The abuse of power by police forces in Michigan has reared its ugly head--again. This time the issue revolves around a "cannon" whose only projectile is sound. Yes, that's correct. A noisemaker. To exacerbate the situation, Petoskey News Review, reported misleading information. They since pulled the article from their web site, but KeepAndBearArms.com was faxed an original copy of the article from the paper's printed version. Click here to read the article as printed. Then go here to read the official, self-congratulatory police "report": http://www.petoskeymsp.org/_news/0000008a.htm

Then read the truth from a gun owner who knows the man whose property was stolen by "police". Norman E. Olson, owner of Alanson Armory Gun Shop in Alanson, Michigan wrote a searing letter to the Petoskey News Review. Details on how to express your feelings about this situation follow Mr. Olson's letter. The rest of this message is directly from Mr. Olson. If you're a gun owner in Michigan and you haven't yet met this man, next time you're in the area, look him up. He's a good egg, through and through.

Letter to the Editor of Petoskey News Review
by Norman E. Olson
Owner, Alanson Armory Gun Shop
Alanson, Michigan
normolson@northlink.net

In the wee hours of Sunday morning, June 18th, a goon squad of five Michigan State Police Stormtroopers pushed their way into Michael Haag's house on Brubaker Rd., terrifying his 8-year old daughter, with a warrant to seize a muzzle loaded cannon. The crime? Making noise.

The target of the State Police's midnight raid was a business man and little league coach who makes smooth bore noisemakers fueled by common muzzle loading powder. Haag is a blackpowder "smoke-poler" and Civil War buff. Some annoyed neighbors complained because his shots made noise. No damage, no frightened chickens, no hail of mini-balls, just noise!

This episode is yet another blatant example of abuse of enforcement powers of the state. This outrage must stop. But something in this story doesn't ring true. For example, the good people of Emmet County are not normally troubled by the sound of gunfire in the woods. We hear it all the time. People living in the country often hear the sound of big guns, but they don't call the State Police. Something else is going on here and the truth hasn't yet been told.

What isn't being told by the Petoskey News Review is that Mr. Haag complained to the health department about a negligent neighbor's open septic tank after Haag's dog came into the house after having rolled in human excrement.

The cost to replace the septic system was high and the neighbor got even by complaining to the State Police about Haag's noisemakers. When the State Police acted on the noise complaint, Mr. Haag refused to comply, advising them that there is no noise ordinance, and that he had the right to build and discharge his noisemakers. He quoted ATF regulations, explaining that his smooth-bored noisemaker was not made to explode or to launch an explosive devise such as a mortar round (contrary to what the Petoskey News Review deliberately reported). Therefore, the cannon is not regulated by the ATF.

The haughty and proud State Police officer was wrong and didn't like being denied. He retaliated by deciding to teach Mr. Haag a lesson by making his life miserable. It was the MSP's turn to get even because Mr. Haag didn't grovel at the feet of the Gestapo. It may have been a vengeful neighbor who initiated the complaint, but it was the State Police who initiated the abuse because they met a man who wouldn't submit to tyranny. The trooper told Mr. Haag that they'd get even.

But the MSP won't get even as planned. It has gained nothing and has lost much. The actions of the MSP have made freedom-loving Americans in our area more determined to withstand tyranny; more suspicious of the State Police; and more hateful of their Gestapo tactics. Because of them, Michael Haag's little girl can't sleep at night, thinking that they'll be back to kill her and take her daddy away.

The Petoskey News Review is also attempting to destroy a respectable and law abiding family man by publishing misleading information. Your front page article is trash and should not worthy of you, but the last thing I've come to expect from the Petoskey News Review is excellence and truthfulness.

To Freedom-Loving Americans: Grab your big bore shotguns and touch off a few rounds for liberty's sake. If you don't have any shells, drop by the shop and I'll give you some.

(signed)

Norman E. Olson
Owner The Alanson Armory Gun Shop
Alanson, MI
Phone (231) 548-4867

Give Mike a call for some emotional support. I know he'd like to hear from a few patriots. He's awake and waiting for the Gestapo to come for him. We who have been there may be able to minister to him by letting him know that he is not alone in all this. His number is 231-348-5854 (home) or 231-499-8932 (cell phone). If you want to email Mike Haag, do so c/o: mike4159@freeway.net.

Charlie Forster in Michigan asked that I give out the phone numbers in the Michael Haag case. Good Idea! Give a call to these people:

Emmet County Prosecutor, Robert Engle at 231-348-1725
Michigan State Police, Petoskey Post at 231-347-8101
Petoskey News Review, Ken Winters, Editor at 231-347-2544

Call from across America. Callers need not identify themselves, just where you are calling from.

Another photo of the sinister "mortar-like weapon" that "shoots an explosive mortar round" (according to the Petoskey News Review) can be found along with an article, in the Traverse City Record Eagle newspaper. Websites for the RC are http://www.TCrecordeagle.com and http://www.record-eagle.com.

Norm Olson
normolson@northlink.net