California County Quietly Votes For Independence From State and Federal LawsJamie Lee Mendocino County, in the pristine northern lands of California, where the magnificent ancient coastal Redwood trees meet the inland California Oaks, has voted itself into the constitution writing (righting) business. Yesterday, by a significant margin, they became the first county in California, and only the second county in the country to pass into law a very powerful local ordinance that declares local self-governing rights in their communities over state and federal jurisdiction. Over 67% of the votes cast were in favor of the measure. The ordinance provides for waters free from toxic trespass; preemptively bans all fracking activities countywide with heavy fines and penalties for violation of the ordinance; and establishes a Community Bill of Rights to, for, and by the residents of Mendocino County while checking corporate powers as well. In addition, the newly created law gives the Rights of Nature to exist and flourish without toxic trespass whereas previously Nature had no standing in the court of law. Here is some of the powerful language in the proposed ordinance which you can read (source): All residents of Mendocino County possess the right to a form of governance where they live which recognizes that all power is inherent in the people and all free governments are founded on the peoples consent. Use of Mendocino County government by the sovereign people to make law and policy shall not be deemed by any authority to eliminate or reduce that self-governing authority. Rights as self-executing, fundamental and unalienable. All rights delineated and secured by this ordinance are inherent, fundamental and unalienable; and shall be self-executing and enforceable against both private and public actors. The people of Mendocino County have made history once again after being the first county in the nation to ban Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) in 2004. Now these Mendonesians of premier wine making, medical marijuana growing and self-declared independence are continuing to assert and reclaim their inherent rights to decide for themselves what the laws will be in their communities and their county. What may seem radical to many is only following in declarations and rights acknowledged to, by, and for them by the California State and U.S. Constitutions as well as the Declaration of Independence: Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776: Article 1 of the California State Constitution of 1849: Across the nation a truly grass-roots movement of taken back power by, and for the people at the local levels has begun in earnest. In California, in this election alone, two other counties, Santa Barbara and San Benito, put anti-fracking measures in front of the voters while Big Oil spent over $7 million to defeat them. Santa Barbara was defeated last night but San Bernardino Countys measure passed into law. Ohio, New Mexico, Colorado, Maine, New Hampshire and Pennsylvania have in recent years passed into law local ordinances banning everything from toxic pig sludge dumping to Community Bill of Rights legislation as well as legal standing for the Rights of Nature to exist. In 2010, the City of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania made history by becoming the first city to pass a local ordinance banning hydraulic fracking. So far, state courts have upheld these rights in Colorado and Ohio. However, a bigger challenge comes in coming months as a federal judge will make ruling on Mora County, New Mexicos recent local ordinance passed that bans fracking in their county. It will be high stakes for all as over 30% of the states revenues comes from the oil and gas industry. Yet clearly the people of Mora County are choosing to protect their health and well being over profit, jobs and revenues for their county. Last week NASA released photos taken from space showing mass methane gas releases from the four corners region of the Southwestern United States, stunning all as to the widespread drastic effects that intense and increasing fracking activities are having on our environment. Up north in Oregon, Lane and Benton Counties are bringing to vote local ordinances to preempt Oregon state laws for the right to determine local food sovereignty. Last year, Oregon had preempted local counties from banning GMOs in their communities. Communities are now empowering themselves and fighting back. Who is the Author of Authority? The real basis of the question of the ability of local communities to write laws becomes just who is the final author of Authority? Put another way, who has the power to make law, the people in the communities, counties and cities where they live or unreachable legislatures and Presidents residing hundreds and thousands of miles away? Who are backed by huge corporate funding sources, that few can look, touch or feel, yet are called by many to be our representatives for what is best where we live, work and breathe. It is estimated in the United States alone there are some 26 million plus laws, rules, regulations, permits, codes, violations, infractions, et. al., where ignorance of the these laws are not excusable in court and our government schooling never teaches to anyone. And to enact state and federal laws, the powers that be must really on fear, force, coercion, ignorance and threat of being caged to get their laws obeyed. In other words, they demand obedience and compliance, or else coercion and force may be used no matter how amoral, immoral or destructive the laws may be. Is it Legal? Many in Mendocino County are asking about the legality of writing their own laws preempting the power of state and federal law over their county. One answer is provided by the founder of the Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund (CELDF), Thomas Linzey : (CELDF), along with Global Exchange of San Francisco, have been instrumental in providing assistance and guidance across the country to help we the people take back our rights and reclaim our power to decide for ourselves what laws we wish in our communities. For over 14 years they have been active in helping communities pass local ordinances across the nation. Currently there are over 8 states and some 800 communities who have recently passed local ordinances yet it has not been easy. In 2008 and again in 2010, Spokane, Washington tried to pass local ordinances banning corporate power in their city and protection of their waterways but failed by a few percentage votes while being heavily outspent by outside corporate interests. They plan to try again in the next election cycle. In 2008, the City of Mt. Shasta organized and began the process of empowering themselves when they learned that the corporate/state power company for Northern California, Pacific Gas and Electric, was actively spraying the skies above them with toxic chemicals through Geo-engineering. PG E cloud seeding, where the energy giant launches a cannon of silver iodide into passing storm clouds, forces the unnatural release of rain in one location to increase hydroelectric power for increased company profits from their dams. Additionally, Mt. Shasta City citizens attempted to ban water withdrawal from the local aquifers by corporate water bottlers, who were taking water at will from local tributaries. The community wanted to stop these unwanted practices which posed serious environmental damage to their very pristine ecosystem at the base of Mt. Shasta. Measure A had nearly the entire community support and was likely to pass until forces unseen got involved and due to clerical error removed Measure A from the ballot just two weeks before elections. What is highly suspicious about the clerical error was the same city voter registrar who helped the citizens of Mt. Shasta write the legalese language to the measure was also the same person who declared the measure invalid. You can read more about this act of subversion here. Who Will Enforce These New Laws? The next question that invariably comes up about the new local law is who will enforce it? Over the past few years a national organization called the Constitutional Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association (CSPOA) was formed to protect the people and their constitutional rights in the communities they serve over state and federal jurisdictions. Among other things, CSPOA makes claim that they are being adherent to the U.S. Constitution and that first, last, and foremost, it is the local sheriffs and community police officers who have final law and protection of its people authority. Just this year, in 2014, CSPOA wrote their own constitution which in part states: The people of these united States are, and have a right to be, free and independent, and these rights are derived from the Laws of Nature and Natures God. As such, they must be free from infringements on the right to keep and bear arms, unreasonable searches and seizures, capricious detainments and infringements on every other natural right whether enumerated or not (source). As of November 4th, 2014, over 650 police officers, sheriffs and public officials have put their signature to the CSPOA constitution. Sheriff Allman, of Mendocino County is a member of CSPOA. Home Invasion? Mendocino County is known for growing medical marijuana and is legal by state and local laws. Most growers pay per plant taxes to county and state for the right to grow weed that helps and heals. This summer, local growers were stunned to see several private, for-hire para military Blackwater type operations swoop down on ropes from helicopters, in full military regalia with guns drawn and no ID badges. They were apparently employees of Lear Asset Management Services and harvested (read stole) peoples crops to presumably sell for profit. Sheriff Allman was at a loss to as to who was doing it and why. To date no arrests have been made and no further disclosure as to who was behind the taking of peoples crops. As Time magazine reported about this action: It is probably not by sheer coincidence that this is happening when states are legalizing medical marijuana across the country and companies like GW Pharmaceuticals are selling marijuana based drugs like Sativex, which is derived from the Sativia strain of the plant that is shown to help with cancer treatments. Probably, and not so coincidentally, the World Health Organization came out this year and stated that cancer was predicted to increase by 70% over just the next couple of decades alone in developed countries and an estimated 100% increase in so called under-developed nations as corporate pharmaceutical companies salivate with future huge profit potentials. (source) Another main component of the ordinance passed is the establishment of a Community Bill of Rights for Mendocino County. Natures Laws and Earths Ways Maybe the most critical and exciting piece of the local ordinance that passed in Mendocino County yesterday was the recognizing the Rights of Nature to exist and flourish. To this day Nature has no legal standing in our courts of law throughout the nation. In 2008, the nation of Ecuador made history when it became the first nation in the world to legally recognize the Rights of Nature as well as language to provide for the long term protection and security of her natural resources over all other interests. Few are aware that our Founding Fathers specifically chose Nature to guide them in their new governance as stated in the very first paragraph, of their very first document, declaring independence from the tyranny of Great Britain: This has been followed by the international expansion of a Rights of Nature legal standing with the creation of a Rights of Nature Tribunal involving many of the worlds most revered environmental activists. They will act as trustees for Natures Rights. Over 850,000 people from 122 countries have now signed petitions advocating for Rights of Nature. (source) In this critical time, where Nature herself is under grave attack from Mans century of transgressions against her, caring people across the planet are actively and passionately beginning to realign themselves with ancient and native peoples by giving the highest respect to the life giving forces of Father Sun and Mother Earth. By taking back our power at the local level we are setting in course actions to arrest the gross degradation of our planet from those in near and far away places who are hell bent to destroy without conscience and who seek only profit and power over all. As We the People once again reclaim our rights to be the legal primary stewards of our soil, air and waters we are reconnecting with the immutable Laws of Nature and Source of all that is. By coming together (to gather) to be the change we all wish to see, we bring hope and show future generations that they too have the power to change what must be changed or our children will have no future to exist and flourish in health, abundance and beauty. If not us, who? If not now, when? Jamie Lee writes for TabuBlog.com where this report first appeared. Expect a visit from a lot of men dressed in black, black helicopters, and black SUVs and MRAP vehicles The Fed will NOT take this lying down. The fed will be taken down Dream on. YES!!! Way to go!! I smell revolution on the horizons. No Revolution, Mendocino County folks are stoned most of the time.. What an idiot. So in your mind people who smoke grass dont care about anything else in the world. Its not heroin you dingbat Your jerkyness is showing. and you are showing that you are delusional. Not only are you making assumptions, you are wrong People who smoke pot dont give a damn about reality, they just claim that they do I made a living putting them in Jail, most of the time to protect them from ass-wipes like you.. Maybe its your turn So you made a living by enforcing the Federal governments tyranny? YOU are the people we despise. You have no problem enforcing unconstitutional laws. I have 2 college degrees (one of them was Criminal Justice/Substance Abuse) and have smoked grass all of my adult life. Just because you go home and swill booze and I puff a little weed instead, you think you are morally superior??? You are a disgrace to everything that is American. You are a sheep that blindly follows orders UNCONSTITUTIONAL orders. Go end your pitiful existance and do America a huge favor Youre just another ignorant brain washed ass. Laws are a man-made construction, an agreement we all make with each other in the hopes of a better life; Enforcing/Obeying laws unworthy of protection are a betrayal of that pact, a shaming of that hope; humans must not be underestimated; we are always striving for a society that meets our ideals and principles. We, nor congress did not vote for a war on drugs; neither we, nor congress did not vote on placing marijuana on schedule 1, while valium, oxycontin, methadone and the like got a free pass for prescription, despite them being unequivocally more dangerous and addictive than weed. In Americas case Liberty, Freedom, Life and Pursuit of Happiness are the founding principles; with that in mind; the current trends of Law will not sustain. One day someone is going to find a better way, and when they do, they are going to shut them down. Nobodies always rises from obscurity and moves, shuffles, and shakes it all up. one large mistake enumerated here the law (The US Constitution) is on their side. Good for you, Mendocimo County! Good luck, and God bless. Quote: In 2008, the nation of Ecuador made history when it became the first Thats a laugh. By 2008 the nation of Ecuador had stripped 95% of its own rain forest, causing the extinction of countless species- many will never be cataloged and are now gone forever. Recognize the rights of nature? There was no long term protection of nature in Ecuador. Too little. Too late. How does this fare with NAU North American Union after all anything superseded here will fall into 2nd place after this. Details should be found on the next Bush aiming for US El Presidenty Jeb Buoy Bush in 2 years time. George didnt sign it off in 2004 for nothing, unless Hillary Redham Clinton gets their first 1st with First and only Woman Presedent http://www.westernjournalism.com/exclusive-investigative-reports/the-mystery-of-barack-obama-continues/ Hillary vs Jeb..that will make you want to flee the countrywhat a nightmare. This caught my eye until I saw the arguments for it: fracking??? The environment? Mom Nature? There are many counties that have something similar to this. Its called home rule thats being replaced with zoning according to the UN one size fits all blueprint (with a little palpable temporary tailoring to fit your county). Thanks to Nixons regionalism of the country, the creation of the EPA and then new revised State constitutions, MT 1972 Preamble revision: We the people of Montana grateful to God for the quiet beauty of our state, the grandeur of our mountains, the vastness of our rolling plains, and desiring to improve the quality of life, equality of opportunity and secure the blessings of liberty for this and future generations do ordain and establish this constitution Again 1972 . Over 40 years ago! Think the plan hasnt been in the working since? Again all the right reasons for a sovereign local constitution; declares local self-governing rights in their communities over state and federal jurisdiction, but wrong arguments: fracking????. The ultimate power is people power. Get everyone armed and organized and you can win against the tyrannical regimes that have enslaved you. It worked for the Bundys. The government is going to seize all the land the Bundys and their ancestors have worked for generations, as well as much of Southern Nevada without putting it before the people of our state. They will be breaking their own law, not that they careit all just a useful sham until it ceases to serve their agenda, anyway. Since old Harry owns adjacent property, you can be sure his personal interests will be served while he screws the people of Nevada. Harrys immediate labeling of the Bundys and their supporters as domestic terrorists worked like a charm. Ammon Bundy and his daughter, flying from Phoenix to Salt Lake for a recent family event, were detained until well after the departure of their flight, due to being on the list. Welcome to the USA, comrade. IT worked for the Bundys,hahaha,yea it did,LIKE HELL,the government is ran by demons from hell,and THATS one truth no one will admit,the US GOVERNMENT can and will murder the entire Bundy family and the GOOD law abiding citizens of america will hand all the police gang terrorists another ,medal for a good job done,and all the good law abiding citizens will be there to clap and yell horey,AND offer their young children to be sacrificed to their god satanin celibration of the death of the Bundy familyAND the same thing will happen to anyone who refuses the MARK OF THE BEAST,so get ready to meet satan america,your trip to HELL cant be prevented by no one but the LORD,and we know you hate him,so kiss your ass goodby..YOUR leaving soon I appreciate the idea that the people of Mendocino County are asserting sovereignty (although this particular application is foolish: there is no serious evidence that fracking causes any harm to aquifers, as it occurs far below the water table). However, as a purely legal matter counties (and municipalities and other subordinate jurisdictions) are creations of the state, and possess only such powers as the state grants them. They are not sovereign entities in any sense, and are completely powerless to overrule the states laws. The argument would be completely different if this were the state acting, as states are sovereign entities and it would have a good argument under the 10th Amendment. But not the county. They will lose on this, and very quickly. Does anyone know which county was the first to pass such a law, as suggested in the second paragraph of this article? Bill, It was Mora County, NM where I live. We have a mostly hispanic population, one of the poorest counties in the state and the country, and we value our land and water highly. Thank you for your reply. I found an article about it in the Green Fire Times, Mora County Community Rights Law: Self-Determination dated 31 May 2013. Very courageous for such a county to confront the oil companies. Any updates? An absolute dumb, inconsequential stupid waste of timethey can vote until they blue in the face, and just because they vote doesnt make it so. Personally, if I would have anything to say in the state of California I would close all roads to this county, employ the national guard and prevent anyone from leaving and entering. Cut all telephone, internet, gas and electric going in and then sit back and enjoy the show. What a bunch of morons. 