66719e9c   
   XPost: soc.men, can.politics, uk.politics.misc   
   From: @...........Gov....police.state..ca   
      
   "Ted"  wrote in message   
   news:d47e287a-3845-417c-bac2-1bbc43e077f3@m7g2000prd.googlegroups.com...   
      
   >I'm a bit worried for the Canadian Freemen. With support like you have   
   >demonstrated here, they might go the way of the Montana Freemen.   
      
   Don't be....things alway have a way to be fixed.....   
      
   ..............   
      
   RCMP warns of militancy by 'right-wing anarchists' Western provinces:   
   Anti-government groups on the rise   
      
   Jim Bronskill   
   Southam News, with files from Chris Cobb, Ottawa Citizen   
      
   OTTAWA - The RCMP is worried about the rise of "several extreme   
   anti-government groups" in Western Canada -- inspired by U.S. radicals such   
   as the Freemen -- that dispute the state's authority to levy taxes and   
   license drivers.   
      
   An RCMP intelligence brief warns that "increasing militancy" by groups that   
   oppose taxes and other government measures has led to a pattern of criminal   
   harassment of police officers, judges and bureaucrats.   
      
   The Mounties note similar activities by U.S. extremists have sometimes   
   escalated to serious violence, including the murder of police, judges and   
   polititians.   
      
   In the federal budget, the government announced proposals that   
   would allow tax collectors and auditors who feel they are being harassed by   
   reluctant taxpayers to report the names of tormentors to police.   
      
   The RCMP says radical anti-government activity in the western provinces   
   appears to be influenced by the U.S. Sovereign Citizen movement,   
   individuals who deny the legal authority of government.   
      
   Sovereign Citizens, also known as Freemen, or the Common Law Court   
   movement, are "essentially right-wing anarchists," says the intelligence   
   brief.   
      
   These individuals claim that, by declaring themselves sovereign citizens,   
   they become subject only to common law, not to federal, provincial or state   
   legislation, courts or taxes. Members point to the Magna Carta and old case   
   law, which they insist prove no government can impose legislation on a   
   person without the individual's consent.   
      
   In 1996, the Montana Freemen threatened to arrest local prosecutors and   
   judges, leading to an 81-day standoff with the FBI at Jordan, Mont.   
      
   The movement's ideas were initially popularized by the now-defunct Posse   
   Comitatus, formed in Oregon in 1969, which claimed that all government   
   above the county level was illegitimate.   
      
   "There are several extreme anti-government groups active in Western Canada   
   promoting Sovereign Citizen activities based on those of the Freemen and   
   the Posse Comitatus," the RCMP brief says.   
      
   "Individuals involved in this movement will generally refuse to pay income   
   tax or the GST and will also often refuse to license or insure their motor   
   vehicles or to possess a valid driver's license."   
      
   Members try to "obstruct any investigation of these actions" by the Canada   
   Customs and Revenue Agency or the police.   
      
   The brief, prepared in early January, was released under the Access to   
   Information Act, although portions of the secret document were deleted.   
      
   When members of the Sovereign Citizen movement attend court to face charges   
   they usually bring a number of supporters, refuse to recognize the court's   
   jurisdiction and may try to place police and court officers under citizen's   
   arrest.   
      
   In one recent incident, a supporter assaulted a police officer.   
      
   Federal officials say some angry taxpayers have posted the names of   
   auditors and collectors on Web sites or even stalked the bureaucrats near   
   their homes. The name and picture of one auditor were displayed on a   
   billboard.   
      
   .................   
      
   RESPONSE TO NATIONAL POST ARTICLE   
      
   To: The National Post   
      
   Regarding your article:  "RCMP warns of militancy by 'right-wing anarchists'   
   Western provinces: Anti-government groups on the rise" by Jim Bronskill   
      
   It's a big scary headline, and it might even help boost some police   
   department budgets - but is it true?   
      
   No, it isn't.   
      
   It is true that there is a growing tax revolt, and it is true that people   
   are fed up with the style of intrusive government that brands all dissenters   
   as "right wing anarchists" or some other silly description. It is definitely   
   true that people (especially men and fathers) have had a bellyful of   
   government intrusions into their families.   
      
   However, linking ordinary people with extremist groups and extremist ideas   
   is a tactic that belongs to police states and dictatorships - and it is a   
   dereliction of duty for the RCMP to be making such rash statements.   
      
   Perhaps if Canadian governments actually did govern with the consent of the   
   governed, we wouldn't have this type of nonsense being spread by government   
   officials and the RCMP.   
      
   Perhaps some of the people who are opting out of the tax system do have some   
   odd ideas, but that is true in any group of people - including the RCMP,   
   parliament and (apparently) the National Post. Go figure.   
      
   You can mark me down as one of those who believes that the government has no   
   legitimate authority to tax people, and anyone else who refuses to fund   
   government is a hero - not an anarchist or extremist.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)