By
Timothy N. Baldwin, JD.
August 27, 2010
NewsWithViews.com
Americans have historically prided themselves in being different from all other nations of the earth. Stemming from our independent lives and station from Great Britain--even while being politically subject to it--the foundation of America rested upon the ideal of independence, individualism, self-determination and freedom. A massive and motivating Secession Movement from Great Britain took only a few years to brew throughout the colonies, given only minor usurpations from their mother country, comparably speaking. The colonies’ sovereignty was deemed established not upon the winning of the war but upon their unilateral declaration: “these united Colonies ARE, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States.”[1] Once their sovereignty was confirmed by the Treaty of Paris of 1783, constitutions were formed upon the American ideal of choice, reflection and wisdom, knowing that the Natural Law principles of self-government proclaimed in the Declaration of Independence were the undergirding foundation and were eternal in application to every generation.
Upon these same principles, many in America today believe that similar decisions as made by the founding generation must be made the people of the States. The fruits of the spirit of the federal government have evidenced its machinery intent of subjecting the people of the States to anti-American ideology.
However,
masses of people scrounge around trying to find the answer in the system
as is. “There must be someone to blame!” they claim. Some
angrily point to the federal courts because of their “misinterpretation”
of the U.S. Constitution. Some point to Congress for passing laws without
having read the U.S. Constitution or with the attitude that if the law
is unconstitutional, the courts will set it straight later. Others point
to the President--as if he can do anything without the money Congress
gives him to wage war, support his bureaucracy, grow his military-industrial
complex and spread the wealth of the nation. Thus, every two and four
years, the only method of reform that can be thought of is voting in new
politicians in federal office. Meanwhile, the people see little importance
in putting politicians in the State and local positions who have a true
understanding of what federalism, state sovereignty and consent of governed
truly mean in theory and application.
And the cycle of enslavement continues.
Ironically, many of these same people who claim that the federal government has enslaved the people and destroyed the states throughout many generations and that there is a conspiracy of the highest order and most evil intent shun the thought that the States secede from the union. They reject (unwittingly or not) the notion that the nation is too large to be governed by one central authority; that self-government cannot exist as long as 400 plus million people are lumped into one system of governance; and that true government reform means breaking this empire up into smaller parts. They cannot wrap their minds around the ideal that the American dream demands that the States separate from the form of government that they acknowledge is enslaving them.
As has been observed, the U.S. Constitution is “in reality a version of the British Constitution,” [2] from which the colonies seceded in 1776. The only notable and distinctive element of difference in the U.S. Constitution was the concept of federalism—a federal system of sovereign states exercising their powers independent of the federal government and the federal government exercising its powers independent of the states. But even Great Britain exercised a type of federalism as the colonies were left to govern their internal affairs without interference. Were this not true, resisting the Stamp Act of 1765 would seem quite silly. So, can the experiment of dual sovereignty be considered a success? While most Americans may not recognize the failure of this experiment, the results from our debauched federal government clearly prove the failure. Yet, many Americans still attempt to use the same debauchery to bring freedom to the States which they claim are in slave status. Something is terribly wrong with this picture.
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What will it take for Americans to realize that the States are naturally and morally justified in separating from the chains and cycle of tyranny? Perhaps more than anyone would care to admit. We obviously have not learned from the example of our founding generation, for they seceded under much less egregious circumstances than our political and social plight today. We cannot even learn from the modern-day examples of other countries. Consider the nation of Sudan, the South of which is undergoing a serious secession effort today. In a recent article entitled Moral Justifications Of Secession For Southern Sudan, the author writes about the moral justification of secession in Sudan, saying,
“In the two wars (1955-1972) and (1983 to 2005), the total number of deaths have been always estimated at between 3 million and 4 million…The prior occupation and annexation of territories of South Sudan by Sudanese Armed Forces, massive human rights violations and discriminatory injustice are seen as severe injustices that can morally justify secession.”
How astutely observant it is for human rights groups and other “free” governments of the world, including the United States federal government, to recognize a moral justification (i.e. natural right) of a people to secede from their existing political connections! I think a monkey could figure this out. So, does it really take the death of millions before the people realize that they should secede! I thought constitutions (and thus unions) were to be formed and remain under the pretext of forethought, consent, wisdom and reason, not upon the force of remaining until the country reaches utter devastation like Sudan. [3]
Amazingly, some Americans are more afraid of reforming the union than they are of the federal government, which they assert have total control over our lives with the intent to do so. Despite this assertion and belief, these people ignore America’s first principle: “when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object EVINCES A DESIGN to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their RIGHT, it is their DUTY, TO THROW OFF SUCH GOVERNMENT, and to PROVIDE NEW GUARDS for their future security.”[4] Even Alexander Hamilton admits this necessity under the U.S. Constitution.[5] Yet somehow this observation of social and political nature has been foolishly rejected by many who claim to love freedom and America.
The reality is, the federal government has nothing without the cooperation and consent of the States. This was admitted throughout the federalist papers. Were even a few States to secede from the union, the federal government’s power to do anything in response would be exponentially limited. They have no assets as it is. They have nothing but debt. Their only sustenance is a people who chose to remain bound to their rule. That day is short lived.
The new Secession Movement has nothing but moral justification written all over it—a morality which considers preemptive prevention to be a better remedy. People can argue practicality all they want (just as some did in 1775-1776 in America), but the wave of freedom’s future will demand that your loyalty be revealed. A side must be chosen. Neutrality will not be tolerated, just as in 1776. You need to know: those who advocate secession today are not wackos and nut-jobs, despite the attempts by news commentators such as Chris Matthews, Geraldo and the like to categorize otherwise.
Today’s secessionists are reputable and honorable doctors, lawyers, politicians, journalists, scholars, teachers, university professors, economics, insurance agents, deputy sheriffs, military officers, business owners and a myriad of regular Americans.
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What people need are leaders who have a vision for the future of freedom in the States of America. These leaders are not found in Washington D.C. They are likely and virtually unknown on a national scale. However, as circumstances worsen, they will rise to the occasion and the opportunity of history will reveal invaluable statesmen, those like the founding fathers. It will be these leaders and those who follow them who will prove that at least some of the States are not like other nations of the world who wait until millions are killed or their lives destroyed before secession is justified. They will use the wisdom given by God to “provide new Guards for their future security” and to “secure these rights [of Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness].”[6]
Footnotes:
1.
Thomas Jefferson, American Declaration of Independence, 1776, (emphasis
added).
2.
George Pellew, American Statesmen, John Jay, Vol. 9, (Boston and New York,
Houghton, Mifflin and Co., 1899), 69, statement made by Sir Henry Maine.
3.
“[We are called upon to decide whether] societies of men are really
capable or not of establishing good government from reflection and choice,
or whether they are forever destined to depend for their political constitutions
on accident and force.” Alexander Hamilton, Federalist Paper 1 (emphasis
added).
4.
Thomas Jefferson, American Declaration of Independence, 1776, (emphasis
added).
5.
“If such presumptions [of federal tyranny] can fairly be made, there
ought at once to be an end of all delegated authority. The people should
resolve to recall all the powers they have heretofore parted with out
of their own hands, and to divide themselves into as many States as
there are counties, in order that they may be able to manage their own
concerns in person.” Alexander Hamilton, Federalist Paper 26
(emphasis added).
6.
Thomas Jefferson, American Declaration of Independence, 1776.
� 2010 Timothy N. Baldwin, JD - All Rights Reserved
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Timothy N. Baldwin is an attorney from Pensacola, FL. He received his bachelor of arts degree at the University of West Florida in 2001 and received his Juris Doctorate degree from Cumberland School of Law at Samford University in 2004. Baldwin was a Prosecutor in the 1st District of Florida from 2004 to 2006. In 2006, he started his own law practice, where he created specialized legal services entirely for property management companies.
Like his father, Chuck Baldwin, Timothy Baldwin is an astute articulator of cutting-edge political ideas, which he posts on his website, www.libertydefenseleague.com and speaks about in various public forum. Baldwin is the author of Freedom For A Change, in which he expounds the fundamental principles of freedom believed by America’s forefathers and gives inspiring and intelligent application of those principles to America’s current political and cultural standing. Baldwin believes that the times require all freedom-loving Americans to educate, invigorate and activate the principles of freedom within the STATES of America for ourselves and our posterity.
Web site: LibertyDefenseLeague
E-Mail: tim@libertydefenseleague.com
