The Nanaimo Three - Political Prisoners in Canada

[grixit]

The freemen movement (which my SF-addled brain keeps insisting on parsing as Fremen)

That's ok, they both drink their own leakings.

[LordEd]

Ream remains down the rabbit hole (broken apart into paragraphs)

You made an interesting point Neil. Why would these tyrants leave me alone because I learned about my rights. It may seem lost as they have all the resources, but they do not own us. Technically they do not even have equity over the resources. It belongs to the people. I am not talking about communism where no one has the right to property and we all share. I am not against sharing unless it is done in a way that disregards your rights.

I am saying that it belongs to the people because we are the ones who have put time and energy into building these resources. It is being used against us because our public servants or commonly known as Government are dishonest and out of control. I don't think anyone needs to be controlling anyone, but these so-called public servants are supposed to protect our rights and work for our interest. Thus, they need to be controlled. We actually don't need Government. We only need to control our own lives and stop putting all the responsibility on one organization. We are blaming a mess that we keep creating. We are the ones responsible for everything that happens because we are the ones letting the Government make the decisions.

We don't need a Government. It is redundant and we need to evolve. I will be exercising my rights and make sure there is proper liability. They see themselves exempt from their dishonest actions. I don't believe in punishment them for what they are doing. Violence will never create peace.

I will find a way to make things work. When there is a will there is a way. I am pretty sure that if we stop participating in being taxed by private corporations, being ruled by policies (which are not law), being attached to their lies or empty promises, being subservient we can make the world a better place. We do not need to participate in a system that causes destruction and slavery. I believe that people will voluntarily work together to meet their needs. That is because it is in our interest and there can be plenty of abundance if only people do what they are passionate about instead of working for a criminal organization that does nothing productive. I mean the system does produce wealth, but it is very limited and not well distributed.

I am getting carried away. My point is that if we only do what resonate with our heart we will live in abundance and real bliss. We do not need a coercive organisation stealing our rights, time, energy, wealth and power to make the world a better place.

[LordEd]

Also

Who here wants war? We are currently entering a world war in the benefit of these special interest groups. I watched them as they manufactured the very problems they claim that they will solve. It's called problem, reaction, solution. It is the Hegelian dialectic. Me risking to rot in prison is not the concern for me. Can you imagine all the suffering that this war will cause? That is if we allow it to happen. I will not be idle.

I need to do some research on the Syria crisis. Not sure how being a "peace officer" such a distance away will aid in stopping civil war and chemical weapons.

[JamesVincent]

I need to do some research on the Syria crisis. Not sure how being a "peace officer" such a distance away will aid in stopping civil war and chemical weapons.

Maybe he's volunteering himself to go and stand in the way.

[LordEd]

I don't 'get' some of the things people do to "make a difference".

Going out and cleaning up a local park does more good than clicking "share" on a facebook article 1 million times.

You can't fix the world. You CAN volunteer locally and make your local community better. If everyone did that, wouldn't the world be better?

I do my bit with an adopt-a-stream program and go out occasionally to help keep it clean and healthy in a local park. I also ref in the winter. I get a little money for that one, but its more about keeping the kids playing and safe. The game gets cancelled if there are no stripes available.

I've also volunteered during one of the wildfires helping distribute supplies for people who were evacuated.

We also do some of the usual simply charity drives (food bank events, etc). At home, I volunteered (when my back allows) to remove snow for our complex, as we have a good percent of elderly who can't help. It saves us some money not having to pay for removal, so it also helps keep strata lower.

Its not much, but little things add up.

So Mr. Ream, what have you done that is tangible to help make the world a better place?

[Hilfskreuzer Möwe]

I discovered this site after starting to do some background research into the Kiri Campbell case here in NZ, finding first the Guardian article and then the rather massive decision by Rooke J in the Meads case.

The freemen movement (which my SF-addled brain keeps insisting on parsing as Fremen) doesn't seem to have turned up much in judgments in New Zealand - only one published case that I can see. That may just be poor searching skills on my part though. Most of the 'no jurisdiction' arguments I've found revolve around Maori [indigenous people's] rights rather than 'sovereign persons'. The arguments have something in common with the OPCA ones though, repeatedly referring to the 1215 Magna Carta (as opposed to the single section of the 1297 version which is still in force in NZ legislation) and various 19th century acts which have been long repealed. I'd be interested in knowing if there is a similar subset of cases from First/Native Peoples in Canada.

Welcome to Quatloos, Dai Kiwi! And thank you for your kind words.

I think you are the first New Zealander I have encountered here - and I very much look forward to any contributions you have on news from your country. I have on a few occasions tried to search for OPCA litigation in the NZLII website but I never had any luck. I'd love to learn more about what you have found.

On your question of whether Canadian aboriginal communities have been drawn into Freeman / Sovereign circles, the answer is largely no - but with a few provisos. I am also going to betray my poor (i.e. zero) understanding of how the Maori and their pre-contact status has translated into tangible legal rights in New Zealand.

In Canada the last several decades has seen an increasing range of successful litigation by aboriginal persons to assert legal "Treaty" and more generic "aboriginal" rights. The results range from successful land or compensation claims, to recognition of rights to hunt and fish that may potentially displace those of other Canadians including in a commercial context, to that business and government must consult aboriginal peoples before they can legally engage in construction and development. And more, the scope of these new aboriginal claims and rights seems ever expanding.

This process has meant that the leadership of aboriginal communities has been much less tempted to take less orthodox litigation strategies, though frankly some of the 'legitimate' litigation gets pretty flakey. Still, it's run by lawyers with actual evidence, and so on. I cannot think of a single instance where, for example, an Indian Band has actually signed onto a Sovereign / Freeman scheme.

Instead what we have are attempts to apply Sovereign / Freeman ideas more on the fringe of aboriginal society. One example of that is the Sovereign Squamish Nation (viewtopic.php?f=47&t=6171) (viewtopic.php?f=46&t=9396), a fake Indian super-tribe whose membership is at least partially not Indian.

A new development is the appearance of a Freeman-on-the-Land guru, "Chief Rock Sino General" (viewtopic.php?f=47&t=9377) who seems to be of aboriginal background. Though Chief Rock does not appear to claim special knowledge because he is aboriginal, he may be using his heritage as way to 'plausibly' market his ideas into an aboriginal customer base. He's not 'one of them', but a 'brother'.

My own observation, anecdotal at best, is that OPCA gurus would love to get their fingers into the aboriginal communities. They often point at aboriginal people as special, laud their unique characteristics as more noble, pure, nature-minded. Sometimes they say they have reached out to these groups. A good example is that Sean Henry / Nanya Shaabu El has attended Indian culture events (viewtopic.php?f=47&t=9474).

Another example is that Freeman-on-the-Land guru Robert Menard last week claimed to have held a "FREEDO GATHERING" (http://www.facebook.com/robert.menard.5 ... 8368362247) (http://www.facebook.com/robert.menard.5 ... 3372500080), with this cast of attendees:

... On the weekend of August 23rd, there will be a three day gathering of some of the most active freedom and liberty lovers. DC, RAM, MEC, PS, MS, MMcM, PV, and a host of others, including Native Elders and along with a couple of dozen of the up and comers in the movement. The purpose is to establish unity and develop strategies and share ideas. ...

I think the mention of "Native Elders" is an attempt to establish credibility. In Canada, aboriginal groups are successfully exercising their rights. OPCA gurus would like to ride those coattails, if possible. That said, I do not think they are having all that much success. The aboriginal leadership and communities as a whole have become quite suspicious of outsiders who promise much - for a fee.

I hope that's helpful - if you have questions on this general issue I would be very glad to offer what I know.

In all, I thank everybody here for leading me to spend several evenings solely reading this site rather than doing something productive like watching the latest Pop Idol or Masterchef clones on television.

Beware - it can be addicting! These persons and their antics have all the voyeuristic fascination of a brilliant reality television program, and are so far more original. Once you know the cast of characters, it's hard not to tune in and savour the fiasco of the day.

SMS Möwe

[Hilfskreuzer Möwe]

LordEd,

I won't parse out your comments and observations but instead offer this broader response.

I think certain of the more inscrutable aspects of Sovereign / Freeman conduct relate to the fact that their beliefs and actions are not based in logic or reason, but may instead have a more religious or ceremonial function. Right off the top, this does not include those persons who clearly are attempting, for example, to 'get something for nothing' by gaming some aspect of the system, if they think they can get away with it. Instead, it applies more to people who want to 'take a stand' of some kind or 'live their own way', and think these concepts are a mechanism to do that.

When I research Canadians who have adopted OPCA concepts I find certain patterns emerge. They are not uniformly distributed, but there are clusters of characteristics. One cluster involves new-age, environmental, and left of center political focus, that is typically associated with manic belief in all range of sinister conspiracies. These are persons who have obsessed over Noam Chomsky, studied the "Zeitgeist" materials, can detail how 9/11 was an inside job, and follow the words of David Suzuki as a prophet. Some fascinating patterns emerge when you dig into what is public about their lives.

A great many imagine themselves as social leaders. Some attempt to take on that kind of role, typically without any or much success. If you poke at practically any of Canada's marginal political parties you will find persons who adopt Sovereign or Freeman-on-the-Land perspectives - see for example Wally Dove, Les Raketti, Brian Alexander. These are just several examples of many. Some OPCA gurus position themselves in the same way - the thin point of an incipient mass movement that will sweep away the old regime.

Others attempt to be artists, again, typically without any tangible success.

These are a group of people who live in a terrible fear of a tyranny they believe without question - but which they cannot touch. They have not been taught to reason but instead to hunt until their biases are confirmed - their preferred literature and media show persons worming their way through mazes to truth. Patterns emerge by distant linkage - not systematic analysis.

I am often drawn to the parallels between the "new age / occupista" Freemen and traditional Gnostic belief. Both believe that truth is not found in the architecture of our world, but instead leaks through tiny gaps, hinting at what lays masked behind our apparent but false, dark irreality. Both believe that truth is internal, no matter what exists outside. Both see an exceptionally powerful, but idiotic and crippled overlord that controls our apparent existence. Both adopt story-telling and fable-making as a key aspect of how the individual gets to the truth - there is no orthodoxy, but make up your own story, inspired by others with similar thoughts. If you just try hard enough, you can perhaps abreact the "good and true world" and displace our present, dark prison.

I wish Philip K. Dick were alive so that he could spend a few years in these circles and then to emerge and write.

Note the typical education of a Freeman-on-the-Land (or lack of it). These are not technical people - and indeed they prefer non technical or analytic solutions, mind over matter, faith over systematic action. If you have not read "Robert Menard's 'Very Cunning Plan'", dig it up. This document is viewed in these circles as highly sophisticated, and intellectual planning! One could cobble together a more comprehensive social and administrative structure by cursory review of a few basic political sciences texts!

So why do these people do what they do? I think it is ceremony - a kind of activity that allows these people to feel security and to position themselves, all without tangible fact, as "safe" and a "part of the solution". Look at their documentation. Logically, much of it cannot mean what it says - but it has symbolic, ceremonial purpose. I was shown a few months ago a remarkable collection of such materials that had been filed in the Federal Court. The litigant had created these elaborate but entirely forged court orders allegedly from the International Criminal Court in the Hague, and then made up fake stamps that were intended to indicate these court orders have been filed and accepted in all manner of courts, such as the Supreme Court of Canada. I suspect this was photoshopped together - and none of it matched any of the appropriate formalities, nor was the 'court order' in any way logical. The litigant had made up this obviously fake and defective document, tried to invoke a 'higher power' - and he must have known it could not have had any tangible effect. Instead, it was proof of forgery and fraud - serious criminal offences!

I have seen many documents like that, which I call "totem documents". They cannot have legal power - but to their holders they have symbolic power. You can clutch them, imagine you own the Pentagon, are personally sheltered by the International Criminal Court in the Hague, that you can obtain $100 million if a police officer touches you. They are irrational documents, but they carry the trappings of power. They simulate something real, a "cargo cult" of paperwork.

So with the mantras these persons believe will unlock court procedures. You go into the courtroom - and you can make it your own courtroom - a higher courtroom - all with the correct incantation. I see these actions as emerging from the same comfort that comes from a devote Catholic holding a crucifix and saying "Hail Marys". These are articles of faith that provide comfort and a link to an imaged, better world.

That's not to say that the guy who A4V's his mortgage operates in the same context - sometimes it is indeed all about the money. But other times, particularly in the 'hippy, leftist, occupista' cluster, it's something else and much less tangible.

At least, so it seems to me.

SMS Möwe

[AndyK]

...
I am saying that it belongs to the people because we are the ones who have put time and energy into building these resources. It is being used against us because our public servants or commonly known as Government are dishonest and out of control. I don't think anyone needs to be controlling anyone, but these so-called public servants are supposed to protect our rights and work for our interest. Thus, they need to be controlled. We actually don't need Government. We only need to control our own lives and stop putting all the responsibility on one organization. We are blaming a mess that we keep creating. We are the ones responsible for everything that happens because we are the ones letting the Government make the decisions.
...

Fascinating. Are the various 'we' mentioned above the governmental and/or private sector entities which discovered and developed these various resorces?

Or, is Mr Ream alleging that whatever resources he is referencing were built by ad hoc hordes of people acting on their own?

Mr Ream's eloquence is ringing echoes of the "OCCUPY" {Wall street / Washington / insert whatever} protesters and many others which came before.

It's unfortunate that Mr Ream, and MANY like him, fail to recognize that the development of resources does not occur via the action of mantra-chanting groups of people.

Any kind of development requires the investment of resources by someone/something which has some expectation of a reasonable return on the investment. Despite Mr Ream's denial of socialist or communist leanings, he is espousing those theories.

[LordEd]

I had thought Mr. Ream had taken a few days to consider his predicament after Möwe clearly with supporting evidence dissected his position. He has concluded that he should continue his path.

He's had fair warning from multiple sources. His martyrdom will be a case note on canlii. May it be as entertaining a R v. Duncan.

[grixit]

Phillip K Dick would start to examine his own perceptions to try and figure out if he was stuck in some sort of simulation.

[notorial dissent]

I would say that our Mr Ream has drunk long and deep of the Koolaid, as well as having very little critical discrimination towards things that are not as he wants them to be. I would also point out a gaping lack of common sense as well, as that much is painfully obvious.

His other and more grievous, and ultimately fatal problem is one of definitions. He quite obviously bought a knock off, cut rate dictionary from his guru(s) as they most definitely cut corners or flat out cheated and were making up their definitions, as most of his, as he has most kindly displayed for our benefit, fall far from the mark of reality or practicality. Which at least helps in understanding where he is coming from. When ones view of reality is based on utter rubbish, it is hard to come off sounding like a coherent individual.

I think, in the final analysis, that all he really wants to do is grow and sell pot. Which, unfortunately, under current Canadian, and much of US law is a big bad NUH UH!! Therefore, to justify his desires, he has adopted a belief set that allows him to ignore the laws and rules that everyone else in Canada is expected to, and does, pretty much out of habit, obey. I do not think he is at heart a bad or dangerous person, but I do not think he is a particularly smart person either in at least one sense or another, in that he has largely let someone else, his guru(s), do his thinking for him, and the ultimate indignity is that he obviously paid them to put him in the hole he is now in, and he will ultimately be the one who pays for it in the end.

I regrettably do not foresee a happy future for Mr Ream, as he is fully intent on taking the turn that quite plainly says "BRIDGE OUT".

[LordEd]

Here is one of Ream's freeman encouragers.

Alexander: they do own us. The BC is evidence of our attornment. We ARE living under Feudalism. Canada IS a UK Colony. Further, no one can own anything, despite the Vatican have staked its Claim to Earth, all property, our bodies, and souls. By Discovery and Conquest, and dry ink on paper, they have made us slaves.

So-called public servants are employees of a dummy corporation. We can make them perform their duties, but that's it.

All government contracts are evidence of enslavement. So who is serving whom?

Without government ID, and by making express one is a flesh and blood man or woman, they cannot create joinder. No joinder, no contract - they're jammed. Hire a lawyer and you're non compos mentis and you have a contract. Bad move.

Pointing out where this is wrong is unnecessary.

Do we know anything about this particular freeman's successes? Quick search only brings up pot legalization.

[Hilfskreuzer Möwe]

I had thought Mr. Ream had taken a few days to consider his predicament after Möwe clearly with supporting evidence dissected his position. He has concluded that he should continue his path.

He's had fair warning from multiple sources. His martyrdom will be a case note on canlii. May it be as entertaining a R v. Duncan.

To be honest I am not terribly surprised by Mr. Ream's response. As I have previously noted, I do not think he approaches the legality and morality of his actions from a rational standpoint, but instead as an exercise in faith.

If anything, my efforts will probably prove more useful to Mr. Ream's friends who have suggested a more cautious approach - at least they now have more ready access to that data. The same goes for the invitation that we pose questions to Mr. Ream so that 'we can understand one another'. He has no logical and fact-based answers, and he does not need them. A few days ago you suggested Mr. Ream should be complemented for making the effort to find this forum and then test his ideas. I understand why you made that comment - in a rational context that is, indeed, a promising sign that a Freeman is not so deeply entrenched in their beliefs that they can and will trek into 'foreign' territory.

However, I would suggest an alternative explanation for Mr. Ream's behavior, that his visit here and his scouting JREF is more a 'test of faith', a 'gauntlet of dark forces', in a sense, analogous to Jesus's temptations by the Devil in the desert. He has gone to a heart of darkness, where the Archons of the Demiurge gather and scheme. Those Archons bombarded him with quotes and documentation. Mr. Ream is unbent - that case law is "opinion", facts are "hearsay". Though Mr. Ream's character was tried, he was soon calm, unchanged. Viewed from that 'symbolic' sense, Mr. Ream has been tested but proven pure. He now returns to his peers, and reports all is well, his confidence is unchanged, his spirit resolute, and his emotion? Perfect calm.

It's not a personal perspective I find easy to imagine, but then I suppose that is only natural for a servant of the untouchable, unknown, and unclean.

Something you might find interesting:

The Extortion SYSTEM of the Ruling Elite
Healing our World Through Truth and Love Freedom Follows Truth, as the Truth will Set you Free
A Book in progress Written through Infinite Love as a man who chooses to answer to the calling of :Francis-Robert-Thomas: Hay

It can be downloaded here: http://www.inspiringpublications.com/Extortion.pdf

For lack of a better description this is a 250+ page 'brain dump' from the author on his beliefs, philosophy, how he sees and experiences the world, and of course lots of pseudolegal and conspiratorial beliefs. I've tried to find out more about him but never had any success.

But look at how he sees his world, for example how he has studied and attempted to interpret the buildings in downtown Edmonton:

The symbolism of Satanism and the remarkable integration of the Talmud into Commerce is everywhere. It is the foundation of their working belief system that is based on the loop theory I described above. They are having an absolute feeding frenzy at this point in time and with the wars that they got going on and coming it is pure gluttony. The Edmonton City Hall for example is reported to have exactly 666 windows in it and outside on the bell tower there are 3 columns of 6 sections, yet 666 again. The Pyramids on the roof are not perpendicular to each side but distorted in shape reflecting unbalanced energy held within.

The Bell Tower also represents the illusion of time being dominated by the fear based consciousness denoted by the 666. Of course we have a war memorial with a torch on it representing the Illuminati that were behind all the wars to begin with. This masonic temple screams with symbolism with a courtyard filled with Sun symbolism, which the
church of Babylon worships. But rather Lucifer the Bearer of the Light of Darkness. They are 211 saying we are in control and these are the temples which you worship through giving up of your mammon to them as a form of sacrifice.

And of course on the same square we have the Edmonton LAW COURTS Building, which is deceptively made in the shape of a giant Merchant Ship, reflecting the Law within, being Admiralty Merchant Law. You will also notice that there are 22 windows on the top floor representing the 22 letters of the Hewbrew Alphabet and the ancient symbolism of the 22 programed things that Human beings do in the rituals involved with obtaining immorality as Tony Bushby describes in his Book, The Secrets in the Bible. The Hebrew alphabet was created by taking a coiled snake image and turning while a light shined on it. It would make 22 distinct shapes, which are the Hebrew Alphabet. They shape of the coiled snake comes from shining a narrow beam of light down the center of a crystal pyramid shaped after the exact dimensions of the Great Pyramid in Giza. Rituals unlock sequencing of DNA and thus augment the reality of this illusion and those directly and indirectly affected by the rituals. The Court House is yet another temple of mammon for sure, but clearly this building is screaming out messages about the true nature of the reality it supports from within. Of course also the 2 flags out front symbolizing the Flagged Vessel.

I'm not saying you will learn a great deal from reading that document other than, perhaps, perspective. These folks view their world through a very peculiar set of coloured, prismed goggles and blinders.

SMS Möwe

[wserra]

Pointing out where this is wrong is unnecessary.

Pointing out where this is right is impossible.

[wserra]

However, I would suggest an alternative explanation for Mr. Ream's behavior, that his visit here and his scouting JREF is more a 'test of faith', a 'gauntlet of dark forces', in a sense, analogous to Jesus's temptations by the Devil in the desert.

I'd say it's closer to Belushi's temptations in the cafeteria line.

[LordEd]

Mr. Ream:

Alexander Ream I want to make this clear. I will attend a court that is supposed to only convict their own employees who broke their policies. It is not a court of law. Or else I wouldn't be there because I haven't committed any crime.

Except for that personation thing, of course

I do not expect them to respect my rights as their career depends on violating rights.

Funny enough, having freemen waste time in court is probably great for their careers.

I will not be there to test some special phrasing and hope to be done with the charges.

Reality, meet Mr. Ream. Mr. Ream, meet reality. You two will have plenty of time to talk to each other in jail.

I will be there to remind them that they are all liable for their words and actions.

And they will be there to talk about your actions of going into a court, presenting papers bearing the BC coat of arms and stating that you are a peace officer.

I will be there to remind them that after 4 court meetings the prosecutor only produced hearsay evidence that are not valid.

They will be there with live witnesses who can attest that you did state "I am a peace officer". Also copies of your documents and probably video of you giving those documents. Basically exactly what they say they have in the disclosure document.

There are no proof that the codes did apply to me at the time of the complaints.

There is no proof that you are exempt from law, so lets just go with that. I prefer it when somebody is NOT allowed to have special privileges without good reason.

The prosecutor evidence is riddle with lies.

If that's true, then you might have a defense you could use. But you'll be too busy with the magic words. Fortunately for you, the court is obligated to determine if the prosecution's case is valid (why the ticket was dismissed in R v Duncan). They are not obligated to make your case.

The prosecutor name is not on it and it is not signed. We had a private conversation outside of court and he told me that if I had any question he would gladly answer. I asked him why his name wasn't on the evidence and who is liable for the claims and he was really nervous and told me he was not there to argue and left.

Probably glad to answer any valid questions.

I will be there to collect evidence of the ongoing harm done to me and stand my ground by being true.

Self-induced harm. You've been told what is actually going on and how it works.

I will not accept their corporate services.

They are not just doing a "service" for you. They are doing a service for me. They are applying the law. You are provided an opportunity to present your case, but the service is to society.

I will only be there under protest and duress to clear out all assumptions and presumptions.

You are going to humiliate yourself.

I learned that during the phony court session they are afraid to state their name. I remember that day on August 14th 2013, Judge Buller Bennett was stuttering trying to avoid stating her name or even stayed in silence rather than stating he name. She exposed herself to the whole courtroom. She also said that her name was on the court list and it wasn't. I had to ask someone else for her name. I asked them many times for their names because I need to know who I am talking to. The prosecutor and the Judge couldn't answer. It was strange.

You have joined a group that threatens court officers. They prefer not to give you opportunity to terrorize their families. It doesn't matter if you specifically are unlikely to be violent. They have no proof of that and have to consider what other laws you think are invalid.

http://www.cnn.com/2013/08/23/us/las-ve ... pping-plot

They also believe the law doesn't apply to them.

Getting a so called lawyer is letting them do everything for me and will cause a conflict of interest. Isn't most problems in the world are because we do not take responsibility and let others represent us?

You mean like saying you're a peace officer in court and then making excuses that the law doesn't apply to you?

They are swindling innocent people everyday because these people do not speak for themselves. I do not wish to make the same mistake. I don't think being subservient to those who are accustomed to lies will help me. Having a so called lawyer may seem like the best decision, but it is not.

Of note, Mr. Lange has a lawyer.

[Clovenhoof]

The whole thing strikes me as being like a group of people who believe that the Harry Potter world is real. They're bitter that they didn't get an invitation to attend Hogwarts. They spend their time trying to come up with the right kind of spells to accomplish what they want. And when challenged, their answer is, "See the movies. They will answer all your questions." (They don't themselves have access to the original text.)

It's very sad. On the face of it, what they did appears to fall somewhere in the range of "didn't quite commit the offence despite their best efforts" to "committed the least serious imaginable iteration of Personating a Peace Officer". Yet two remain in jail, and five days have been set aside for trial.

Sigh.

[Hilfskreuzer Möwe]

The whole thing strikes me as being like a group of people who believe that the Harry Potter world is real. They're bitter that they didn't get an invitation to attend Hogwarts. They spend their time trying to come up with the right kind of spells to accomplish what they want. And when challenged, their answer is, "See the movies. They will answer all your questions." (They don't themselves have access to the original text.)

Welcome to Quatloos, Clovenhoof! I think you are dead on the mark in seeing this whole exercise as 'magic'. I usual frame these activities as a kind of 'ritual' driven by symbolism and drama, more than anything else.

There's an interesting contrast in the Freeman-on-the-Land community between those who are in it because they want to 'be powerful' vs. those who 'want stuff'. Many in the latter category give up after a failure or two. I have found they also tend to be more cautious about the reality of the law and will, for example, pay attention to cases that predict failure. Sadly, the 'legal magicians' are less pliable by logic. They do, however, tend to dislike being incarcerated.

It's very sad. On the face of it, what they did appears to fall somewhere in the range of "didn't quite commit the offence despite their best efforts" to "committed the least serious imaginable iteration of Personating a Peace Officer". Yet two remain in jail, and five days have been set aside for trial.

A minor point - I have reviewed the online court record for the Nanaimo Five at this web address (https://eservice.ag.gov.bc.ca/cso/esear ... ySearch.do) and then searched with "Ream". I do not claim to be an expert in the information that may be viewed that way, but it looks to me that four of the five accused are in pre-trial custody, and only Alexander Ream is currently out on bail. If you have other information that is different I would be very interested.

As a general note, pre-trial detention usually means someone has a history of serious violence or not obeying court orders. I have a hunch the latter is why the other four are in pre-trial detention, but as they also each have criminal records, who can say?

I have to disagree with you on one point - that the attempt to 'personate' is the "least serious imaginable iteration". It seems to me that the 'mildest' form of this offence would be essentially a foolish practical joke where someone pretends to be a peace officer to prank someone. Sadly, if the Crown's disclosure is accurate, the Nanaimo Five aimed higher and had intended to 'enforce' their law, whatever that is, by doing things such as arresting lawyers.

And then there is the target location of their intrusion - a courthouse. On that basis alone I think the seriousness of their action must be viewed on at least an intermediate level of blameworthiness. Courts are special locations where persons are required to attend, if they are to protect their legal rights, or to act as witnesses. I don't know if you are Canadian, but in my experience our courts do not have a lot of security once you get past the 'outer barriers'. For example, in a criminal trial a single peace officer will usually be present but that is to monitor the accused, particularly if the accused is already in detention.

I know this is simply a thought experiment, but imagine the possible effect of a breach of perimeter security by a false claim of being a peace officer. A gun smuggled into a courtroom could permit assassination of a judge, lawyer, a crucial Crown witness, or a "snitch". In something like an organized crime trial that objective is not implausible. In a smaller courthouse it may be possible for fake 'peace officers' to entirely overwhelm security and 'jail break' a compatriot. Those are admittedly worst-case scenarios, but even the possibility of simple threats is, in my opinion, intolerable. The courts are a special, privileged public space.

I would completely agree one can imagine worse 'personations', for example where persons pretend to be police so they may more easily engage in a crime, such as an abduction, or removal of property. But still, here the alleged misconduct, if true, is far from trifling.

Sad? Definitely. These people have been taken in by conmen who sold them exciting, powerful-sounding ideas. Worse, they acted on those ideas. One can only hope this will be their last interaction with the courts. Wait and see.

Incidentally, Burnaby49, Jody Vaillant is scheduled to be doing something in Courtroom 213, New Westminster Law Courts, at 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday. My guess is that is a first appearance to enter a plea - but it's just a guess.

SMS Möwe

[Burnaby49]

Can't make any promises at the moment, friend coming to visit that week and may be busy Wednesday. If not, and if weather co-operates (Wednesday forecast for 25d celcius, 77F for you Americans, and sunny) I'll trundle down in my old worn-out but court acceptable dockers and take a look. Change into shorts after the hearing then walk home.

So it may be a go.

[Hilfskreuzer Möwe]

Having mastered the domain known as Law, Alexander Ream, polymath, has turned his attention (http://www.facebook.com/alexander.ream/ ... 1897272699) to another plague upon humanity: disease.

Alexander Ream
[September 9, 2013]
I helped many people with amazing medicines. I am also learning about medicine. To anyone that has cancer or bodily damage please contact me. I can help.

Accolades arrived within minutes:

Deborah Dorsey
bless you Alex
[September 9, 2013]

Do you think someone should point out to Mr. Ream that practicing medicine without a licence is also unlawful? Just like play-acting at being a Peace Officer? Hey, waita second ... Alex already acknowledges that!

I believe that a phony doctor selling bad medicine would have the intent to do harm for his or her own benefit.

I'm probably jumping the gun. I'd bet by now Alex has cured dozens of cancer patients with his "amazing medicines".

(It's pot... I betcha it's pot.)

SMS Möwe