Sovereign Hotheads
by digby
Alternet is doing great work on the various strands of the right wing these days and it’s essential reading every day if you are interested in following this riveting, unfolding story. Today Justine Sharrock takes a look at the “Sovereign Citizen” movement which I last heard of back in the 90s. These are a very American brand of wingnuts, a far right form of anarchism rooted in the “gold standard” conspiracy theories. And, as with all the far right groups, it appears to be growing smartly in the Obama era:
The sovereign citizens movement has seen a recent resurgence similar to its heyday in the 1990s — no surprise, given the recession, increase in federal laws, and the right-wing rhetoric of shock jocks and Tea Party politicians. Since it’s not an organized movement, there are no reliable statistics. But sovereign citizens themselves say there is an increase of people visiting their Web sites, attending their lectures, and listening to their radio shows. Mark Pitcavage from the Anti-defamation League, who has been studying the movement for over 15 years, says he’s received more and more calls from law enforcement and others asking for advice on how to deal with sovereign citizens.
Their basic premise is, like so many things these days, based on an unorthodox interpretation of the 14th Amendment. They claim that when the nation was founded, citizens had prime authority and the government was set up to protect our God given “unalienable rights.” But the 14th Amendment created a new hierarchy: God, citizens, government, and then former slaves. Over time, through specific wording used in laws, forms and court rulings, the government has managed to trick all citizens into subservience. Now, every time you sign or register with the federal government, be it a driver’s license, Social Security number, tax form, or even something as simple a construction permit, you are entering a contractual and legal relationship with the government, according to the sovereign citizen philosophy.
Another example of citizen subservience: they argue that FDA drug laws use the phrase “man or other animals” which demotes people to the status of animals without inalienable rights. This, they argue, goes against the Bible, which differentiates man from beast, and thus, according to sovereign citizens, all drug laws represent a violation of religious freedom. There are endless examples, and sovereign citizens continually discover new ones.
Read the whole thing. It’s a mind-blower. I hadn’t known the religious aspect before, thinking this was a sort of fanatical libertarianism. But these folks are all swimming in the same philosophical stew at some level, so it makes sense that they would start to merge.
By the way, these are among the most likely members of the far right fringe to resort to violence.
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