A Freeman Gives Notice

Freeman watched. Guelph singer/songwriter Keith Thompson doesn't like being linked with the Freeman on the Land movement. But as a 'free man,' he doesn't believe bylaws, acts and statutes apply to him and other living people. Darren Calabrese/Mercury file photo Source: Mercury file photo

The 46-year-old Guelph singer/songwriter is a free man. He has been since birth. But he said he only “woke up” to that truth — as he and a growing group of like-minded individuals interpret it — about five years ago.

The truth, he said, is that bylaws, acts and statutes don’t apply to living people. It’s why he has written to the City of Guelph, the Guelph Police Service, Guelph MP Frank Valeriote, Prime Minister Stephen Harper, the office of the Attorney General and the Governor General of Canada among many other officials and agencies to notify them of this aspect of ‘the truth.’

As a sovereign, he said he is an autonomous being, not controlled by others.

Thompson said he’s among thousands in North America who have realized the ‘truth.’ This is that when their birth was registered, a legal corporation called a ‘person’ was created and they are not this ‘person’ on their birth certificate. So, they are pursuing a remedy, he said. It’s one of the reasons Thompson said he doesn’t want his given and family name joined together.

He insists he only wants to be known publicly as Keith.

Law enforcement agencies assert that Thompson and others of this mindset are part of a global movement called Freeman on the Land. There are no confirmed statistics on how many people are part of it locally or otherwise.

Guelph Police Chief Rob Davis said the movement entered southern Ontario just a few years ago. His police service became aware of it last year, he said, after about 16 people sent it letters notifying them they were Freeman persons and to treat them accordingly.

I recently met Thompson to gain an understanding of what he asserted as the ‘truth.’ We met at the counter of a Tim Hortons in the north end of Guelph. Thompson, his brown hair tied back in a half-ponytail, wearing a blue sweatshirt and jeans, insisted on paying for my tea. He said later that was because he wanted to save me from committing fraud by paying tax on the purchase.

We moved to a table near the eatery’s window and sat down for a nearly three-hour interview. He spoke passionately and quickly — offering long, sweeping and detailed answers to many questions.

The Guelph musician made headlines last September. They came after his appearance in Guelph’s provincial offences court ended up on YouTube. One of his supporters video-recorded the proceedings and posted the video online the same day as the court session. The clip has since been viewed about 78,000 times.

Thompson was in court because of a summons issued over a car parked on his front lawn. The clip showed the justice of the peace calling for a recess in Thompson’s case — and Thompson leaving the courtroom.

“I wanted to clarify a mistake … made by the court,” he said.

He didn’t need to be present, he said.

He said the summons carried the name Keith Thompson — not him, just the legal corporation called a ‘person,’ given that name, he said.

Thompson said people have been trained to act as agents for the corporation. It’s why, he said, people can’t be subjected to fines, be expected to pay taxes, insurance or need driver’s licences.

Last Sept. 30, Thompson didn’t return for a second court appearance. In absentia, Keith Thompson was ordered to pay a $260 parking fine after being found guilty of two offences of illegally parking a car outside a driveway or a legal off-street parking area. The fine remains unpaid.

The court case came to the attention of the Ontario Provincial Police. Last November, Guelph Police Det. Const. Kevin King attended a Hate Crime/Extremism conference hosted by the OPP, where there was a brief discussion on Freeman on the Land, and Thompson was mentioned.

Sgt. Andrew Yorke, team leader with the OPP’s Hate Crimes/Extremism unit, said the provincial police wanted to make law enforcement officials aware of the philosophies of the Freeman on the Land.

“We have to enforce the law consistently,” Yorke said, adding the OPP wanted to ensure officers weren’t caught off guard by the Freeman’s philosophies and would proceed appropriately if they encountered such an individual.

“There have been enough incidents that (officers) have run into people with this philosophy that it warranted discussion,” he said.

Meanwhile, Thompson said he finds it disturbing that he’s being defined as part of a movement — though he’s often a guest on Freeman on the Air at http://freemanontheair.com, broadcasting from Cowichan Valley, B.C.

“There is no movement, just like-minded individuals that have realized the truth,” he said.

Nevertheless, he said, because police have associated him with a movement that concerns them, they have paid special attention to him.

Thompson said on March 24, he picked up his daughter from school and noticed a Guelph Police car following close to his vehicle. He said he has been followed by police at least half a dozen times.

On that day, Thompson said he didn’t think it was safe to stop, so he proceeded through an amber light and was pulled over.

Police Chief Davis said Thompson wasn’t charged, but was given a notice of suspension since his driver’s licence had been suspended.

“He is now officially notified and can’t drive on the roadways,” Davis said.

Davis said his officers are to treat Thompson and any individuals who identifies themselves as Freeman on the Land as they do any citizen. Davis said police have had few interactions with the individuals who sent in notifications.

However, within the notification, Davis said there is a claim of right to possess unregistered, unlicensed firearms, which concerns police. The notice stated the right to possess weapons is for protection of those under the individual’s care and an oath is given not to open fire on another human except as a last resort.

“Who has the right to tell you that you can’t defend your family by any means necessary?” Thompson asked, although he said that by nature he is a peaceful man.

He said he doesn’t carry a gun, but didn’t acknowledge whether he owned or possessed one or more.

“If there are any guns, they would know about it,” he said, when asked to clarify whether he owned or possessed firearms.

Although, Thompson is against the concept of bylaws and statutes, he said people should follow the common law — natural laws we can all agree upon to live together in harmony.

Fining individuals doesn’t always lead to deterrence, he said.

Yorke isn’t aware of violent incidents associated with Freeman persons within Ontario, however he said the police are keeping an eye on the group.

“Time will tell how the Freemen will evolve in Ontario,” he said.

It’s a sort of subject Thompson himself pays attention to, on his weekly radio show Outside the Box, on www.erinradio.ca.



Source: http://www.guelphmercury.com/print/article/514630