Recent Media

FACT: Any political attack of free speech relative to time, space, and content must consider the well known phrase of the Declaration of Independence and it’s unalienable rights of “Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness”. No authority shall abridge those freedoms while exercising the greatest degree of tolerance for the freedom of the people…

Port Townsend Ammendment: … and we the people of the City Council are elected to determine what the majority considers “tolerant”.

Washington: Free–speech street activist has pioneer city scratching their heads …

Aug 1, 2013 – The free–speech activist in question is one of my oldest friends, Erik “Arhata Osho” Olson, whom I’ve known for almost 30 years. Arhata likes to …

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[Site Editor Note: The reporting on this case in most media is so blatantly biased against Arhata Osho, it’s almost comical. Almost. Arhata is being bullied by a city council too embarrassed to admit they’ve been reactive and less than decent to a community member; as a result tax payers are bearing the brunt of a sincerely hyped up situation. It’s harassment. See Points To Ponder Below.]

1. The signs never took up 50 -60 feet in any location in Port Townsend. At the most, the signs took up approximately 20 – 30 feet. We realize that there is a video (it’s available on this website at the media page) where Arhata himself claims that his display might have been up to 40 feet, but review of pictures and commentary point to that statement being an exaggeration.
2. The incident describing how Arhata allegedly became “defiant” is stunning in it’s conclusion and a waste of tax payers money. He had been approached by a police officer who began MEASURING (for the love of God) the FREE SPEECH display and found it to be about 26″ too long and 8″ too wide. According to Arhata, things had to be placed in such a way to prevent ‘wind blow over’. He was attempting to make sure that the few signs he is allowed to have were secure and safe for viewing, which has always been a point of consciousness for him. We’re talking about  a 2 acre space with generally very few people walking through at a time. As a result of this ridiculous abuse of resources, Arhata was threatened with arrest and cited.
3. If this was a table filled with Apple Pies for sale sending the proceeds to our Veterans or an animal shelter, they could take up as much space as they wish.
4. Situational ethics is the reason we have a judicial system. Think about it.
5. If Arhata cozied up to the City Council and managed to fund community projects or leased a business space while voicing his opinion, he would be welcomed with open arms. In Port Townsend, Money Talks First. With no citizen watch group oversight, that obscene political correctness is buoyed by ‘entitlement of power’.

DECEMBER 2014 | PORT TOWNSEND — Free-speech activist Arhata Osho, aka Erik Olson, is set to be sentenced today, Dec. 10, for violating the City of Port Townsend’s sidewalk ordinances earlier this year.
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JULY 2014 | PORT TOWNSEND — A man charged with violating the city’s ordinance limiting the size of free speech displays has again agreed to comply with the law, two weeks after receiving two citations for going beyond the proscribed limit.

On Wednesday, Richard Erik Olson, who goes by the name Arhata Osho, told Jefferson County District Court Judge Jill Landes that he would comply with the limit until his trial date, which Landes set for Sept. 25.

Olson’s display, which has been located in the same spot at Pope Marine Park for more than a year, extended 50-60 feet across the park’s brickwork before the new Port Townsend city code became effective March 18.
READ THE ARTICLE HERE