Who: C. “Jesse” Moloney, 21, of Keene, NH

What: Attempted burning of the United Nations, United States, and State of New Hampshire flags.

Where: Keene Central Square, Keene, New Hampshire

When: Monday, November 3rd, 2008, 2:00 P.M. (1400)

How: I will be using three cloth flags soaked in a mild accelerant to make sure a satisfactory burn (and not melt as is often the case with poly-cotton flags) occurs. Flyers will also be distributed explaining my motives so that the general public may make themselves aware should they inquire.

Why: There are several reasons and objectives-
1.) The day following the burning is Election Day, a day which is regarded by myself and others to be a moral injustice, in that voting essentially functions as an imposition of will by one group of people upon another. Because I reject this system and find it to be morally abhorrent, I view my burning to be in some senses an “Anti-Vote”, a representation of my dissatisfaction with the method in which things work in lieu of the fact that I am not given the option to opt out of the system.
2.) I view these flags to symbolize glorified oppression, institutionalized theft, and the degradation of liberty and all bodies what would be complicit with these concepts- simply put, government. Given that my life philosophy is dedicated to the advancement of liberty, it only seems right for me to desecrate these symbols as means of expressing these views beyond that of an oral or written presentation.
3.) While admittedly provocative towards those that hold sympathies to what I oppose, I feel that those more inclined to investigate why I am burning the flag will be those that are apt to engage in dialogue with. It is my hope that that this act –while inflammatory to some- will spark interest in the message I am choosing to deliver.
4.) Following from the above reason/objective, many will likely feel I am “disrespecting” their views and their opinions by desecrating these flags- however, the same argument could apply just as equally to them; by flying a flag, by holding a parade, by engaging in what is tantamount to worship of the State and it’s actions, they are effectively disrespecting me and my opinions. While I feel this is somewhat accurate to the degree that I find their State worship abhorrent, I do not feel that the act of flying a flag is an actual act of disrespect or intended as such towards me personally and is instead an act done out of unintentional ignorance.
5.) I am not looking to incite a riot or a brawl- my intentions are totally peaceful. I simply wish to express my views in the matter I deem most likely to get the attention of those that normally don’t pay attention. On the face of it, this may seem like an act of conceit, but consider for a moment how much money, time, and manpower go into supporting the State and promoting elections themselves. My act will pale in comparison to these efforts.
6.) Lastly, it has occurred to me that my acts may violate some City or State statutes. In addressing these issues I would like to remind the officers and government officials who may try to interfere with my burning by citing one of these statutes of the established precedent in which I can burn a flag as it is a form of protected speech, and that the burning will also take place on public property- which I as a tax payer am entitled to use. Any attempt to press the issue of me violating these statutes would be no more then a cheap attempt at circumventing my property rights and the Constitution (both Federal and State) which you are all obligated to uphold by the nature of your oath’s. This said, you can either choose to ignore me and let me go home, and likely hear nothing of this again- or you can cite and maybe even arrest me, which will only result in a backlash from those that love liberty. This last statement is not a threat, nor should it be taken as one- but you’ll only magnify the issue by acting in such a way (with this said, to keep the local bureaucrats somewhat placated, I will have four buckets of water and a fire extinguisher on premise at the time of the burnings to make sure that they do not become unruly and pose a hazard beyond their general area of burn).