# Sovereign Citizens-- Please tell me this is fake **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 24, 2016, 7:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sovereign-citizens-please-tell-me-this-is-fake/769572 "2016-10-24T07:38:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 42
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2024, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sovereign-citizens-please-tell-me-this-is-fake/769572/821 "2024-01-21T03:30:31Z")
Yes. By far “papist” was the best single word in the whole thing. Here we are bouncing along routinely through ordinary US anti-tax, anti-democratic nutter muttering (“nuttering”?) and then suddenly “Squirrel!! Papist bonds!” and right back to municipal mundanity. That was a classic. Thank you both for recording it for posterity and bringing it out to us today. ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2024, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sovereign-citizens-please-tell-me-this-is-fake/769572/822 "2024-01-21T05:32:36Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > “British-American Sovereigns” I’d not previously heard this form of “WASP.” Adds a not so subtle racism dog-whistle to all the anti-tax nuttery. ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2024, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sovereign-citizens-please-tell-me-this-is-fake/769572/823 "2024-02-17T02:09:07Z")
A really good overview of SovCits, their international existence and US history, > **[Sovereign Citizens: Pseudolaw & Disorder](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KcxZFmKrxR8%2F1)** > > Check out Holzkern and use CAT15 for 15% off anything in store - beautiful, unique pieces all inspired by nature: https://www.world.holzkern.com/en\_world/mun... ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2024, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sovereign-citizens-please-tell-me-this-is-fake/769572/824 "2024-02-17T19:28:46Z")
_This_ is how judges should deal with sovereign citizens. > **[STRICT MICHIGAN JUDGE DESTROYS SOVEREIGN CITIZEN IN COURT THEN HAS HIM ARRESTED](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CylB-XwPUOY%2F)** > > In this video we have a very tough Michigan judge completely destroying a sovereign citizen in court.Sovereign citizen:Sovereign citizens believe they are no... ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2024, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sovereign-citizens-please-tell-me-this-is-fake/769572/825 "2024-02-18T22:54:46Z")
I loved that judge. Never heard a judge that had to be bleeped before, he was serious! ---
**Author:** ![TokyoBayer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tokyobayer/32/13989_2.png) [@TokyoBayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TokyoBayer)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2024, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sovereign-citizens-please-tell-me-this-is-fake/769572/826 "2024-02-19T12:41:53Z")
30 days for contempt of court. That’s a chunk of time… It was never said what the crime was, but the judge did refer to it as a felony, so it’s more serious than the typical charges of driving without a license or no registration that SovCits face. I do wish more judges would shut them down like that. It’s obvious that they are impervious to reason so there is no need to engage with them. ---
**Author:** ![Stratocaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stratocaster/32/16393_2.png) [@Stratocaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stratocaster)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2024, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sovereign-citizens-please-tell-me-this-is-fake/769572/827 "2024-02-19T14:55:10Z")
I saw one video where the judge played along and @#$&ed with the SovCit. It was pretty funny. He ended up stating he was rendering a judgment on the legal entity, real human, etc., etc., as if any of that was real. Delivered with a straight face. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2024, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sovereign-citizens-please-tell-me-this-is-fake/769572/828 "2024-02-19T15:05:05Z")
The judge in Richard Marple’s case wound up leaving the courtroom after his continued rants, instead of continuing to address him directly. His conviction for driving with a suspended license was mailed to him, though the fine was ultimately suspended. Probably he was treated with kid gloves because he was a state legislator. [What a maroon.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQImNvJ-HeA) ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2024, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sovereign-citizens-please-tell-me-this-is-fake/769572/829 "2024-02-19T15:42:06Z")
> [@Stratocaster](#): > > I saw one video where the judge played along and @#$&ed with the SovCit. Pretty sure that is Judge Hurley of Broward County, Fla and David Hall [the man not the person](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvgiM6xoo7M&ab_channel=Kenbone). ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2024, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sovereign-citizens-please-tell-me-this-is-fake/769572/830 "2024-02-19T18:00:08Z")
> [@TokyoBayer](#): > > It was never said what the crime was, but the judge did refer to it as a felony, so it’s more serious than the typical charges of driving without a license or no registration that SovCits face. I looked at the court document that was shown on the screen and I believe it was firearms possession by a felon. ---
**Author:** ![Stratocaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stratocaster/32/16393_2.png) [@Stratocaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stratocaster)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2024, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sovereign-citizens-please-tell-me-this-is-fake/769572/831 "2024-02-19T18:02:48Z")
That’s it! 😄 ---
**Author:** ![Sylvanz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/fbc32d/32.png) [@Sylvanz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sylvanz)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2024, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sovereign-citizens-please-tell-me-this-is-fake/769572/832 "2024-02-19T18:35:36Z")
I thought I heard something off screen on the recording about fire arms. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2024, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sovereign-citizens-please-tell-me-this-is-fake/769572/833 "2024-02-20T04:56:12Z")
I like to see decisive judges dealing effectively with idjits, too, but there’s no call for profanity, as the Michigan judge resorted to. A judge ought to remain calm, cool and collected at all times, regardless of annoyance or provocation. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2024, 8:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sovereign-citizens-please-tell-me-this-is-fake/769572/834 "2024-02-20T08:09:01Z")
You can be calm, cool, collected _and_ profane, if you want to. Not all profanity is borne of emotion - sometimes, it’s just a rhetorical tool. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2024, 8:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sovereign-citizens-please-tell-me-this-is-fake/769572/835 "2024-02-20T08:12:43Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > You can be calm, cool, collected _and_ profane, if you want to. Fuck yes you can. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2024, 8:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sovereign-citizens-please-tell-me-this-is-fake/769572/836 "2024-02-20T08:21:11Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > I like to see decisive judges dealing effectively with idjits, too, but there’s no call for profanity, as the Michigan judge resorted to. I have actually heard a judge of the Court of Queen’s Bench (as it was then known) use profanity in the courtroom. However, it was in the context of reading a statement that had been introduced into evidence. Not quite the same as the Michigan judge did. Still, it was a bit of a shock. ---
**Author:** ![scudsucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scudsucker/32/14101_2.png) [@scudsucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scudsucker)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2024, 11:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sovereign-citizens-please-tell-me-this-is-fake/769572/837 "2024-02-20T11:31:18Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > Fuck yes you can. And you can (nitpick) be profane AND grammatically correct. “Fuck yes, you can” Two clauses. (Sorry) ---
**Author:** ![Stratocaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stratocaster/32/16393_2.png) [@Stratocaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stratocaster)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2024, 11:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sovereign-citizens-please-tell-me-this-is-fake/769572/838 "2024-02-20T11:36:57Z")
It could be “Fuck, yes you can,” a sort of generic “you can do it” with a naughty intensifier at the start. This could also read as Yoda informing you the Jedi celibacy rule has been repealed. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2024, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sovereign-citizens-please-tell-me-this-is-fake/769572/839 "2024-02-20T12:16:17Z")
Why isn’t it as follows? _Fuck, yes; you can._ ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2024, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sovereign-citizens-please-tell-me-this-is-fake/769572/840 "2024-02-20T12:40:39Z")
Or: _Fuck - yes, you - can._ Which is an order given to a person who is reluctant to have sex with some Campbell’s Soup. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sovereign-citizens-please-tell-me-this-is-fake/769572.md?page=41) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sovereign-citizens-please-tell-me-this-is-fake/769572.md?page=43)