FSW article in Thermopolis' Independent Record

[Warren Kruse]

Lead house editorial:


Targeting Hot Springs County
 
A Web site identified as Free State Wyoming (FSW) using the writings of "Boston T. Party" is urging out-of-state people to move here in an effort to take over politically and socially.? The three least populated Wyoming counties are listed as the first targets.
 
Using the pseudonym, the site states, "As was my plan, Crook County has become the FSW's epicenter, with most of our people there, some of who are beginning local business this year."
 
Further it states, "Weston and Hot Springs counties remain our 2nd and 3rd choices, but the purpose for the three-county limitation has passed.? While it is preferable that FSWers try to concentrate in those 3 counties for social and political leverage, the FSW now embraces relocators to all of Wyoming.? Previous FSW Associates who have pledged to move to Wyoming by 2010 are now FSW Members and may join the members Yahoo list."
 
It continues, "FSW Associates are now those who pledge their Wyoming relocation with (a statement of intent) but who will not be available to vote in the 2010 elections.? FSW Friends remain those who support the goals of the FSW but who cannot relocate to Wyoming."
 
Hot Springs County residents have long valued freedom and, in the Wyoming and Big Horn Basin tradition, warmly welcome new residents.? The need for an organization or individuals to hide behind anonymity and a pseudonym on a web site goes against that tradition.
 
If you are a person who has moved here after signing an FSW statement of intent, we invite you to contact the Independent Record to tell your side of the story, share your beliefs and explain how your goals are different from those of people who already live here.? Barring that, please have the courtesy and courage of your convictions to identify your allegiance to FSW when you visit with our county and local officials and when you attend meetings of the Republican and Democratic parties.? America is based on open government with all views identified and shared, and people here stress such freedom of expression with no hidden agendas or none of the secrecy that dominates government in nations that are not truly free.

[Prairie Fire]

Well, let's see.? It's probably a given that newspaper people read other small circulation papers from around the state.? Somebody from Thermop has apparently been doing some reading!? A few weeks behind the publicity curve, but better late than never.? For this newspaper writer, the old adage that you catch more flies with honey than vinegar, might be worth some study.
 
The way that the writer wraps himself up with the flag (last part of last sentence) is pretty rich.

[Boston]

Thanks, thermopolinian for the post, and welcome here.

Hot Springs County residents have long valued freedom and, in the Wyoming and Big Horn Basin tradition, warmly welcome new residents.

Good to read.

The need for an organization or individuals to hide behind anonymity and a pseudonym on a web site goes against that tradition.

Perhaps their warm welcome will help to convince me to drop my pseudonym?
Time will tell.
Most FSWers, however, do not use pseudonyms in real life, so the author
of that piece has little to worry about.

and people here stress such freedom of expression with no hidden agendas or none of the secrecy that dominates government in nations that are not truly free.

Guess they missed the part in our Forum's FAQs where I specifically
deny any "hidden agenda"...

Boston

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[Potshot]

Confuscious say... "The best profile is a low profile."

[wyomiles]

Thermopolinian, Welcome and thanks for the heads up. Can you tell us more about yourself and where you stand on this issue ?  Did the article stir up any conversations locally ?    Miles

[Paul Bonneau]

...please have the courtesy and courage of your convictions to identify your allegiance to FSW when you visit with our county and local officials and when you attend meetings of the Republican and Democratic parties.

My, my, how indignant. I imagine this to be a Person of Substance. 

It gets hard to take people in the newspaper profession very seriously after a while. Maybe they ought to get down off their high horse every now and then.

[biathlon]

     Kens not hiding behind a pseudonym, it's quite common for authors to use a pen name. Samuel Clements(aka Mark Twain) among others. B

[Paul Bonneau]

Yeah, it's not like you can't find out who he is. One of his books had his real name on the cover.

Now, finding where he is might be a tad more difficult. 

[Paul W. Allen]

I got a chance to talk to 3 Thermopolites yesterday in the lunch room. Guys I've worked with for years out at the gas plant. I asked them their opinion and they all chimed in , "Have theses people grab a wolf and go home." It is not a Thermopolites duty to read the the FAQ's to form an opinion, it is up to FSW to prove the paper wrong. Seems to me we have discussed this before.

[planetaryjim]

Dear Friends,

Fantastic article.  Great to have FSW be the "talk of the town."  Thanks, Thermopolinian for posting it here!

Here's a bit that I found fun:

Barring that, please have the courtesy and courage of your convictions to identify your allegiance to FSW when you visit with our county and local officials and when you attend meetings of the Republican and Democratic parties.

Please note that there are three major parties in Wyoming as of the last election.  The third major party (according to the official vote tally in 2006) is the Libertarian Party.  When you attend meetings of the Libertarian Party, as I understand it, you can identify yourself any way you please.

Please note that when you move to a new home, you don't have any obligation to visit with county or local officials.

Please note that when I visit Thermopolis, I have no plans to "grab a wolf and go home."  I didn't do so the last three times I was there, and won't next time.

It is interesting that the newspaper in Thermopolis wants everyone to identify themselves.  Perhaps with driver licenses?  Of course, there is a great tradition in this country of using pseudonyms.   The authors of The Federalist Papers all used pseudonyms in promoting the new constitution.  It isn't like John Jay, Alexander Hamilton, or James Madison were doing something exceptionally tawdry in using names like Publius instead of their own names.  Nor was it any harder to find out who they are than it is to find out who Boston T. Party is.

Anonymity is also important to many people who have been victims of crimes, such as theft, rape, home invasion, or whose family members have suffered extortion, murder, or other difficulties.  It is senseless to insist that everyone use their own name all the time in all circumstances. 

And, of course, it is nobody's business if I do.

Regards,

Jim
 http://indomitus.net/

[Paul W. Allen]

Jim, have you ever been to Thermopolis? There is no anonimity in Thermopolis. I would wager that a full 1/2 of the county is inter-related. There are no secrets, everyone knows evryone else's business. It is a very tight knit community and my experience over the past 25 years has been that you will either fit in and be accepted or you will be more than glad to find a way out. We have a definite PR issue in Thermopolis and it needs to be handled delicately or FSW will amount to "Freeman" or Sand Point Id. Paul

[elk]

America is based on open government with all views identified and shared, and people here stress such freedom of expression with no hidden agendas or none of the secrecy that dominates government in nations that are not truly free.

I seem to remember over 40 Federalist Papers I've read, that were written in anonymously by individuals with vested interest in passing the Constitution and crushing the Articles... I don't know but reducing the freedom of the Articles of Confederation in order to "create a stronger and more energetic government" seems to me to carry the scent of hidden motives... or did I miss something?

----------------

I admire what FSW is doing, hat is off to Boston, both for his writing and research as well as this wonderful, and hopefully successful endeavor.

With this I'd like to ask if there are any smaller towns with some forest and forested acreage that are less concerned about whether their neighbors "owe their allegiance to a group other than the republican or democratic party".

I'm looking to buy acreage with woodland on it, but I'd like a good price and privacy (guess great neighbors are common in Wyoming, but I prefer to meet my neighbors in due time, not by demand of the local newspaper).  That being said, I would prefer a gun friendly area, with plenty of wild game and as few socialists/statists as possible   I've had my fill of their meddling into people's lives here in VA...

If any of you are offering a room to rent for awhile and can help me get my bearings up there, I would gladly discuss details and reimburse your trouble

[biathlon]

       Thermopolinian, Countyrmech, you guys know any Bradstreets? That's my family up there. B

[bobcat]

I got a chance to talk to 3 Thermopolites yesterday in the lunch room. Guys I've worked with for years out at the gas plant. I asked them their opinion and they all chimed in , "Have theses people grab a wolf and go home." It is not a Thermopolites duty to read the the FAQ's to form an opinion, it is up to FSW to prove the paper wrong. Seems to me we have discussed this before.

Countrymech, did you have a chance to discuss FSW with them any further?

BTW, we don't have wolves here-yet.  We do have coyotes and we dispatch them regularly.  If I had livestock out there (very possible) and wolves started in on them, the wolves lose.  Yeah, I know, they are 'protected'.  Fine, just not with my livestock.

[Boston]

from Paul:

It is not a Thermopolites duty to read the the FAQ's to form an opinion, it is up to FSW to prove the paper wrong.

We prove them wrong by virtue of the FAQ's being true, not propaganda.
And, it is their duty to become informed prior compiling an opinion.

We have a definite PR issue in Thermopolis and it needs to be handled delicately or FSW will amount to "Freeman" or Sand Point Id.

If any local wishes to remain uninformed about FSWers and thus
erroneously lump them with the "Freemen" then there's not much
one can do about it.

"Let him who has ears, hear."

The PR issue is best settled by locals getting to know their FSW neighbors.
We've got great people!

__________
Regarding my use of a nom de plum, what do they care?
I'm only one guy, and certainly cannot outvote the entire county.


__________
elk, thanks for the kind praise and encouragement.

Boston

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