'Liberty State' Secessionists Peddle Their Christian Separatist Vision To Voters
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
The people promoting the creation of a “Christianity-based” 51st state carved out of what is currently eastern Washington have begun moving beyond just talking about it and planning for it. Now they are promoting it to the voters they need to convince to secede from Washington state—talking to local reporters, setting up booths at county fairs, and adamantly denying their extremism.
Liberty State representatives held a press conference on Tuesday in Moses Lake in which they depicted themselves as completely mainstream conservatives who are simply tired of urban, liberal Seattle dictating politics in their conservative counties—and adamantly denied that they are far-right extremists intent on creating a religious Christian state in which nonbelievers could be put to death.
“When both are a plague to each other because of natural cultural differences, and both would be much happier without the other, there’s only one solution that works very well for both sides,” said Liberty State spokesperson René Holaday. “And that is the amiable formation of the new state of Liberty that both sides agree would be the best win-win situation.”
The proposed new state is the brainchild of Republican state Rep. Matt Shea of Spokane Valley, his cohorts in the far-right Marble, Washington, “Patriot” community, and the associated “American Redoubt” movement based in northern Idaho. Essentially apocalyptic in nature, Shea and his fellow Liberty State advocates see it as a necessary preparation for when the rest of the world falls apart.
Earlier this year, reporters exposed Shea’s ruminations about what the new state would look like, and how it would behave, in a document titled “Biblical Basis for War” that was essentially an outline for war against its fellow states. Under “Rules of War,” it stipulates that “war is not waged against nations but against man,” and that one should “make an offer of peace before declaring war.” However: “If they do not yield—kill all males.”
Shea and his fellow advocates have claimed these were just theoretical chatter, and that their purpose in seceding from Washington state is simply to create a place where guns are no longer regulated as they are currently in the state, and where there are fewer regulations generally, creating more “freedom.”
As reporter Leah Sottile has documented extensively , the northeastern Washington community of Marble—dominated by a single Dominionist Christian church that at one time was affiliated with the racist Christian Identity movement—is the chief nexus of the Liberty State organizing. Much of it—with Shea’s avid participation—has entailed making preparations for violence with guns and other weapons. “Their whole thing is, ‘The world is evil and the government is evil’,” a longtime Marble resident told her. “[They want] to get back to Puritan America.”
She described how Shea led workshops for young campers: “An exercise in field skills for youth, including (but not limited to): field strip and reassemble assigned weapon; orienteering, field dressing wounds, following orders, PT, shooting skill, etc.” He titled his after-dinner session “Going Underground.”
Shea has come under fire from his fellow Republicans, both in the Legislature and elsewhere. “I truly believe it’s time for the leadership of the Republican Party in the state of Washington, his peers, to step up and have the courage and the integrity to do the right thing,” Spokane County Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich said. “If he will not step down, they need to work to remove him.”
However, the Liberty State spokespeople this week attempted to create distance between themselves and Shea. “While Rep. Shea struck the match, Liberty state is about we the people,” Holaday told the assembled reporters and campaign volunteers in Moses Lake. “And we’re just happy he was willing to introduce the bill on our behalf. He is being attacked because he and the Republican freedom agenda have worked very hard over the past decade to block Democrat actions. It is my belief that the west side would be much happier without that large group of Republicans working so hard against them all the time.”
They also claimed that there would be no religious requirements in their new state, despite Shea’s insistence that it would be founded on “Christian principles.” Holaday told the Moses Lake audience that “all religions would be welcome, Native American treaty rights would be respected and residents would have unfettered gun and property rights.”
The Liberty State website includes an announcement explaining that county coordinators had been manning booths at fairs all summer, and were gathering signatures for petitions asking county commissioners to place an advisory vote on their ballots in February 2020.
This past weekend, Liberty State activists manned a booth at the Spokane County Interstate Fair, selling T-shirts and yard signs and passing out flyers. However, none of them was willing to speak to a reporter from KHQ-6 News .
A supporter did voice the underlying view, saying, “People in eastern Washington are brushed aside, disrespected, disregarded and disdained by liberals in Thurston and King County.”
It’s not clear whether or not the concept has public support. The Liberty State website directs readers to a Facebook poll conducted in January by an eastern Washington TV station that ended with 71% support for secession and 29% opposed, with 12,200 votes.
Comments on that poll were typical of the sentiments voiced by Liberty supporters. “Absolutely. We are tired of being disenfranchised. We haven't elected a state senator or governor for over 30 years. We are tired of being dictated to by the socialists of King County and Seattle,” one read.
Others weren’t satisfied with simply seceding from Washington. “I don’t even want a star, keep the US flag the same. I just want out,” wrote one supporter .
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I have an idea of how they can fulfill their destiny
Didn't the owners of that, "ark", sue the contractor because it was damaged by water?
What is in the water up there in the far North West?
Shea wants to be the next Moses. Even proponents of Liberty & Jefferson are avoiding him.
Maybe the Liberty group can file useless lawsuits like the Jefferson hopefuls. ( Lawyers need the work )
That's not working out so well either.
Oh well, just another week of crazy....
Not sure, but damn glad I am on my own well.
The Hanford Nuclear plant may help explain it.
Holy crap, Batman !
People who want to create their own dictatorship country because you know federal laws would not allow the "freedoms" to re-write the Constitution to fit [Deleted] would not be permitted in ANY U.S. state. And sooner rather than later they'd just have to expand their private country (excuse me, STATE) to the surrounding areas by force as will be required, most people who live in this country actually kind of like it. I'd also like to point out a rather large portion of the population has sworn a oath to protect this Nation and it's Constitution against ememies foreign or domestic.
What is that old conservative saying about the U.S.? "Love it or leave it", isn't it?
And since you're always jaw-jacking about how you need to take over part of this country so that you could rule it in the manner you like, I'm sure they'd be delighted to include you in their crew, such a valuable person such as yourself, so these idiots and your anti-American Jeffersons can all board a ship and start your very own country in the middle east (since religious preferences don't matter) or South America. HEY, I have a great idea, go to Russia and stake a claim on some of their Country it's huge, they'll never notice or won't mind if you take over a little piece.
Then at least we wouldn't have to put up with the continuous complaining about how nobody listens to you OR them as ya'll whine about how nobody listens to ya'll about how ya'll should rule this Nation or whatever Nation you want to start in another part of the world.
At least, until as a foreign citizen and foreign minister in a new Country your S.S. or retirement and Medicare are canceled, but I'm sure your new "state" will have a exelent health and retirement plan.
And the west coast would have a few less problems and expenses and a lot more peace.
I'm delighted, let me know when you're setting sail and I'll send my "thoughts and prayers" with your holy... butts.
Would it be wrong for me to add an, "Amen"?
Your constant ''bragging'' is nothing more than false bravado, XX.
After all the years of telling us about Jeffersonia, it has yet to make it on the ballot.
And each one of the cities you mentioned above still has control of the whining dissidents know as Jeffersonians/Liberty 51st.
If all that is true, which it isn't, what in the world are you constantly whining about...
Try not paying CA sales tax, CA state income tax....LOL, that's where the power is at and you have no power.
worked in cali for 4 yrs... never paid them a dime in income tax.
Yet as you've previously admitted, your 'State of Jefferson' gladly accepts millions in California taxpayer funds to update and build infrastructure that your tax base can't afford on it's own.
Nope, I already proved that to be false in a prior seed.
Delusional.
Oh and BTFW, I thought you were against reparations.
"We"?
What is in the water up there in the far North West?
Probably the same infernal stuff that the gubmint is putting in the water in Southern California?
Sprinkler Rainbow Conspiracy
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christianity is dead. Guyana destiny.
If you want to see how a theocratic state would work, just look at Liberty University.
How would a theocratic state work? Even if Shea could cut out part of WA to create one, it would still be part of the USA and by law would be under obligation to the US Constitution.
He may want to discriminate against people not of his faith, but he ain't gonna get away with it
on the flip side, having born again scum all in one place would prove to be very convenient in the near future.