stories/sujuris1.html

Submitted by Bill St. Clair on Wed, 19 Nov 2003 03:44:30 GMT
Hi, I'm new to this board, my name is Winston Ward Johnson. Not only am I an avid reader of Claire Wolfe's writings, I actually have lived the life of a free Human Being since 1993. My quest for freedom started back in 1993 after reading an article in BackwoodsHome magazine about fully informed juries and then attending a meeting in Hillsdale, Michigan sponsered by Zeno Budd concerning property rights. I compiled various writings about 'land patents' and handed out several thousand of these booklets in Hillsdale County, Michigan. My first confrontation didn't happen over helmet laws, believe it or not it was a $14 building permit, that's right a $14 building permit. I was arrrested for failing to obtain a $14 building permit for a 15'X20' portable barn that I had built to keep my tools in while I built my geodestic dome home. I had already taken out all the 'necessary' permits for the dome, but was told by the building inspector "don't worry about a permit for that barn! That was in May of 1991, in July of 1992 I got a nasty letter from the same building inspector stating that I needed to get that permit, well needless to say it was all downhill from there! Finally on January 10, 1994 while I was in Chicago on business, two State troopers, two Hillsdale County Sheriff's deputies 'raided' my place with a search warrant and arrest warrant for me. I went down to the Sheriff's Department the next day to determine exactly what this was all about. In Michigan it's a criminal offense for failure to obtain a building permit, $500 per day fine and 90 days in jail, each day is a new and separate offense. Let's see now, that's a possiblity of $480,000 in fines and 240 years in jail! All for failure to get a $14 building permit!

Before I go any further, I'd like to make it perfectly clear that the reason I'm posting this information is not to draw attention to myself, it's to show others that you can indeed 'fight city hall' and win! It's about the message, not the messenger!

I was arrested on Janurary 11, 1994 and made the mistake of posting a $25 bond. I later learned that the posting of a bond gives the court jurisdiction, never made that mistake again! At my arraignment I stated that I didn't understand the charges against me, the prosecutor, Michael Smith wanted to have me committed to the nut ward because of my statement. At a pre-trial hearing on February 2, 1994 I was informed by Judge Donald Sanderson that I was not in a 'constitutional' court, to which I replied, "What in the hell am I doing here then? A trial date was set, I did all my own legal work, we picked the jury and had opening statements, the Judge called for a recess. The assn't prosecutor, 'No Deal', Neal Brady asked to speak with me, he informed me that after hearing my opening statement that he thought that I had a good case and just might win. He then offered to drop all charges if I just paid the $14 building permit fee, I informed 'No Deal', Neal that I was told by the building inspector that I didn't need to worry about getting a permit and that I had principles which I would not compromise! We finished the trial, I was found guilty, fined $200, given 6 months probation, and ordered to get in compliance with the building code.

I told Judge Sanderson to his face, while he sat on the bench that I would not pay the $200 fine, would not get in compliance with the building code and when 'asked' to sign the probation order by one of the clerk's I refused to sign it! One of the 'conditions' of probation was that I would not leave the State of Michigan without the permission of the court, I told the clerk, "I'm 46 years old, I'll leave this State anytime I want without asking permission". She said, "but we need you to sign the probation order." Not you have to sign it! It's a contract, they need your voluntary signature to complete the contract! Without which signature they can't hold you liable for any alledged violation! The court kept sending me probation meeting notices, I finally took my mailbox down so I couldn't get them any more! And now on to act 2 of my 'outlaw' life!

My 'driver's license' expired in May of 1993 and I never bothered to renew it! I guess it just slipped my mind, NOT!! On June 4, 1993 I filed a revocation of signatures document with the registor of deeds as a matter of public record revoking any implied consent that I may have given in regards to exchanging my natural, inherent and inalienable rights for government granted priviledges. Since I have never 'registered' to vote, I have never voted, I never became a 'member of the body politic', never 'entered into society' to enjoy the privilege of suffarage, never delegated any authority to any 'congresscritter' to pass laws on my behalf in any congress assembled, I therefore never gave my explicit consent to be governed. After all the unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of American does state that, "governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed." Have you given your consent? Your explicit consent? Any implied consent?

In September of 1994 I was stopped by a Hillsdale City Police officer, Todd Holtz for not having 'license plates' on my pick-up truck.

to be continued

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