The Constitution of the Federalized States of Freedom Haven (Draft Version 0.50 12/11/2018. More at: FreedomHaven.org ) goo.gl/6prK68 goo.gl/NQJLdE goo.gl/qt1jkn PREAMBLE ---- We the individual People, in order to secure the right to defend ourselves, {Gto limit the scope of #Government}, and to secure the Blessings of #Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, so that we can have the chance to learn, grow, and work towards achieving our greatest individual divine potentials (so that through our efforts, and without #compulsory_means, prosperity may flow unto us forever and ever), do ordain and establish this Constitution for the Federalized #States that form the Country of Freedom Haven. We recognize that: * #Freedom is an essential ingredient for individuals to achieve their greatest potential. We hold to the Philosophy of #Liberty as a means to improve upon the #Life that we have. * The initiation of #Force is immoral and harmful. * {GAny #Government, or any system of #Force/#Compulsion/#Coercion, will naturally try to grow in scope over time. We oppose such expansion.} This Constitution is established for the purpose of preserving the highest degree of #Freedom possible for each Individual while preserving the Individual’s right of #self-defense. It is also meant to be {Gchains to limit what #Government can do}. ARTICLE I: DEFINITIONS ---- These definitions are written in logical order, not in order of importance. While the words below may have additional meanings outside of this Constitution, the definitions below will be used within the context of this Constitution and all of them need to be understood in order to properly understand the intentions of this Constitution. * [Force;Compulsion;Coercion;compulsory means;#FORCE (or #COMPULSION/#COERCION) is defined as taking/destroying or threatening to take/destroy someone else's #Life, #Freedom, and/or #Property.] * [Freedom;Freedoms;Liberty;#FREEDOM (or #LIBERTY) is defined as living #Life with the least amount of #Force (or threat of #force) used against you as possible. - #Freedom is a God-given natural right, and exists in the absence of any #Government. - #Government cannot create #Freedom – it can only preserve, protect, restore, or suppress it. - #Freedom is the ability to use your #Life and #Property according to your will, as long as it does not take away from someone else's #Freedom to do the same with their #Life and #Property. #Freedom is what you are naturally able to do in the absence of someone threatening to #Murder you, #Kidnap you, and/or #Steal and/or destroy your #Property. - For example: We claim the privilege of worshiping God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may.] * [Life;Lives;#LIFE means sentient human #Life. This is any human (with human DNA), that has their own unique brain activity, regardless of their skin color, gender, beliefs, disabilities, actions/history, intentions, or location. Human sentience exists when electrical signals are occurring in the brain. - A human body that does not have any brain activity for a documented extended period of time (aka: “brain dead” or “vegetative state”) is the #Property of their legal guardians.] * [Property;Properties;Tangible Property;#PROPERTY (or #TANGIBLE_PROPERTY) is anything that you can touch which can be owned.] - You cannot own another sentient human being. You (and only you) own your body while you are alive. > Long term actions that are deliberately intended to produce sleep deprivation can cause brain damage (which is #property damage), and if that leads to deliberate death then this is #Murder. > Deliberately damaging someone’s hearing through loud noise is also #Property damage, but (in certain areas where loud noise is expected) it is expected that people take their own precautions (within reason) to prevent hearing damage. - The only items #Government recognizes as #Property are #Tangible_Property. - [Intangible;Intangible Items;Virtual;Control over #intangible (or “#virtual”) items (which you cannot touch), such as information, perceived value, ideas, processes, etc, are not God-given natural rights. People may choose to keep their intangible items concealed from others or secure them within their rights of their own #Tangible_Property, but they may not attempt to control #intangible_items through the use of #Force on others. You are not justified in using #Force to control what happens with intangible items once they have left the control of your #Tangible_Property.] - Tangible #Property shall exist as either #LAND (non-portable #Property) or PORTABLE #PROPERTY. - [Land;Lands;#LAND #Property Ownership: > Multiple public decentralized databases should be kept by the people that record who owns which #lands in Freedom Haven, with clear boundaries defined so that conflicts can be avoided. > Where two or more individuals assert a claim to the same #Land, the right of the claimant able to assert the best claim is to be respected. The criteria by which the best claim is determined shall include: the time at which the claim was first publicly asserted, and the use to which the claimants have put the Land to (the greater the use, the greater the claim). > #Lands shall extend above to the height of the space occupied by the tallest owned solid structure, and below to beyond the depth needed to maintain a very stable foundation of all structures on the owned #land. > No person, or group of people, may own all of the Residence #Property surrounding someone Else’s Residence #Property without allowing them (and their portable possessions) instant reasonable free access to enter or exit their Residence #Property at that person’s own will and timing. All people should have freedom of movement to/from any Residence #Property.] - [Portable Residence;#PORTABLE_RESIDENCE #Property: > Any piece of Portable #Property that can house one or more living humans is considered a #PORTABLE_RESIDENCE #Property. > The laws of a #Portable_Residence #Property are the same as the laws of the #Land that they reside on. If they do not reside on an owned piece of #Land, then the laws are the same as the outer-most #Portable_Residence #Property they reside in/on. If they do not reside on an owned piece of #Land, nor on/in another #Portable_Residence #Property, then they can choose their own laws within the limitations of this Constitution.] - A #Property owner controls the use of their #Property. - Any #Property that people own (and can give legal #consent regarding) may be voluntarily exchanged between #consenting individuals, but they bear the legal burden of showing proof that such a voluntary transfer took place. - Violation of mutually voluntarily #consented contracts involving #Property can be seen as #Theft of that #Property and therefor may sometimes justify the use of #Force (by anyone the #Property owner authorizes) to ensure all #Property ends up with its legal owner, according to the contract. - A Residence #Property owner may evict anyone on their Residence #Property for any reason at any time, unless a voluntarily signed contract removes some or all of this eviction right, but a realistic amount of time must be allowed to reasonably vacate the premises. Contracts are responsible for covering what happens regarding reimbursement, if any, in the event of an eviction. * [Murder;Murderer;#MURDER is ending sentient human #Life without #consent, unless it is required for #self-defense.] * [Kidnapping;Kidnap;Kidnapper;#KIDNAPPING is taking away #Freedom (without #consent, unless it is required for #self-defense), which includes (but is not limited to) the following examples IF no #consent is given: - restraining (which includes #Rape), - imprisoning, - blocking access to enter or exit any #Property (that you have authority or permission to enter), - providing addictive recreational drugs or other addictive substances.] * [Theft;Thief;Robbery;Robber;Invasion;Invader;Trespassing;Trespasser;Arson;Arsonist;Vandalism;Vandal;Rape;Rapist;Steal;#THEFT is taking, destroying, using, or damaging #Property without #consent, and is only sometimes justified if needed for #self-defense. This includes the following: - #robbery - #invasion/#trespassing - #arson/#vandalism - using someone else's #Property without their #consent. This includes #rape, which is physically using someone else's body for sexual intercourse without their #consent.] * [Defensive Force;Defensive-Force;Self-Defense;#DEFENSIVE_FORCE (or #Self-Defense): is using #Force only to defend your #Life from #Murder, your #Property from #theft/#invasion/#trespassing/#arson/#vandalism/#rape/etc., or your #Freedom from #kidnapping/#rape/etc. #Force is only #Defensive-force as long as the threat to #Life, #Freedom, and/or #Property remains active. Justice, retribution, and/or vengeance are not #Defensive-Force and are not justified uses of #Force.] * [Government;Governments;#GOVERNMENT is any person, or group of persons, using #Force, regardless of whether the use was justified or not. To the people of Freedom Haven, #Government and #Force are synonymous. Anyone using #Force is #Government, and #Government only exists when #Force (or the threat of #Force) is present.] * [Extradition;Extradite;#EXTRADITION is capturing an individual and sending them to a foreign #Government to answer for crimes against that foreign #Government that are not also crimes against the laws of Freedom Haven.] * [Pollution;#POLLUTION is modifying land, sea, and/or air belonging to Freedom Haven in such a way as to reduce its utility, with the exception of any modification of gases that also occurs naturally from animals. Excrement can be released back into the environment only after most of the biological break-down of the waste has completed.] ARTICLE II: RIGHTS ---- There are no rights but those that exist for all people. No third party can take away an individual’s rights, and no government permission is needed to have and use these rights. All rights are based on the truth of self-ownership. * #LIFE, #FREEDOM and #PROPERTY - Each individual person has the right to maintain and control his or her own personal #Life, personal #Freedom, and personal #Property, after the corresponding age of consent has been reached. * #DEFENSIVE_FORCE - #Force is only sometimes justified to defend someone’s #Life, #Freedom, and/or #Property. - {GSince #Governments naturally grows in scope over time, this Constitution is established to block that growth, so that the least amount of #Force that’s required is used (to defend #Life, #Freedom, and/or #Property) and the greatest amount of #Freedom is preserved. An imperfect execution of justified #Government action does NOT justify an expansion of #Government authority.} - All people are permitted to arm themselves with whatever weapons they believe is needed to defend themselves and others, with the exception of nuclear and biological weapons (which are forbidden). Private #Property owners are permitted to further restrict weapons within their boundaries for the safety of their #Property, but these restrictions may only be enforced through the eviction of non-compliant people from their property. - {GSince we oppose the expansion of #Government, only the minimal amount of #force needed should be used in a particular situation so that the situation is not escalated – this requires self-restraint when using #force.} While it is good to be honest with your feelings, we should aspire to be full of love and compassion: it is better to act out of love for that which you are protecting than to act out of hate for the person who threatens what you’re protecting. - All #Property owners have the right to expel anyone on their #Property, or deny access to their #Property, for any reason they wish. Individuals may disagree with the reason the #Property owner gives or may think the reason is invalid, but this does not justify violating that person’s #Property. * WE THE PEOPLE ARE THE #GOVERNMENT - Neither the #Government of Freedom Haven nor any organization has any rights except for those rights which exist for each individual person. - {GThe #Government may not use #Force, except the minimum needed to stop #Murder, #Kidnapping, or #Theft (as defined in this document).} Any individual has the right to defend #Life, #Freedom, and/or #Property (as defined in this document), but when such #Force is used, that individual (or group of individuals) {Gis (in that moment) part of the #Government and is subject to the limitations contained within this Constitution}. - The emphasis of #Government should not be to punish or condemn people for their actions but instead {Gto protect #Life, #Freedom, and/or #Property}. People can change and improve, and #Government should not stand in the way of people becoming better than they were. The emphasis should be on providing mercy to those who seek to fix what they broke, and not on handing out justice. * [States;State;State’s;ESTABLISHMENT OF #STATES The boundaries of a privately owned #Land, or #Portable_Residence, #Property that doesn't exist inside the boundaries of another privately owned #Land, or #Portable_Residence, constitutes a #STATE. Each #State owner may have his/her own specific laws for their #State for implementing this Constitution within their boundaries, with the following conditions:] - All people should have reasonable notification of, and access to, the documented laws that exist within a #State with reasonable advance warnings of law changes. All people should have reasonable timely access to what each #State’s laws are. - Each individual who legally enters another #State should be notified of the laws they will be required to comply with within the boundary of that #Property. This suggests brevity of the laws. - #States may use the laws of another #State. Having multiple #States using the same laws makes it easier for trade and goods to cross boundaries. - If one person’s #Portable_Residence #Property is inside another person’s #Portable_Residence #Property or #Land #Property, the laws of the outer-most #Property takes precedence. If a #Land #Property isn’t part of the equation, then the outer-most #Portable_Residence will take precedence. A person should not bring their #Portable_Residence #Property into another person’s #Land or #Portable_Residence #Property unless they #consent to abide by the associated laws. - If individuals cause any damage to another individual’s #Property, owners may also establish reasonable ways for people on their #Land (or #Portable_Residence) #Property to fully repay or repair the portion of any damages they cause that they are found responsible for. The same may also be explored for loss of #Freedom or loss of #Life. A person is responsible for fixing the damage they are found responsible for regardless of whether the damage was caused intentionally or by accident. Both of the following are true, but since they conflict with each other in each situation it would need to be determined, as needed, how much of either is at fault and bears responsibility for any damage that was caused: > Each individual is responsible making reasonable efforts to keep their #Life/#Freedom/#Property safe from accidents that can cause damage (thus keeping them out of harms way) and > Other people are responsible for not threatening that person’s #Life/#Freedom/#Property. - #Government, or voluntary non-Government, mediation may be used to resolve issues between #States of Freedom Haven, but this needs to be done in an orderly, publicly-understood and publicly-visible process. * [Consent;consenting;consented;#CONSENT #Consent must be recorded in a way that it can be proven in court that #consent was indeed given. If individuals are accused of using #Force, they shall be presumed innocent until proven guilty, but #consent is assumed not to have been given unless it can be proven. If individuals are shown to have used #Force, they must prove their #self-defense justification, or #consent given, or else be in violation of the required limitations on #Force. #Consent cannot be given to certain subject areas until after a certain age: - #LIFE: You can give #consent regarding your #Life at age 21 (agree to assisted suicide, etc). You can defend your #Life at any age. - #FREEDOM: You can give #consent to give up your #Freedom/#Liberty by using addictive substances, or trade your own slavery in exchange for products or services (indentured servitude or debt), etc. at age 18, on condition that an end-date is specified in the contract. (Overcoming any addictions acquired, which were properly communicated ahead of time, will be the individual’s responsibility.) - #PROPERTY: You can give #consent regarding your #Property (minus your own body) at age 8 (your legal guardian can provide the #consent until that age). You can provide #consent regarding your body at age 18. - Power of Attorney: #Consent can be legally granted to another for a period of time if the person wishes, after that person is old enough to legally give that #consent themselves. Sufficient witnesses of this event are required so that this can hold up in court. #Consent can only be provided by the individual or someone with “power of attorney”. - In all things, #consent is required to be documented in a way that would hold up as evidence in court if needed. - #Consent CANNOT be determined by the vote of the majority.] * NO TAXATION. NO RIGHTS TO #GOVERNMENT SERVICES. - Taxation is #Theft and is forbidden – the #Government may NOT #steal to fund its efforts. - No #Government services are a right. If individuals want a service, but do not want to pay for it, they will have to find someone who is willing to offer that service for free. If no one volunteers to perform the service for free, then the service does not have to be offered. Individual people bear the ultimate responsibility to defend their own #Lives, #Freedoms, and #Properties. Individuals may grant authority to others to provide security for them. - An individual’s right to #self-defense shall not be taken away unless that individual can be proven to be initiating Force against others. For example: A shooter shots an innocent person and people nearby take the shooter's gun away and detain the shooter. - Each individual has the responsibility to be vigilant in order to protect his or her #Freedoms, #Property, and #Life. {GEach individual is encouraged to document each instance of tyranny, so that #Force is not used beyond #self-defense.} - Only the #Property owner may impose fees for physical access to, or use of, their #Property. No external #Government, group, or individual, may impose any such fees or tariffs. * PRIVACY - #Government shall not have any rights to privacy. #Government must provide timely public visibility into all actions it performs. - Individuals not using force may choose to implement privacy, but not at the cost of another individual’s rights to his or her own #Life, #Freedom, or #Property. Privacy is best achieved by having control over your own tangible #Property. * INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS TRUMP ANY VOTE OF THE MAJORITY - The vote of the majority shall never take away the rights of the individual, as listed here. * [No Extradition;NO #EXTRADITION There will be no #Extradition from Freedom Haven.] - The #Governments of foreign nations which seek any individual, currently in Freedom Haven, who broke those foreign nation’s laws, may choose to arrest them in their own respective nations, but they should not come to Freedom Haven seeking to arrest them in Freedom Haven, neither should they expect Freedom Haven to #Extradite said individual, unless the individual has committed crimes worthy of banishment from Freedom Haven according to the laws of the corresponding #State of Freedom Haven. - Representatives of those foreign nations are welcome to visit the #States of Freedom Haven, with the #consent of the #State #Property owner, as long as they abide by the laws of that #State and do not threaten another individual’s #Life, #Freedom, and/or #Property. No individual in Freedom Haven, including the representatives of other nations, is given special rights that are not also available to all individuals. Representatives of other nations will be required to abide by laws in accordance with this Constitution of Freedom Haven, just like everyone else. - Foreign nations may choose to prosecute members of Freedom Haven for laws that that individual has broken in the Freedom Haven #State they reside, in accordance with those #State laws. Courts should be wary of evidence provided by foreign country’s since those countries may have an incentive to frame the innocent with falsified evidence, so that they can circumvent the “no #extradition” restriction. * LIMITATION In addition to any other limitations listed here: - {GAny use of #Force or #Government action not justified in this Constitution is forbidden and is in violation of individual rights.} - Any laws/regulations/executive-orders/etc passed in Freedom Haven that are in conflict with this Constitution are considered null and void and shall not be recognized by Freedom Haven’s courts, security forces (police, army, etc), or residents. ARTICLE III: BORDERS AND BOUNDARIES ---- Freedom Haven claims all of the various “internal waters”, “territorial waters”, “exclusive economic zone”, and other areas that exist for sovereign nations. Any person and their #Property is welcome inside these national boundaries conditional on their adherence to this Constitution and the laws of any #State they visit. * All people are considered visitors of Freedom Haven until they obtain their citizenship. * To become a citizen, a person must have completed all of the following: - have been present at Freedom Haven more than 50% of the time over the previous year or be the owner of a State for at least a month, - be in full compliance with this Constitution and/or made full reparations/repairs for all damages caused, - sign an affidavit of governance that: > requests their mother or father country stay out of Freedom Haven affairs, and > asserts Freedom Haven as an independently governed nation - Citizens of Freedom Haven are free to also keep their previous citizenships from their home country. - Freedom Haven Citizenship can be revoked if a person is banished from Freedom haven for failing to comply with this Constitution. Any private #Property #Land or #Portable_Residence may also become an extension of Freedom Haven, as a new #State member of the Federation of States of the country of Freedom Haven, upon their covenanting to uphold this Constitution and the Freedom of the people. Any #Property owned by anyone not willing to follow this Constitution is not welcome within any of the above mentioned boundaries of Freedom Haven. In addition to whatever is granted as a country’s right according to global norms, the country of Freedom Haven claims ownership to all water, land, and air, within their Contiguous zone (24 miles out), until anyone (who is willing to abide by this Constitution) lays physical claim to that water, land, or air by enclosing it – at which point it will become #property of that person and the #State they represent. Any damages, such as #pollution (as defined above), to the water/land/air before it is claimed (as stated above) are not allowed, and any claimed water/land/air that is damaged in this manner may not be returned to the area owned by the country of Freedom Haven until the damage has first been repaired.