# Is there any legitimacy to the Sovereign Citizen argument?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-legitimacy-to-the-sovereign-citizen-argument/786097>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [May 7, 2017, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-legitimacy-to-the-sovereign-citizen-argument/786097 "2017-05-07T22:25:12Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
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**Author:** ![Moriarty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moriarty/32/49_2.png) [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)\
**Post date:** [November 26, 2017, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-legitimacy-to-the-sovereign-citizen-argument/786097/231 "2017-11-26T04:15:50Z")

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You know, this thread IS an interesting insight into the sovereign citizen mindset.

Once something is written down in an official capacity - and especially if it contains useful phrasing (e.g. the treaty which ended the Revoluntionary War), it becomes LAW. Once deemed LAW, the person acquires the power to “enforce” it, because that’s what people do with law (jurisdiction - as it really exists - isn’t really a concern for sovereign citizens).

A few mental gymnastics later, you’ve convinced yourself that the LAW exists which entitles you to all sorts of legal immunity, and it’s simply not being followed because people don’t know the rights they have. Much of American history has been en example of extra-judicial power grabs. As a philosophy, it’s very much the opposite of legal realism.

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