By Kat Kanning

Purposefully planned for the day before the election, Jesse Maloney burned a US flag, along with a United Nations flag and New Hampshire flag in Central Square, Keene. The event was billed as an “anti-politics” demonstration. About 30 supporters and reporters were there to witness the event.

Maloney asks, “How can a flag that flies over other nations in oppressive occupation, a flag that has flown over this land as slavery was glorified until untold thousands lost their lives, a flag that has flown while freedom has been trampled on and rights stripped away ever stand for liberty, asks a local activist. “It can’t—and it never has,” Jesse Moloney is an avid promoter of voluntary action over democratic solutions, which he refers to as "nothing short of institutionalized and glorified slavery." He openly advocates solving problems with peaceful, cooperative means tailored to each individual instead of what he refers to as a "one-size-fits-all" method that he insists comes with the democratic process.

"Everyone else who participates in the system gets their flag-waving time, their parades that march on down Main Street. They then get that golden opportunity to enable politicians to do what they do, which is often to the detriment of liberty and freedom. Millions will vote, and the outcome will be that someone's point of view will be force-fed to you whether you like it or not, or whether you even participated in the voting process or not. Frankly, I find it tyrannical, and would even go so far as to say it is immoral," says Moloney. He justified burning these flags by insisting that they are the symbols of an unjust cause, the degradation of liberty. “I suppose in a sense, you could say that I am casting my 'anti-vote.' While others show how much they support this system, I will be demonstrating my opposition."

"It's funny; some people expect to get something done or achieve a positive end in a system built on the foundations of a tyrannical majority, and the institutionalization of theft. When they eventually don't get what they asked for, or don't get what they voted for, they complain and talk of how politicians are at it again. The thing about this is, the system never worked in their favor in the first place-- no one can actually represent them better than themselves.” Moloney feels that all government programs and initiatives are in large part involuntary, and lists taxes, the selective service, and Social Security as only a few of the things that he claims to be contrary to liberty. “Every time I hear people talking about voting and how it's 'all going to be better this time around', I visualize some man with a shiny badge clapping me in chains.”

Mr. Moloney does not vote as a matter of "moral opposition," and avoids participating in government programs whenever possible. "I don't like the system-- I can't opt out without being forced to leave or being threatened to be thrown in jail. I am constantly held to arbitrary rules, and I am, as is everyone else, held to the whim of a majority. I'm not asking that they disassemble the system entirely just for me, or for those who feel the same as me. That is what my anti-vote says: 'Leave me alone. My friends and I are not going to hurt you, and we don't threaten to take away your home or business if you refuse to pay a fee. We don't hold you to any decisions we as a group might make.”

At the time of the event, rallies for both McCain and Obama were in progress in Central Square. When it became apparent what was about to happen, the rallies dispersed, political supporters apparently not wishing their candidate associated with flag burning. Jesse made it clear that he was not associated with either candidate. Some McCain supporters became incensed and called for backup.

The event proceeded without interruption. There were angry yells from people in passing cars. At one point during a post-event interview, one man got right in Maloney's face and called him a scumbag. Lauren Canario and I moved between Jesse and his would-be attacker, causing the man to move on. Nonviolence prevails again.

Reactions to the flag burning have been mixed. Caleb Johnson of Riverside, CA also made his stand against tyranny by burning a US flag marked with “Mene Mene Tekel Parsin” on Election Day. The phrase is a biblical reference suggesting that the United States' days are numbered. Johnson was unmolested during his demonstration. Reactions among Freestaters have been varied, from enthusiastic support to ambivalence to anger.