Why does it have to be a "state"? And since we are hair splitting definitions like little children, how are you defining the word "State"?
Why? What makes the state the magical level of sovereignty that's denied to any other entity?
I think components of a State can split off. Didn't West Virginia Split off?
That's not a straw man. In words of the immortal Foghorn Leghorn, "I say, that's a joke, son."
It may be a joke, but since it deliberately misstates my position, it is therefore also a strawman.
So let me get this straight. By issuing a piece of paper with some magic words on it, the Americans rebelling against the British crown (something they'd been doing for over a year at that point) were no longer rebels, but instead the British opposing them were now the rebels.
I have just been awestruck by the level of incredible stupidity you just stated in that comment. That is a f***ing masterpiece of stupidity. I dare say I haven't read a comment that approaches that level of sheer dumbness since i've been on this website, and believe you me, there has been plenty of competition for the title.
I'm having a hard time trying to type now because I am laughing so hard at what you just said.
So okay, Genius, The founders of the United States wrote the Declaration. They asserted that it was based on self evident natural law, and presumably they believed in the principles expressed therein.
The British never claimed to believe in the Principles behind the Declaration of Independence. They cannot rebel against them because they never embraced them.
It is *THIS* country which embraced those principles. Therefore, the only country which can rebel against those principles, is this country.
More Accurately, it was the Union under Lincoln which rebelled against the principles expressed in the Declaration.
That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.
"instead the British opposing them were now the rebels." That is f***ing awesome! No, dude, the Union were the ones Rebelling against the founding document. The UNION were the actual Rebels. They Embraced King George III's position!
Okay! Now we're getting somewhere! Now all I have to do is get a majority of the voters on my block to agree and we'll declare ourselves to be the Republic of Bubba Ho-Tepia.
It is *THIS* country which embraced those principles. Therefore, the only country which can rebel against those principles, is this country.
Excellent! So all I have to do is invoke the magic words "Self-Evident Natural Law" and the United States has to either accept that I and my neighbors are now a different country or be in rebellion against themselves! It's brilliant!
Oh, and this isn't a straw man. This is a reductio ad absurdum.