Editing Free State Project (section)

==Responses==

=== Support ===
On February 17, 2006, economist [[Walter Block]] publicly expressed his support for the FSP and was quoted as saying:
{{blockquote|You people are doing the Lord's work. The FSP is one of the freshest practical ideas for promoting liberty that has come out of the libertarian movement in the past few decades. May you succeed beyond your wildest dreams, and thus demonstrate in yet another empirical way the benefits and blessings of liberty.<ref>{{cite web|title=Walter Block's endorsement of the Free State Project|url=http://freestateproject.org/about/endorsements/#block |website=Free State Project|access-date=2021-07-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060813130830/http://freestateproject.org/about/endorsements/#block |archive-date=2006-08-13 |url-status=unfit}}</ref>}}

[[Jeffrey Tucker]] reflected about his experiences at the New Hampshire Liberty Forum in [[Nashua, New Hampshire|Nashua]], saying in part: "If you are willing to look past mainstream media coverage of American politics, you can actually find exciting and interesting activities taking place that rise above lobbying, voting, graft and corruption".<ref>{{cite web|title=Political Migration in Our Time|url=http://freestateproject.org/content/political-migration-our-time |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130310194902/http://freestateproject.org/content/political-migration-our-time |archive-date=March 10, 2013}}</ref>

The project was endorsed by [[Ron Paul]]<ref>{{cite web|title=Ron Paul Supports the Free State Project|url=http://freestateproject.org/intro/ron_paul |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130519122424/http://freestateproject.org/intro/ron_paul |archive-date=May 19, 2013 }}</ref> and [[Gary Johnson]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TzLw12pbIU4 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/TzLw12pbIU4| archive-date=December 11, 2021 |url-status=live|title=Gary Johnson Endorses the FSP|website=[[YouTube]] |date=June 28, 2011 }}{{cbignore}}</ref> In 2010, [[Lew Rockwell]] from the [[Mises Institute]] endorsed the project and referred to the city of [[Keene, New Hampshire]] as "the northern capital of libertarianism".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Md6zzipKNVE |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/Md6zzipKNVE | archive-date=December 11, 2021 |url-status=live|title=Lew Rockwell Applauds the Free State Project|website=[[YouTube]] |date=August 22, 2010 }}{{cbignore}}</ref> In 2011, [[Peter Schiff]] said he had considered moving to NH at one point.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6BmdaZK3Zg |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/v6BmdaZK3Zg| archive-date=December 11, 2021 |url-status=live|title=Peter Schiff (Euro Pacific Capital Inc.)|website=[[YouTube]] |date=January 7, 2011 }}{{cbignore}}</ref>

Some Republicans have responded more favorably to the project.<ref name="Boston">{{cite news|last=Goldstein|first=Meredith|date=October 9, 2003|title=Free State Project pushes limits of liberty in N.H.|work=[[Boston Globe]]|url=http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2003/10/09/free_state_project_pushes_limits_of_liberty_in_nh/ }}</ref> In September 2014, Republican Party Senate nominee [[Scott Brown (politician)|Scott Brown]], a former [[United States Senate|United States Senator]] from [[Massachusetts]], said his election campaign needed "Freestaters" to support him in his one-minute closing statement at the Granite State Debate.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMtg48fQocE |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/YMtg48fQocE |archive-date=December 11, 2021 |url-status=live|title=Granite State Debate, U.S. Senate: Candidates deliver closing statements|website=[[YouTube]] |date=September 4, 2014 |access-date=September 10, 2014}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

Maine state senator [[Eric Brakey]] partially attributed the Republican Party's 2020 election gains to the Free State Project.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Brakey|first1=Eric|date=July 24, 2021 |title=The rise of the 'Liberty Republican'|url=https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/the-rise-of-the-liberty-republican |access-date=April 30, 2022 |work=[[Washington Examiner]]}}</ref>

=== Criticism ===
Critics argue that the Free State Project is "radical",<ref>{{cite web|date=April 13, 2011 |title=The Radical-Right Free State Project Has Chosen New Hampshire For A Revolution |url=http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2011/04/13/174973/new-hampshire-radical-right/?mobile=nc |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150604084251/http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2011/04/13/174973/new-hampshire-radical-right/?mobile=nc |archive-date=June 4, 2015 |access-date=September 14, 2012 |website=[[ThinkProgress]]}}</ref> a "fantasy",<ref>{{cite web|last1=Trinward |first1=Steve |title=The Free State Project: good idea or libertopian fantasy?|url=http://www.rationalreview.com/rationalreviewold/archive/stevetrinward/stevetrinward011203.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20031009103310/https://rationalreview.com/rationalreviewold/archive/stevetrinward/stevetrinward011203.html |archive-date=October 9, 2003 |access-date=June 16, 2021 |website=Rational Review}}</ref> or that they "go too far" in seeking to restrict government.<ref>{{cite news|date=June 28, 2012|title=LTE: Free Staters go too far|newspaper=Concord Monitor|url=http://thecontributor.com/lte-free-staters-go-too-far|access-date=June 29, 2016|archive-date=March 9, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210309211436/https://thecontributor.com/lte-free-staters-go-too-far|url-status=dead}}</ref> The project has drawn criticism from some New Hampshire residents concerned about population pressure and opposition to increased taxation.<ref name="Boston" /> In December 2012, state representative {{interlanguage link|Cynthia Chase|de}} (D-Keene) said, "Free Staters are the single biggest threat the state is facing today. There is, legally, nothing we can do to prevent them from moving here to take over the state, which is their openly stated goal. In this country you can move anywhere you choose and they have that same right. What we can do is to make the environment here so unwelcoming that some will choose not to come, and some may actually leave. One way is to pass measures that will restrict the 'freedoms' that they think they will find here".<ref>{{cite web|title=New Hampshire Democrat: 'Free Staters are the single biggest threat the state is facing today'|url=http://reason.com/blog/2012/12/27/new-hampshire-democrat-free-staters-are |access-date=April 23, 2015 |work=Reason.com|date=December 27, 2012 }}</ref>

During and shortly after the Free Town Project was active in [[Grafton County, New Hampshire|Grafton County]], there were three bear attacks.<ref name="nhmagazine">{{cite magazine |url=https://www.nhmagazine.com/bear-out-of-control/ |title=Does New Hampshire Have a Bear Problem?|date=September 17, 2020 |access-date=February 8, 2021 |magazine=[[New Hampshire (magazine)|New Hampshire Magazine]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.wmur.com/article/grafton-woman-attacked-by-bear-1/5174477 |title=Grafton woman attacked by bear|date=June 17, 2012 |access-date=February 8, 2021 |work=[[WMUR-TV]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.wmur.com/article/woman-71-seriously-hurt-in-encounter-with-bear-in-groton-home/22214964 |title=Bear seriously hurts woman, 71, in her Groton home|date=July 17, 2018 |access-date=February 8, 2021 |work=[[WMUR-TV]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://boston.cbslocal.com/2020/06/22/new-hampshire-man-escapes-serious-injury-after-unprovoked-bear-attack-near-home/ |title=New Hampshire Man Escapes Serious Injury After Unprovoked Bear Attack Near Home |work=[[WBZ-TV]] |date=June 22, 2020}}</ref> Several media outlets have said that there was a relationship between the Free Town Project and the bear attacks, and a book was written on the subject by local state reporter [[Matt Hongoltz-Hetling]].<ref name="vox"/><ref name="book"/><ref name="nhmagazine" /><ref name="newrepublic">{{cite magazine |last1=Blanchfield |first1=Patrick |date=October 13, 2020 |title=The Town That Went Feral: When a group of libertarians set about scrapping their local government, chaos descended. And then the bears moved in. |url=https://newrepublic.com/article/159662/libertarian-walks-into-bear-book-review-free-town-project |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20201013115616/https://newrepublic.com/article/159662/libertarian-walks-into-bear-book-review-free-town-project |archive-date=October 13, 2020 |access-date=June 16, 2021 |magazine=[[The New Republic]] |issn=0028-6583}}</ref>

In 2012, the Concord Police Department applied for $258,000 in federal government funding to buy a [[Lenco BearCat]] armored vehicle for protection against terrorist attacks, riots, or shooting incidents. The application mentioned "Free Staters" alongside [[Sovereign Citizens]] and [[Occupy Wall Street|Occupy New Hampshire]] as groups that "are active and present daily challenges". The grant from the [[United States Department of Homeland Security]] was successful, but the Concord City Council revised the application to remove references to those political movements before unanimously approving of the grant.<ref>{{cite news|last=Wickham |first=Shawne K. |title=Civil Liberties Union questions increasing use of costly military-style equipment by NH law enforcement|url=http://www.unionleader.com/article/20130728/NEWS07/130729284 |work=[[New Hampshire Union Leader]] |date=July 27, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130816045252/https://www.unionleader.com/article/20130728/news07/130729284/ |archive-date=August 16, 2013 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

A 2022 survey found relatively little awareness of the Free State Project in New Hampshire but generally negative opinions among those familiar: 49% of respondents had heard of the project, while 10% expressed a favorable view and 26% an unfavorable one.<ref>{{cite web|date=September 29, 2022 |title=Suffolk University/Boston Globe Poll|url=https://www.suffolk.edu/-/media/suffolk/documents/academics/research-at-suffolk/suprc/polls/new-hampshire/2022/9_29_2022_marginals.pdf#page3 |website=[[Suffolk University]]}}</ref>

=== Media coverage ===
The Free State Project was the centerpiece of the 2011 documentary film ''Libertopia''<ref>{{cite web|title=Libertopia |url=http://www.filmbuff.com/movies/libertopia/ |website=FilmBuff |access-date=June 16, 2021 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130123145410/http://www.filmbuff.com/movies/libertopia/ |archive-date=January 23, 2013 |url-status=unfit}}</ref> as well as the 2014 crowdfunded documentary ''101 Reasons: Liberty Lives in New Hampshire''.<ref>{{cite web|title=New Documentary to Highlight 101 Reasons to Move to New Hampshire|url=http://www.shirelibertynews.com/new-documentary-to-highlight-101-reasons-to-move-to-new-hampshire/ |website=Shire Liberty News|access-date=June 16, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140610030055/http://www.shirelibertynews.com/new-documentary-to-highlight-101-reasons-to-move-to-new-hampshire/ |archive-date=June 10, 2014 |date=2014 |url-status=unfit}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=101 Reasons: Liberty Lives In New Hampshire |url=https://101reasonsfilm.com/ |website=101reasonsfilm.com|access-date=June 16, 2021}}</ref>

In 2023, NBC Boston produced and released a docu-series about the Free State Project titled ''Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of New Hampshire'',<ref>{{cite web|title=Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of New Hampshire |website=NBC Boston |date=February 20, 2023 |url=https://www.nbcboston.com/news/local/life-liberty-and-the-pursuit-of-new-hampshire-an-nbc10-boston-original/2920007/ |access-date=May 22, 2023}}</ref> which includes interviews from members, supporters, and critics of the Free State Project.