Whether or not whoever started this sovereign citizen idiocy knew it was a scam, or if they were simply ignorant, it's amazing to me that in an age in which information is instantaneously available on most all subjects, to just about every literate person in the industrialized world, people will either adopt or will accept being told this nonsense without investigating for themselves.

Five minutes- five minutes on Wikipedia will tell you all you need to know. You hear these sovereign malcontents yammering about being an "Article IV free inhabitant." They are referring to an article in a document which was replaced by the Constitution of the United States more than 230 years ago.

Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union

quote:

The Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union was an agreement among the 13 original states of the United States of America that served as its first constitution. It was approved, after much debate (between July 1776 and November 1777), by the Second Continental Congress on November 15, 1777, and sent to the states for ratification. The Articles of Confederation came into force on March 1, 1781, after being ratified by all 13 states. A guiding principle of the Articles was to preserve the independence and sovereignty of the states. The weak central government established by the Articles received only those powers which the former colonies had recognized as belonging to king and parliament.

The document provided clearly written rules for how the states' "league of friendship" would be organized. During the ratification process, the Congress looked to the Articles for guidance as it conducted business, directing the war effort, conducting diplomacy with foreign nations, addressing territorial issues and dealing with Native American relations. Little changed politically once the Articles of Confederation went into effect, as ratification did little more than legalize what the Continental Congress had been doing. That body was renamed the Congress of the Confederation; but most Americans continued to call it the Continental Congress, since its organization remained the same.

As the Confederation Congress attempted to govern the continually growing American states, delegates discovered that the limitations placed upon the central government rendered it ineffective at doing so. As the government's weaknesses became apparent, especially after Shays' Rebellion, some prominent political thinkers in the fledgling nation began asking for changes to the Articles. Their hope was to create a stronger national government. Initially, some states met to deal with their trade and economic problems. However, as more states became interested in meeting to change the Articles, a meeting was set in Philadelphia on May 25, 1787. This became the Constitutional Convention. It was quickly agreed that changes would not work, and instead the entire Articles needed to be replaced. On March 4, 1789, the government under the Articles was replaced with the federal government under the Constitution. The new Constitution provided for a much stronger federal government by establishing a chief executive (the President), courts, and taxing powers.

Here's the specific article these ninnies cite when confronted by actual legal authority, usually law enforcement officers:

quote:

Article IV. The better to secure and perpetuate mutual friendship and intercourse among the people of the different States in this union, the free inhabitants of each of these States, paupers, vagabonds, and fugitives from justice excepted, shall be entitled to all privileges and immunities of free citizens in the several States; and the people of each State shall have free ingress and regress to and from any other State, and shall enjoy therein all the privileges of trade and commerce, subject to the same duties, impositions, and restrictions as the inhabitants thereof respectively, provided that such restrictions shall not extend so far as to prevent the removal of property imported into any State, to any other State, of which the owner is an inhabitant; provided also that no imposition, duties or restriction shall be laid by any State, on the property of the united States, or either of them.

If any person guilty of, or charged with, treason, felony, or other high misdemeanor in any State, shall flee from justice, and be found in any of the united States, he shall, upon demand of the Governor or executive power of the State from which he fled, be delivered up and removed to the State having jurisdiction of his offense.

Full faith and credit shall be given in each of these States to the records, acts, and judicial proceedings of the courts and magistrates of every other State.

Here is umm are the Articles of Confederation in its umm their entirety.

So, to the police officers out there- I realize that the last thing you want or need to do is argue with these people, but next time you encounter one of them and they start talking about "traveling, not driving" or being a "free inhabitant" just ask them if they know the source of their claims and ask them if they know which document replaced the source of their claims. There's not a chance in Hell that they will be able to give you a coherent answer, only more of the same manure. Bonus points if you ask them if they are "paupers, vagabonds or fugitives from justice" because if so, Article IV is off the table. Off the table, I say!!

Here's one of my favorite sovereign ninnies. I bet you didn't know that Betty Boop was still kickin', did you?

Pure entertainment!

Did she say, "You're raping me" at 3:11? What a fucking loon.

There's another movement called "First Amendment Auditors" which are becoming about as annoying.

With Cameras, they go to places like police stations, and other places where security is somewhat of a concern, and take video/pictures, and generally hang out until confronted by police / security, and then they try to invoke a response by being uncooperative.

I thought it was marginally interesting until I discovered the Youtube "auditor" I happened to be watching is a sex offender, and on the Texas Sex Offender list. It was then that I realized the guy is just pissed because he got arrested by "the man," so he wastes everyone's time by "Auditing" cops / security guards.

I wonder if these braindead morons vote. I can't see how they can because no candidate I've seen supports their narrative. That's a good thing, right?

Jim

A free inhabitant is someone who is not charged for their stay at the jail.

They are allowed to inhabit their cell for free.

When dealing with Police, It costs you nothing to be polite and respectful.

H&K-Guy

How'd that reality smacking you directly in the face taste, lady?

Goodness, someone really did a number on her making her believe that crap. Loon.

Wonder how many times they have to go through the legal process before they give up on/learn the real laws of the land.

They make fir some good entertainment but damn if i could be as patient with them as i see the popo be with them. I am pretty short with bs and it would come to a head real quick.

You will never win an argument with a cop on the side of the road. All you can do is minimize how far behind you come out.

Ah, critical mistake, creating joinder.

Rookie mistake.

Time to insert a fur missile,give the loon something to cuss about.

He is way more patient than me.

I would have said, Say hello to Mr. Taser.

Tell me, is this against the law? Am I in so much trouble? How bou't another hit from my friend Mr. Taser?

Does it ever work out for these idiots? I see all kinds of videos where it does not. Never seen one where, they say, Ok, I will unhandcuff you and you are free to go, I just don't want to be in trouble with my Chief.

quote:

Originally posted by SpinZone:
You will never win an argument with a cop on the side of the road. All you can do is minimize how far behind you come out.

Couldn't have said it better myself. On the other hand, I have found that being polite and respectful sometimes results in no ticket.

As I'm watching this I can't help but think: When she enters the voting booth, her vote counts as much as mine.

quote:

Originally posted by RHINOWSO:
Ah, critical mistake, creating joinder.

Rookie mistake.

Right now I'm creating joinder with a chili-cheeseburger. Later I'll see if that was a mistake.

That was the best I just wish to know how the case was finished with the courts...VI

Dang, I’ve been doing it wrong all this time! Being polite, respectful, signing the ticket if one is issued, spouting no jumbo jumbo. Clearly her way makes for much better video.

quote:

Originally posted by parabellum:

Five minutes- five minutes on Wikipedia will tell you all you need to know. You hear these sovereign malcontents yammering about being an "Article IV free inhabitant." They are referring to an article in a document which was replaced by the Constitution of the United States more than 230 years ago.

And that is why SigForum, i.e. Para, is the best. Not only is this post informative (hilarious), but documented for those of us wanting to know, but not expend a lot of time, what these loons are referring. Thank you, Para.