rasila (http://www.facebook.com/sirmika.sovereign) and "bmxninja357" from the World Freeman Society forum. Both of these individuals have been quite public in their disgust at their peers who are nothing more than welfare recipients and only want to talk about Freemanism and where's all their free stuff?!

Mika and bmxninja357 clearly have a kind of work ethic and a social conscience. bmxninja357, for example, has been trying to promote a Freeman soup kitchen - as in the Freemen are the ones producing and providing the soup. This is intended as an illustration that Freemanism does not mean Freeloaderism. Interest from his peers? Pretty much zero. I'm interested to see where those persons end up. I certainly wouldn't say I agree with many of their beliefs but I can understand their perspective better than the more common 'gimme stuff' Sovereign/Freeman.

But what I think might be very interesting would be to speak to some of the persons who advanced Freeman/Sovereign strategies - and in an intensive manner, particularly in court - and then bailed out when the state came calling. Two examples that pop to mind are Warren Fischer (viewtopic.php?f=46&t=9396) and the notorious Dennis Larry Meads. Fischer dropped the Sovereign Squamish Nation pronto after a taste of detention, and lawyered up. It seems Meads did much the same. My understanding is that after he was the subject of a certain judgment he immediately got a lawyer, and obtained a negotiated divorce settlement.

I'm not saying I am certain Fischer / Meads are 'out' and have abandoned their original beliefs or social context, but at least they responded to their circumstances in a sensible way. It's probably no coincidence that both also appear far more economically/professionally successful than the typical Sovereign/Freeman.

I'm rambling I think.

If anyone wants to check in on Alex his latest post Facebook commentary is a little sad (http://www.facebook.com/alexander.ream/ ... 6243068597):

Alexander Ream
Alex wanted me to go on his facebook and make a status

I have been drugged and can barely think. I need a way out of captivity. Could anyone possibly help me? They have no evidence of me being psychotic and only claiming I am. You can contact or visit me at Surrey Memorial Hospital in the PAU 4th floor. I have been here for a 1 week and not sure when I'm getting out. I am assuming it won't be for a long time. I am trying to stay positive but these drugs are hard to fight when I am being forced to take them.
[Feb. 5, 2014]

What follows is a series of posts by non-Freeman vs. Freeman friends on whether Alex should get a lawyer. (Hint - yes.) As I said, it's a little sad to watch.

SMS Möwe

[Jeffrey]

This is speculative but I suspect Ream thinks that because he has been prescribed an anti-psychotic that he has therefore been diagnosed as psychotic.

[The Observer]

That said, there are individuals who seem to be exceptions. One group are a number of apparently at least modestly successful handyman types who seem to live a semi-transient lifestyle and operate in a grey market niche. A couple Canadian examples are Sir Mika Rasila (http://www.facebook.com/sirmika.sovereign) and "bmxninja357" from the World Freeman Society forum. Both of these individuals have been quite public in their disgust at their peers who are nothing more than welfare recipients and only want to talk about Freemanism and where's all their free stuff?!

Commendable to a point, but are these types of Freemen still benefiting from what society is providing in terms of infrastructure and support? Are they using the roads? Are they using water and power sources that are regulated by government? Are they engaging in commerce that receives oversight and protection from the government? Unless they are fully residing and living out on the tundra in the middle of nowhere 24/7, I can't imagine that they are indeed receiving some benefit from tax dollars that provide for that benefit.

[Fmotlgroupie]

As far as I know, BMXNinja is still living in a licensed and insured RV (not that he should have to, but applying his normal-ish common sense to the risk of having his home towed it seemed like a good idea), enjoying his share of (heavily-taxed) booze. I wouldn't have called him a pillar of the community but by Freeman standards he's a star.

Edit: Edmonton isn't a climate where living in a vehicle is easy, for those who aren't familiar.

[LordEd]

FMOTL tactics and beliefs have severely harmed Mr. Ream. His gurus have abandoned him. Menard, Kirk, Lange, and the Chief built him up to it, and he was not mentally equipped to understand.

No different than leaving a loaded gun in an elementary school then claiming they "used it wrong" or "didn't do their own research" when somebody gets killed.

[Hilfskreuzer Möwe]

The 'discussion' continues between Alex's Freeman vs. non-Freeman friends as to what should be done. But at long last, an authoritative voice has posted to Alex's Facebook page.

Yeah, that guy (http://www.facebook.com/alexander.ream/ ... 6243068597):

Robert Menard
His first step should be to hire someone to act as agent and go to the Supreme Court on his behalf with two things, one is a Habeus Corpus, the other an Emergency Injunction ordering the Doctors to stop medicating him. He should then be brought before a judge within (I think) 24 hours. Once there he should demand a second medical opinion be sought. He should hire his own doctor for this. Mention should be made that psych evals and sectioning are only lawful for those who are a demonstrable threat to themselves or others. Holding unconventional views of the state, government or other institutions is not just cause. If this is a result of the lower court (Provincial) ordering this as a way of dealing with a belligerent accused, it offends justice and is an abuse of authority, and erodes the public's confidence in the justice system. It is shocking to the conscience of the community. A higher judge, with a second doctors opinion, and some evidence that it is merely a lower judge seeking to deal with a belligerent party, with just a bit of public pressure and media attention, would get him released.
[Feb. 6, 2014]

I think a more cogent comment on the unfortunate Alex Ream is this:

Maksymilian Korzuchowski
Has it ever occurred to you, before you have posterized Alex for your own selfish reasons, that perhaps he really needs the help? I've known him way before he started to talk about how the government is out to get us all. I don't disagree with him in one sense but Alex has always been very paranoid for even the most minimal things...
[Feb. 6, 2014]

Alex has, in the meantime, posted a handwritten message on his state, and details of his medication (http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid= ... 698&type=1).

I echo LordEd. Freemen say they do no harm. Mr. Ream's history suggests otherwise.

SMS Möwe

[Jeffrey]

Menard simultaneously disowning Ream, who is in jail for acting upon his "peace officer" scheme, while simultaneously using Ream for publicity and presumably donations is a scumbag move.

[notorial dissent]

What Ream doesn't seem to have twigged to, and not that I ever expect he will, is that the reason they are giving him anti-psychotics is because he is quite frankly behaving in a psychotic manner, or at least close enough to one earn him what we usually refer to here as a mental health hold. Further, the more he acts out and resists, the more likely the distinction will stick.

My take on it is that Alex is pretty much of a follower, is easily lead, or in the parlance gullible. I don't get the impression that he is even remotely the sharpest knife in the drawer or that he could come up with any of this on his own, but is good at repeating back without really understanding what his currentest guru has fed him.

I see old day late and a dollar short Bobby has to get his useless three cents worth in.

Alex wouldn't be where he is right now if a judge hadn't signed off on it, so a habeus isn't going anywhere since he is under judicial supervision, and since he is under evaluation, the court order isn't going to fly either. Like Alex could afford to hire anyone to do anything. I don't think you get a second opinion on something like this until the prelim is done, so again more spinning of wheels and wasting of time a la Bobby, and then he wonders why his court track record is so poor. And otherwise, Bobby wanders off further in to fantasy land.

If even your friends think you are a paranoid nut, then just maybe you are. There is always that consideration.

I don't know if the eval is going to declare him incompetent, but I am quite sure he is not going to like the results when they are announced back to the court.

[arayder]

Menard simultaneously disowning Ream, who is in jail for acting upon his "peace officer" scheme, while simultaneously using Ream for publicity and presumably donations is a scumbag move.

That's what Menard does. There's a mile long trail of screwed over dupes left in his wake, including John Morgunus of North Bay, Canada who acting upon Menardian "claim of right" theories squatted in a foreclosed house. . .only to have himself arrested.

When CBC TV outed him for messing over Morgunus Menard threw him under the bus as quickly has he later did Ream!

[LordEd]

Ream is just the latest Lance Thatcher. Menard's probably crying over it, in that he didn't collect his $800 before destroying him.

How's it feel destroying another human being Menard? Your war, your collateral damage.

[arayder]

Ream is just the latest Lance Thatcher. Menard's probably crying over it, in that he didn't collect his $800 before destroying him.

How's it feel destroying another human being Menard? Your war, your collateral damage.

Everybody who uses Menard's theories and ends up in hot water is said by Menard to have do it wrong, not to have done their due diligence.

Thatcher, Morgunus and Ream are just the ones we know about.

This begs the question, which Menard has for years avoided, as to who and when anybody has made a single one of his theories work. Fez Boy has a lot of tall tales about talking down the police, waving traffic cops through and getting his C3PO propers from courthouse security, but nothing anybody can document.
We know Menard's Moose Head mooching mug hasn't done too well with his own methods!

[notorial dissent]

Everybody who uses Menard's theories and ends up in hot water is said by Menard to have do it wrong, not to have done their due diligence.

But of course, it couldn't possibly just be that Bobby's stuff is just another load of fetid moose droppings, now could it? The suckers students had to have done it wrong since he couldn't possibly be making it up out of whole cloth.

[Jeffrey]

Not sure if I've linked this before but compare Menard to this announcement last year by Taj Tarik Bey.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2vSMTvoIuQ

Seems Taj got so many people in trouble with his Moorish version of "right to travel" and sovereign license plates that he's now saying people should use DMV tags (for now) and of course, this doesn't mean he was wrong. Closest thing to a Guru admitting he was wrong that I can find.

The guy next to him is Nature El Bey, arrested for "right to travel" related activities in 2005.
http://www.culteducation.com/reference/ ... al770.html

[arayder]

Freeman legend has it that Bobby Menard went to Nanaimo and ate so many beans that he took the world's largest dump.

That dump became Alexander Ream.

[LordEd]

As Mr. Ream's freeman tendencies may be held due to a real mental illness rather than the self-induced willful ignorance of reality that normally accompanies these people, I suggest a bit of restraint on his ridicule.

Menard and Lange however, as an active part of his deterioration, deserve no such mercy.

[Hilfskreuzer Möwe]

Lots of chatter continuing on how to get Alex out. More notables in the community continue to appear:

Brian Alexander
I am on the west coast, n can help as well, we do need to come together on this one. habeaus corpus is a great idea, though realize alex is the only one that can speak to the HC. hopefuly he is not to out of it. there are a few good lawyers out there...I knew a great one, unfortunately he just passed away all of a sudden...suspiciously. {RIP Micheal O"Neal}

… they are also not recognizing Habeaus Corpus these days, no BAR lawyer can serve one or they get into trouble with the law society...same as notaries get in trouble...i was held in jail a couple years ago, they forced a lawyer on me, begging me to plead guilty...It doesn't hurt to talk to em, you get good info from them. anyways I ordered the poor public defender to file an HC, he said nervously, "they don't exist in reality, they only exist in fantasy"

… we shouldn't rush into anything, don't go off n phone the media without doing our homework. find out the details, come up with a plan.
[Feb. 7, 2014]

Hmm? The Habeas Corpus remedy has been erased in Canada?! I hadn’t noticed that - is that really true? Err ... no. Applications of that kind remain viable, Brian.

• Hneihen v. Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 2014 ONSC 55: http://canlii.ca/t/g2s7h
  
  R. v. Boone, 2014 ONSC 370: http://canlii.ca/t/g2nnm
  
  Blaney v. The Correctional Service of Canada, 2014 BCSC 57: http://canlii.ca/t/g2n5p

Others see this as government suppression of political dissidents speaking truth!

Matt Kvikstad
They don't think he is mentally ill!!! They are trying to incriminate him and make him seem crazy so he doesn't expose their lies. This is so wrong and makes me want to die.
[Feb. 8, 2014]

There’s even suggestions that Freeman commentators are ‘not entirely there’;

Freeman Delusion
… Sadly many of you will follow suite, unless you research outside of the limited scope of the FMOTL cult and educate yourselves on the basic fundamentals of democracy this and every western nation has functioned by since the creation of parliament in the twelth century. Things like the rule of majority, collective electoral consent, and the notion of parliamentary supremacy, the true meaning of common law being precedent case law, and the knowledge that police and magistrates cannot challenge legislation on any grounds but it's adherence to constitutional limitations.

Wake up people, you are being indoctrinated by a cult with no legal merit. ...
[Feb. 8, 2014]

Then something weird happens. Brian “Freakin’ Idiot” Alexander say something that makes actual sense. Which leads to a most curious exchange:

Brian Alexander
the peace officer thing was a disaster waiting to happen...and it happened to alex...it is their game...all you can do is hold em accountable...as soon as you enter into their realm uninvited, and unwelcome, nothing good can come of it. its one of those things that might look good on paper, but in reality, its not doable do to circumstances.yes, technically, we are all peace officers, if we see a situation, it is our duty to act.
[Feb. 8, 2014]

Marcus Aequus
Well Robert had some luck in swearing as a peace officer, though he didn't use their ship per se. I've tried talking to him about it to see if there is a proper way to go about it, but found him to be rather vague about the details. Maybe you can ask him and have better success than I did to see what's the score between doing this haphazardly and doing it effectively as it seems Rob might have succeeded in.
[Feb. 8, 2014]

Brian Alexander
succeeded??? how many public servants did rob arrest? what did he do that was successful..was he recognized by H.M. or her agents? it was a bad idea...plain and simple in my mind.
[Feb. 8, 2014]

Robert Menard
The peace officer status is not a disaster waiting to happen. That is a defeatist and dare I say it, ignorant attitude. It can be done, but it must be done properly. Their identification docs included the BC Coat of Arms. You cannot do that. I warned them against using it, told them it is at best a miss-representation, at worst will be viewed as attempted impersonation or fraud. They decided to do it their way. The first thing they tried to use it for was to avoid a search in the courthouse, thus seeking a benefit of sorts with it. THAT is where they failed. It had NOTHING to do with the peace officer status, but with trying to pass off that they were hired by the Province of BC, and not the people thereof.

… Brian, I have been recognized as a proper lawful peace officer many times, by the police in Vancouver, RCMP out east and in Burnaby, Sheriff Deputies, and others. So have other members of C3PO.

… Incidentally success is not measured by how many I have arrested, but how many changed their course of action knowing they were being observed by an impartial peace officer.
[Feb. 8, 2014]

I won’t make any editorial comment. Rather self-explanatory, I think.

Incidentally, someone posted a reply pointing to this Quatloos thread suggesting ‘you might want to read what these guys think about Alex’s situation, they seem to be keeping a close eye on it.’ Message was deleted.

SMS Möwe