Posted on 05/23/2004 11:54:30 PM PDT by KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle
Calling the approval of same-sex marriage in Massachusetts "the straw that broke the camel's back," a group of Christian activists is in the beginning stages of an effort to have one state secede from the United States to become its own sovereign nation.
"Our Christian republic has declined into a pagan democracy," says Cory Burnell, president of ChristianExodus.org, a non-profit corporation based in Tyler, Texas. "There are some issues people just can't take anymore, and [same-sex marriage] might finally wake up the complacent Christians."
Burnell is leading the charge for a peaceful secession of one state from the union, and after originally considering Alabama, Mississippi and South Carolina due to their relatively small populations, coastal access, and the Christian nature of the electorate, Burnell says South Carolina has been selected as the target location.
The plan initially calls for at least 12,000 Christians willing to be active in political campaigns to move to the Palmetto State.
"We're not an invading force, we're reinforcements," Burnell tells WorldNetDaily, saying it would be a waste to move to liberal-minded states such as Massachusetts, New York or California where conservative votes would be diluted.
According to the ChristianExodus website, which is slated for a major relaunch next month, "Christians have actively tried to return our entire land to its moral foundation for more than 20 years. We can categorically say that absolutely nothing has been achieved. If you disagree, consider this:
* Abortion continues against the wishes of many states * Children may not pray in our schools * The Bible is not welcome in schools except under strict federal guidelines
* The 10 Commandments remain banned from public display * Sodomy is now legal and celebrated as 'diversity' rather than perversion
* Preaching Christianity will soon be outlawed as 'hate speech' * Gay marriage will be foisted upon us in the very near future
"All these atrocities continue in spite of the fact that we now have the 'right' people in places of power. Indeed, the occupant of the White House is a professing Christian. The U.S. attorney general is believed to be a devout Christian. 'Conservatives' control both Houses of Congress, and Republican presidents appointed seven of the nine Supreme Court justices."
The idea of moving thousands of people to affect the voting in one state is not new. As WorldNetDaily has previously reported, the Free State Project has goals of restoring certain personal liberties and limited government but without seceding from the union. Last year, a group of 4,500 libertarians decided New Hampshire would be the best state.
S. Carolina state flag
Burnell, a math teacher and cell-phone dealer, stresses he's not looking for bloody battles that took place in the American Revolution and the Civil War, but is rather seeking a "political divorce."
"It's got to be different today," he says. "It has to be peaceful, brokered."
But he admits if the federal government decides to use military force to stop the effort, "Then it can't happen."
Already a dozen people are actively working on the project, and some 1,500 by e-mails of support have been received.
If all goes according to plan, Burnell is hoping to have a constitutional convention by 2014, with a president of the new nation still to be known as South Carolina elected in 2016, which is also a presidential election year in the U.S.
He says the nation would be founded on Christian principles, and the people writing its constitution would have to hash out details to safeguard it as a Christian republic.
For now, Burnell prefers to shy away from specifics on the precise laws governing the country.
"Independence first, details later," he says.
Destroy each other? Hardly. Many of the people participating in the Free State Project are Christians. At their "Porcupine Fest" scheduled for late June in New Hampshire, there is a non-denominational church service on the schedule for all the Christians in attendance. Funny...even some CHRISTIANS can appreciate the concept of freedom.
As soon as they all get there, they'll start fighting amongst themselves regarding who will be in charge. Ha! It'll never work.
You have to remember, though, that when judgement fell, it was God's will for them to go to Persia for a season. Eventually, they got to retkake their homeland.
I won't move there unless they amend their constitution to outlaw community associations.
Count me in. I am getting sick and tired of the United Sodoms of Gomorah!
I think rational people should form associations to build gated communities of this sort, and give fanatics special deals to move into them..
-- Then the rest of us could get on with living in liberty.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kiryas_Joel,_New_York
There are 2,229 households out of which 79.5% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 93.2% are married couples living together, 1.6% have a female householder with no husband present, and 4.1% are non-families. 2.8% of all households are made up of individuals and 2.1% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 5.74 and the average family size is 5.84.
Yup, that's right -- an entire town with over 93% of households being married couples.
Since they run the town, they also run the police. That doesn't mean they can pass unconstitutional laws. It does, however, mean two things:
1)Through constitutional means (i.e. zoning laws) they wield a tremendous amount of power.
2) Because of the total domination of the town by Hassidic Jews, no one wants to live there -- so they can be basically undisturbed and raise their children without any outside influence, for better or for worse.
My point was that a town couldn't pass unconstitutional 'blue laws' or restrict abortion, etc, whereas a condo asso could have such 'rules'.
Since they run the town, they also run the police.
That doesn't mean they can pass unconstitutional laws.
Correct, -- but the Christians in the article ~demand~ that they can pass restrictive laws infringing on rights to life, liberty or property, and enforce them with the police power of a state, county or town.
-- No dice, under the US Constitution.
You'd be surprised how much you can do constitutionally with zoning and regulatory laws (btw, most blue laws ARE constitutional -- despite having their origin in religion).
Either way, one or the other, or both, it is moot. It will not happen and the idea is bogus.
No, I wouldn't, seeing I wasted a lot of my life as a building contractor playing the game of getting around them. I was happy to retire and let someone else fight against the petty bureaucrats.
(btw, most blue laws ARE constitutional -- despite having their origin in religion).
Only those that regulate public displays of 'sin', imo.
Criminalizing what we do in private with other consenting adults is not a power granted to any level of government that I've ever seen. -- And prohibiting the possession of 'evil' objects is an even more insane bluenose activity.
Can you agree?
Why is the idea of restortion of a 'free state' ~bogus~?
Strange word to use. Do you consider a states powers under the 10th to be "bogus"? `
I agree that I hate the government meddling with the private market and people's private lives. I think most of that meddling is constitutional -- but not advisable. I, for one, would hate to live where the government regulates what I can and can't do.
ChicagoHebrew wrote:
I, for one, would hate to live where the government regulates what I can and can't do.
_____________________________________
You presently live in some utopia?
How do I get there?
Sorry, the little "condo" community would still have to exist and operate aacording to the laws of the state and federal government.
I assume you would give the same advice to the Jews in Nazi Germany.
That's a very naive statement you made, BSunday. Yes, the radical left are attempting to force us to agree with their positions. That's one of the problems with "hate crimes" legislation, "discrimination" laws pertaining to the gay agenda, etc.
Gee, I'll tell you what, why don't you come live here in California for a change. That might give you some perspective.
Not too long ago, if I remember correctly, our radical leftist legislators was working on legislation that would make it illegal for a church to refuse to hire practicing gays to certain positions (so much for religious liberty).
If I remember correctly, these leftist legislators also thought that transgender/transexuals/transvestites are a protected class, and that a Christian book store, therefore, should be required to hire them (I 'm sure you always expect you and your children to see a transexual at the cashier of your local Christian book store).
That happens in every new form of Government, Saundra. But I think it would definitely work. Sure, there will be some battling going on over beliefs, power, etc., but at least the battle will be over differing conservative beliefs, for the most part.
A "condo" city within the U.S. missis the whole point.
Not at all. You want the power to banish your neighbor for 'sinning'? -- You got it in condo city.
I assume the citizens would still be taxed by the federal government and those tax dollars would be used to support anti-Christian beliefs.
Hey, if you want to be free of US taxes, you would ~have~ to leave. That will never change. - Trust me on this.
Also, it would be naive to think that some A.C.L.U. fans would not try to gain access, then sue when they are denied or "banished" in order to change the laws.
Condo 'law' is a pretty cut and dried form of business conract law. The 'aclu' type ploy hasn't won yet in this field.
Sorry, the little "condo" community would still have to exist and operate aacording to the laws of the state and federal government.
Of course it would.
As I said initially, the only power such an association has is eviction. -- And its enough.
Bannishment from the community has worked for thousands of years to establish/keep control over cult & sect members.
I have actually thought of that. I forget why. But I don't know a great deal about it so it often escapes my review/survey of such options!
FReepmail me if you want on or off this list.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.