POCATELLO — When Ben Byrne asked a group of about 200 law enforcement and highway officials how many of them had come in contact with sovereign citizens about 25 people raised their hands.
Byrne, a reserve officer with the Apex, North Carolina Police Department and a current anti-terrorism instructor, was the keynote speaker during the two-day Idaho Highway Safety Summit held at the Red Lion this week.
He said sovereign citizens are right-wing extremists that reject the U.S. government and the laws of individual states.
“Members pick and choose what laws apply to them,” Byrne said. “And they’ve decided that most laws — including license plates, driver’s licenses and proof of insurance — do not apply to them.”
The national movement has been around for 50 years, but it picked up momentum beginning in 2008, and Byrne has been investigating the group as part of the Fusion Task Force since 2010.
The FBI classifies sovereign citizens as domestic terrorists and in 2010 the Southern Poverty Law Center estimated that approximately 100,000 Americans were “hard-core sovereign believers,” with another 200,000 just starting out.
A 2014 survey by the National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism reported that law-enforcement agencies across the U.S. called the movement the single greatest threat to their communities, coming in way above Islamic terrorists.
“They are dangerous people and they believe that they’re smarter than you are,” Byrne told the crowd Tuesday.
In 2011, two Arkansas officers were killed at the hands of sovereign citizens during a routine traffic stop.
“Those officers died because they didn’t know who the sovereign citizens were,” Byrne said.
Sovereign citizens were also among the activists drawn to Nevada cattle rancher Cliven Bundy’s standoff with federal authorities last year. The standoff evolved over Bundy’s refusal to pay roughly a million dollars in grazing fees to the Bureau of Land Management.
Sovereign citizens Jerad and Amanda Miller were among the armed protesters who came to support the cause, but they were eventually forced off the ranch because their views were too radical even for Bundy.
In June 2014, the Millers randomly killed two Las Vegas police officers who were eating at a local pizzeria. A “Don’t Tread on Me” flag was laid over one of their bodies declaring a revolution. The couple later died after a shootout with police at a nearby Wal-Mart.
In Dallas last year, 60-year-old Douglas Leguin set fire to a Dumpster before calling 911 and declaring himself a sovereign citizen. He was armed with an AK-47 and attempted to ambush police and firefighters who responded to the blaze. Leguin was arrested by police.
Byrne addressed common language and signs that identified sovereign citizens.
A fraudulent registration plate affixed to a vehicle might be the first clue for law enforcement.
The plate may look like a slightly altered version of a legitimate registration and often contain words like “indigenous, sovereign, diplomatic, exempt or private property.”
Law enforcement officials who encounter sovereign citizens report that they refused to roll down their window or only rolled it down a matter of inches and then slid out a “Public Servant Questionnaire” asking for the officer’s full legal name, home address and other sensitive biographical information.
When stopped for traffic violations, sovereigns often ask for the officer’s oath of office or ask them to recite that oath, then they attempt to analyze words to differentiate between a “vehicle” and a “conveyance,” or “driving” versus “traveling.”
“What they are trying to do is get you to react, to confuse and intimidate you,” Byrne said.
Organizer Lisa Losness said the annual Idaho Highway Safety Summit brought law enforcement, highway officials and traffic engineers together to share good practices.
Along with guest speakers, the two-day summit included a number of workshops addressing topics ranging from aggressive drivers to child passenger safety.
Kyle Wills, a Boise police officer and chairman of the Office of Highway Safety, said Idaho has enacted a goal of “toward zero” highway deaths.
“Idaho has been recognized for its safety measures. I’m proud of that,” Wills said. “And contrary to national media reports, Idahoans are good, courteous drivers.”
In Southeast Idaho five people lost their lives in automobile accidents last week.
The state raised the speed limit to 80 mph last year, but Wills said it’s too early to determine whether the increased speed limit has impacted the number of accidents on Idaho highways.
“At this point, there is insufficient data to show that,” Wills said.
(21) comments
It seems to me that Ben Byrne has swallowed the propaganda of the hate mongering organization known as the Southern Poverty Law Center, Hook Line and Sinker.
Almost none of what he has said is truth. The system he is a part of is full of fraud, deception, threat, duress, intimidation, and coercion.
If you don't understand how that can be, then you need to educate yourself, before passing judgement on these issues.
Here is a good place to begin.
http://www.annavonreitz.com
Note to ALL "public officials":
Just follow the "law", as you expect everyone else to, and there will be very little risk to yourselves and your careers!
Actually,
Perhaps THIS place should be a good forum for me to discuss where I, and many other freedom-loving, freedom-minded people stand on this issue of the "all-powerful state" vs. the People who are supposed to be governed by THE PEOPLE'S OWN CONSENT?
You, Mr. Ben Byrne, have totally lost the conviction of what it is about to be a free man in a free society. You take your cues (and "queues") from the very pay-masters who seek nothing more than to gain and maintain a monolithic system of political power and control over every aspect of the lives of every single human being. You obviously care more about the monies and investments you stand to gain from, by selling out to these power-players, by regurgitating the same, tired old pablum of "obey your authorities, without question, because it is in your best interests". - I DO NOT subscribe to this point of view! (Thank you, Sting!) Therefore, in YOUR mind, and in the minds of your well-financed, over-privileged handlers, I must be considered, under the very subjective and opinionated Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) Volume V, mentally deranged, impaired, injured, or whatever other label that is in vogue. To question "authority" is to become labeled as "mentally il".
In being an independent scholar of human history, and all of its heart-rending tragedies, I take huge offense to the idea that we are to be nothing more than subjects to the whims of a system of control that benefits only the priviliged few, to the great expense of the many. I take unbrage to the fact that virtually every facets of our lifes is under strict regulation by those who seek complete opacity of their own nefarious deeds and actions. I see nothing more than absolute hypocrisy of the system and its controllers when they try to regulate us all practically to death over every natural, human action and interaction, whilst they comitted aggregious crimes aplenty against otherwise innocent, loving, and peaceful people, here and abroad. Yes, Mr. Byrne, we of the sovereign-minded people DO KNOW more than YOU and your masters how to live and let live! We also know MORE about what has worked for mankind, and what has not! We also know MORE about how to love one another, as kindreds, siblings, and as children of Nature, and of Nature's God(s) and/or Goddess(es). When we take heart into understanding what this Nation's Founders envisioned for us all, and OUR responsibilities to keeping it all intact, and improving upon it - for the true benefit of ALL mankind (rather than the priviliged few), we take OUR responsibilities seriously enough to know that YOU and YOUR pay-masters are ill-suited to remain in ANY position of authority or public trust any longer. The whole lot of you are nothing more than scoundrels, criminals, and fiends which continue to threaten the very existence of humanity. Human history has shown this conclusively so!
Your continued fear-mondering, exaggerated claims of threats, and outright deceitful lying to the public on where the problems in society are from, instead of where they truly lie, is very unbecoming of any who calls himself an "expert" on such matters concerning society, and humanity as a whole.
So please, Mr. Byrne, how about YOU and your whole litany of segacious and morally-repugnant pay-masters and propaganda mouthpieces just leave Idaho altogether??? Leave us all alone! We are tired of being told how to live, what we can eat, what we can say or not say, and WHO to believe in! This morally-bankrupt system, built upon lies, deceit, and enforced by state-sanctioned murder shall not stand for much longer! Like all things so dependent on "order", it shall eventually fail, and fall! The Human Spirit shall live on, regardless how many of us you and your ilk murder to enforce your on-sided, onerous edicts called "laws"!
Virtually EVERYTHING that government has gotten involved in, has come with a huge price, and has failed mankind miserably, except to impoverish and further destroy his future possibilities.
All Ye Tyrants,
Just GO AWAY!
- Jim S. Smith
For one,
ANYONE who chooses to use such org's as: SOUTHERN POVERTY LAW CENTER, ANTI-DEFAMATION LEAGUE, and various other questionable org's (of which MOST are under heavy foreign influence) for attribution, valiation, or in any "expert" capacity - is to be disregarded as patently absurd and very dangerous to our Nation. Mr. Byrne is just another propagandistic mouthpiece FOR the pro-establishment thinking.
And BTW,
WE, THE PEOPLE ARE supposed to be the one's "in-charge", and government, the servent. Though I may grieve at the unwarranted losses of life, let's face it: My rights to defend that which is under my charge and protection - I take seriously. If YOU are the one, under color of law, who is trying to unreasonably take from me: I have THE right and the DUTY to stop you, by all natural means necessary. Just because you wear a badge and are "from the government", does NOT make you less the criminal when you behave criminally (that is, against my protected rights as sanctioned by our nation's and states' founding contracts and agreements [Constitutions]).
So, get THAT through your thick heads, "officials", AND Mr. Byrne. This is OUR country, and OUR several states, NOT just for the privileged few!!!
- Jim S Smith
"And they think they are smarter than you"...
Well..... Courts have ruled against a man suing a department for placing too high on aptitude. Which was a marginally average requirement of about 100 IQ. So there is that.
And the occupation of police officer is officially the fattest job in the nation to add insult to that injury. So I have a basis to think cops are fat and stupid.
Now, to point weapons at me because they perceived me as a threat..... Is just reckless and stupid and had absolutely no basis. I fear for my life around this bald headed death cult. But I am not waiving my rights. And will continue to exercise them peacefully. And wait to slaughter that pig when I get him on the stand. Like I've done.
For those that data mine and investigate this garbage, please change my screen from “dangerous, approach with caution" to "note time and date of sighting and do not detain". Because I have nothing on my record that should warrant this libelous moniker. Please, and thank you :)
The transportation code, and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Act is all commercial. And in texas , the delegation of authority in Admin Code 4.13 only gives authority to stop enter and detain motor vehicle subject to 644 (commercial motor vehicles) and 522 (commercial drivers license). The DL is defined in 521.021 as an 'occupational license'. And 502.003 flatly states registration is PROHIBITED by political subdivision except for motor vehicles engages in commerce.
We should not be threatened and villified for excercising our rights. Period. Unless there is a breach of the peace or a warrant they have no probable cause to initiate a terry investigative stop.
What a biased propaganda tale. How much did your state handlers pay you to write this, Debbie?
Ed Snowden talked about the "Fusion Task Force". Their "task" is to spy on citizens and illegally invade the privacy of political opposition, just like the Gestapo and KGB, and put them on a "list".
No good leftist propaganda piece would be complete without a quote from the widely discredited Southern Poverty Law Center, a group of East Coast liberal trial-lawyer subversives heII bent on demoralizing America and turning it into an immoral cesspool.
For a news story to be credible, it must include a voice of those who disagree with the official narrative.
What a biased propaganda tale. How much did your state handlers pay you to write this, Debbie?
Ed Snowden talked about the "Fusion Task Force". Their "task" is to spy on citizens and illegally invade the privacy of political opposition, just like the Gestapo and KGB, and put them on a "list".
No good leftist propaganda piece would be complete without a quote from the widely discredited Southern Poverty Law Center, a group of East Coast liberal trial-lawyer subversives heII bent on demoralizing America and turning it into an immoral cesspool.
For a news story to be credible, it must include a voice of those who disagree with the official narrative.
For a news story to be credible, it must include a voice of those who disagree with the official narrative.
But Debbie Bryce isn't a reporter, she's a propagandist for the same people Ed Snowden warned us about.
" The job of the journalist, is to destroy the truth. "
What law enforcement doesn't understand is that the statutes, codes, and regulations only apply to the strawman the all capital letters name on our government documents and not the natural flesh and blood person. So legally the natural person is not required to contract with any government officials unless he/she volunteers to contract. In the case of police pull overs, they have no legal or lawful authority to charge you for anything because there is no victim and there is no crime. You're free to do anything as long as you do not hurt others or put their lives in danger. All the statutes, acts, and regulations on the road are for compelled performance because not everyone chooses to be responsible and follow the guidelines of safety to ensure they don't hurt themselves or other people.
ALL commercial "laws" are compelled performance.
In essence, they are "slaves' codes".
The Idaho State Journal invites you to take part in the community conversation. But those who don't play nice may be uninvited. Don't post comments that are off topic, defamatory, libelous, obscene, racist, abusive, threatening or an invasion of privacy. We may remove any comment for any reason or no reason. We encourage you to report abuse, but the decision to delete is ours. Commenters have no expectation of privacy and may be held accountable for their comments.
Tell me true.... you would also remove this comment or the others i have made for containing the truth?
do your own research and you may wish to begin with BLACKS LAW DICTIONARY
I really find it sad that not only do these gentlemen that call mostly free loving people "Sovereign Citizens" don't even know that, that very title is a oxymoron. One may be a Sovereign or a Citizen but you can not be both. Unless of cores you have split personality disorder.
If only these public servants knew what the laws really do say they may just agree with the poorly entitled "Sovereign Citizens". The problem does of cores lie within the definitions within the statutes that they are charged with enforcing.
Take for example Title 29-A: MOTOR VEHICLES for the State of Maine 29-A §101. Definitions
1. Adjudication. "Adjudication" means a finding by a court that a "person" has committed a traffic infraction and includes the acceptance by the clerk of the violations bureau or any judicial division of an answer of not contested.
The important word here is the word "person" as most people assume that they are the "person" that is being adjudicated within the particular infraction.
So this brings me to explain the simple fact that all statutory law is in fact contractual law. This is important to know because the words written within a contract can mean completely different things. As long as both parties to the contract have agreed to the meaning. Thus if I say that an apple is an orange and you agree then it is so, upon the agreement.
Now let us look at the definition of the word "person" as defined within Title 29-A: MOTOR VEHICLES for the State of Maine 29-A §101. Definitions
54. Person. "Person" means an individual, corporation, firm, partnership, joint venture, association, fiduciary, trust, estate or any other legal or commercial entity.
The important part of this definition is;
“any other legal or commercial entity” with the meaning that all the associated words prior to, are all “legal entities”.
Legal entity. A body; other than a natural person, that can function legally, sue or be sued, and make decisions through agents [a typical example is a corporation] See: Black’s law 9th dictionary page 976 first newly defined word right side column.
So as to a quick conclusion as to who the courts can adjudicate against it is simple to see they may only adjudicate an action with "legal or commercial entities"
Not one bit of adjudication with a "natural person" or in what I would rather call myself a man.
It is even a much more sad day for the rest of us people, whether you call us "Sovereign Citizens", "Sovereign",or "Citizens" The Supreme Court has just affirmed that these public servants may rely on there ignorance of the law for an excuse to violate the peoples rights.
So I will say please pray for the public servants for they know not what they do and the Supreme Court does not care.
I really find it sad that not only do these gentlemen that call mostly free loving people "Sovereign Citizens" don't even know that, that very title is a oxymoron. One may be a Sovereign or a Citizen but you can not be both. Unless of cores you have split personality disorder.
If only these public servants knew what the laws really do say they may just agree with the poorly entitled "Sovereign Citizens". The problem does of cores lie within the definitions within the statutes that they are charged with enforcing.
Take for example Title 29-A: MOTOR VEHICLES for the State of Maine 29-A §101. Definitions
1. Adjudication. "Adjudication" means a finding by a court that a "person" has committed a traffic infraction and includes the acceptance by the clerk of the violations bureau or any judicial division of an answer of not contested.
The important word here is the word "person" as most people assume that they are the "person" that is being adjudicated within the particular infraction.
So this brings me to explain the simple fact that all statutory law is in fact contractual law. This is important to know because the words written within a contract can mean completely different things. As long as both parties to the contract have agreed to the meaning. Thus if I say that an apple is an orange and you agree then it is so, upon the agreement.
Now let us look at the definition of the word "person" as defined within Title 29-A: MOTOR VEHICLES for the State of Maine 29-A §101. Definitions
54. Person. "Person" means an individual, corporation, firm, partnership, joint venture, association, fiduciary, trust, estate or any other legal or commercial entity.
The important part of this definition is;
“any other legal or commercial entity” with the meaning that all the associated words prior to, are all “legal entities”.
Legal entity. A body; other than a natural person, that can function legally, sue or be sued, and make decisions through agents [a typical example is a corporation] See: Black’s law 9th dictionary page 976 first newly defined word right side column.
So as to a quick conclusion as to who the courts can adjudicate against it is simple to see they may only adjudicate an action with "legal or commercial entities"
Not one bit of adjudication with a "natural person" or in what I would rather call myself a man.
It is even a much more sad day for the rest of us people, whether you call us "Sovereign Citizens", "Sovereign",or "Citizens" The Supreme Court has just affirmed that these public servants may rely on there ignorance of the law for an excuse to violate the peoples rights.
So I will say please pray for the public servants for they know not what they do and the Supreme Court does not care.
Thank you Bane Star for your well put explanation.
You may find the site at the following link interesting, or perhaps you already are aware of it.
http://www.angelfire.com/az/sthurston/tom_hyland_story.html
I must SECOND that "Thank You"!
Clear, succinct, and concise an explanation.
Now re write the correction for the story or be published on websites with 500,000 readers a month. i do expect a correction.
or you and this rag will be called out nationally.
This story is NOT TRUE. it is the police we wish to follow the law that refuse to. you did not do any research at all did you?
SUPPORTING ILLEGAL ACTIONS BY THE POLICE IS INCREDIBLE MISCONDUCT AS A REPORTER
HERE IS WHAT YOU MISSED and then made a false report.
see 18 usc 245 to verify the right to travel.
and then does this hold true in court? YES IT DOES AND HERE IS THE CASE LAWS TO SHOW IT.
Pontius v. McClean 113 CA 452 "The word 'operator' shall not include any person who
solely transports his own property and who transports no persons or property for hire or compensation." Statutes at Large California Chapter 412 p.833 "The right of a citizen to travel upon the public highways and to transport his property thereon, by horse-drawn carriage, wagon, or automobile is not a mere privilege which may be permitted or prohibited at will, but a common right which he has under his right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness."
SHAPIRO vs. THOMSON, 394 U. S. 618 April 21, 1969. Further, the Right to TRAVEL by private conveyance for private purposes upon the Common way can
NOT BE INFRINGED. No license or permission is required for TRAVEL when such TRAVEL IS NOT for the purpose of [COMMERCIAL] PROFIT OR GAIN on the open highways operating under license IN COMMERCE. "The rights of the individuals are restricted only to the extent that they have been voluntarily surrendered by the citizenship to the agencies of government."
31Definitions (6)
Motor vehicle.� The term “motor vehicle” means every description of carriage or other contrivance propelled or drawn by mechanical power and used for commercial purposes on the highways in the transportation of passengers, passengers and property, or property or cargo.
"Highways are for the use of the traveling public, and all have the right to use them in a reasonable and proper manner; the use thereof is an inalienable right
of every citizen." Escobedo v. State 35 C2d 870 in 8 Cal Jur 3d p.27
The use of the automobile as a necessary adjunct to the earning of a livelihood in modern life requires us in the interest of realism to conclude that the RIGHT to use an automobile on the public highways partakes of the of a liberty within the meaning of the Constitutional guarantees.
How are Sovereign cities a greater threat, in the eyes of police, over actual terrorists? Cops kill thousands of people, ISIS is butchering thousands of people, but they're worried about a group of people who really haven't done anything?
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In