From: Eric_S_Klien@cup.portal.com Newsgroups: talk.philosophy.misc Subject: Oceania Message-ID: <100082@cup.portal.com> Date: Thu, 6 Jan 94 03:12:34 PST Preachers have begun to speak out against rap music. So far the calls for boycotting "gangster rap" have been reasonably stated. There has been no call for legislation to eliminate this form of music or to regulate the free speech used to produce it. Woe betide America when such calls arise. It is important to recognize that not all religions respect the right of free speech, even in America. Many religious leaders in the Islamic community favored the Ayatollah's position that Salman Rushdie should be killed for his writing _The Satanic Verses_. And Christian religious leaders in small communities all over America have banned books from school libraries for reasons like, "profanity," or "Suggestive of devil worship," or "Reference to adolescent physical development," or "New Age spirituality," or "Exposure to Islam." Classic books like _Brighton Beach Memoirs_ and _Brother to the Wind_ as well as the books of Mark Twain have been subjected to this treatment. Religion is protected in this country. But that can change with the political tide. If Mount Carmel, Texas is not safe for the Branch Davidians, which religion will be next? Clearly, religious freedom is not well served by attacks on other freedoms such as the right to bear arms, free speech, and freedom of the press. If you are concerned about freedom of religion in America, perhaps you should learn more about Oceania. Here is the complete text of what the Constitution of Oceania has to say about religion, "An Oceanian has the Right to practice or not practice any religion that ey chooses. Particularly abhorred is the war on religion practiced by most countries on Earth. The Government of Oceania will never storm a church with tanks and grenades because it is unpopular. The Government of Oceania may not fund art, media, education, or any other means of promoting a particular religion; nor may it interfere with the Right of any broadcaster to provide religious programming or the Right of Parents and schools to provide religious education. Of course, the Government may not mint money that says "In God we trust" or require oaths to God. No additional Rights, Entitlements, or Privileges are to be granted based upon freedom of religion. If a religion requires that you rob banks, robbing banks will still be a prosecutable offense for members of that religion. Freedom of religion does not confer the freedom to violate the Rights of others." For those of you worried about "prayer in the public schools," the Constitution of Oceania deals with that problem in this way, "It is forbidden for the Government to run, fund, subsidize,or regulate schools or universities. To allow this would be in direct conlict with the Right to Religion. Government-run schools and universities always discriminate against one or more religions. It is also forbidden to create any laws standardizing education or defining what is or isn't an educational program. No laws may be created stating the amount of time a student Must spend in any educational program." Finally, the Constitution says, "It is forbidden for the Government to establish a national religion or support any religion in any way or to deny the Right to worship freely" If you think that religion in America is either poorly protected or overly privileged, you should look into Oceania. To receive more information by e-mail, send your e-mail address to Oceania@world.std.com. From: Eric_S_Klien@cup.portal.com Newsgroups: talk.philosophy.misc Subject: Oceania Date: Wed, 12 Jan 94 02:27:54 PST A recent television newsmagazine story on the creator of FOG-S, a low cost alternative missile system developed by an engineer at the Navy's China Lake Weapons facility raises some interesting questions. This guy is certainly being attacked for having repeatedly designed missiles that cost orders of magnitude less than competing systems preferred by Navy brass. There are many motives for spending extra tax dollars; there are few for spending carefully. So, if you accept that taxation is theft, the thieves are motivated to steal more all the time and have no motive to be parsimonious with their ill gotten gains. There is also an interesting issue regarding the charges that the engineer was not a "team player" because his brothers helped lobby for his missile project in Congress. Many of his accusers felt this particular course of action showed his self-interested motives. Ignoring for a moment the fact that self-interest motivates everyone, the charge that there was something wrong with lobbying Congress on a matter of this consequence is tantamount to claiming that the right to petition the government for redress of grievances is out of date. Although that right is specified in the First Amendment to the US Constitution, few of those sworn to uphold it seem to remember that clause. And few who work the civil liberties side of the street work in defense of it. If you're tired of the condition of liberty in America, perhaps you should learn more about the new nation, Oceania. To receive more information by e-mail, send your e-mail address to Oceania@world.std.com. y Postal services and issuance of stamps. y Standards of weights and measures. y Surveying. y Power generation. y Water: Water for residential, industrial, agricultural or any other use will be bought and sold as is any other commodity. y Schools: The practice of Governments running schools, setting curriculum standards, and compelling attendance is anathema to a free society. Parents have the sole Right to determine how and where their Children are educated, including home education. y Housing: Private Entities will control all housing. y Children's behavioral and protective services. y Children's camps, theaters, and other activity programs. y Adoption: Care of Children should never be allowed to fall into the hands of Government. Adoption is a private Contract among biological Parents, adoptive Parents, and a private adoption Entity, if any. y Libraries and museums: Private Entities will fund, build, and control libraries and museums. The Government may not regulate what people can read, what art they can see, or which version of history they believe. y Art: The Free Market will support the art that the marketplace desires. This includes the areas of paintings, sculptures, ballets, symphonies, theaters, cultural centers, art galleries, art centers, movies, fiction books, and orchestras. In particular, it is forbidden for the Government to censor art, before or after its production. y Historic preservation and archaeology: Private Property does not become public simply because it is interesting. Historic preservation and archeological activities will be done by private Entities. y Airplanes, trains, and other public transportation and their respective facilities such as airports. y Traffic control: The private Entities that own roads will be responsible for making and enforcing their traffic laws. Only penalties for trespassing and endangering lives already established in the laws of Oceania will be used for their enforcement. y Insurance: Private Entities will run all insurance. This includes bank insurance, pension fund insurance, Property insurance, import and export insurance, liability insurance, disaster insurance, auto insurance, professional insurance, life insurance, travel insurance, medical insurance, disability insurance and unemployment insurance. y Food inspection: It is expected that restaurants and food retailers will have liability insurance, and that insurance companies will set rules for food safety and perform the needed inspections.. y Automobile and equipment safety inspections: As with food, liability insurance vendors will be expected to set safety rules. y Consumer regulation: All safety regulations, consumer protection regulations, and other Business regulations will be accomplished by the Free Market. For example, 900-number phone services will be regulated by private phone companies, not by government agencies. y Consumer protection services. Consumer affairs should be settled in private or public Courts. y Building plans and Inspections will be done by agreements between banks, lenders, builders, and insurers. y Car washes. y Towing and car repair. y Emissions testing. y Hospitals: Oceanians may create and use any hospitals, hospices, nursing homes, and outpatient centers they desire. y Drugs and other health care. y Veterinary services. y Mental health services: Mental illness is just that_illness. Private hospitals may treat mental patients just as they treat other patients. In particular, no hospital has the power to imprison a Person against eir will unless that Person has been previously declared to be a Child by a Court. y Cemeteries. y Coroners and other crime investigators. y Parks and recreational facilities. y Public service classes such as aerobics, martial arts, wrestling, dance, billiards, pottery classes and yoga. y Rehabilitation centers. y Job training and placement services. y Escorts: Escorts for visiting dignitaries, public officials, funerals, parades and other special events shall be done by private Entities. y Weather forecasting. y Amateur and Professional sports, including boxing, y Agriculture and forestry: The Government of Oceania will not pay farmers to refrain from growing food, will not subsidize foresters by building roads and giving away Land to be destroyed, and will not control irrigation. Nor may the Government subsidize any group of farmers including honey bee farmers. y Rationing: The Free Market will replace this traditional Government function by allowing prices on goods to be set based on supply and demand. y Cartels and monopolies such as utilities will not be created by the Government, nor will it interfere with their private creation. y Economic planning including subsidies. While it is legal for a Business to subsidize a product, the Government may never do so_even for "strategic" items such as wool and mohair. y Scientific research. y Energy exploration and production. Access to energy will not be controlled or prohibited by the Government. y Taxicabs. y Gaming: Government regulation of, running, or profiteering upon, gaming is a violation of the Right to Property. y Charity: Government charities are compassion at gunpoint. Only private charities, directly accountable to their voluntary contributors, will exist in Oceania. y Tourism. Employers may freely negotiate the following with their employees, customers, or insurers. y Levels of stress in the work environment. y Definition and prosecution of sexual harassment. y Medical, dental, disability, unemployment, life, workers' compensation, social security or pensions, and other insurance. y Medical testing, drug testing, and other employer qualification tests. y Smoking regulations. y Labor relations and Contract negotiations including negotiation of severance payments. y Anti-discrimination or pro-discrimination rules. y Price and wage controls. y Facilities (including parking) for the handicapped. y Building facilities, such as doors, toilet facilities, and security systems. y Occupational safety regulations. y Fire codes, electrical codes, and occupancy codes. C.The following powers have been given to Housing Developments. Of course, individuals may also hire these services on the Free Market if their Housing Development does not provide them or if they are not members of one. y Hiring of election administrators. y Police and Fire protection. Fire and home insurance companies can set safety rules and protection standards. y Disaster insurance. y Maintenance of infrastructure (power, water (including fluoridation), roads, graffiti, animal control, etc.) y Community facilities such as swimming pools, golf courses, hockey rinks, gymnasiums, baseball fields, football fields, and basketball courts. y Zoning, rent control, and building codes. D.The following powers have been given to The People, to control by referendum: y Pollution: Pollution Must be prosecuted by the Oceanian whose Land, water, or air is damaged or whose Life and health are threatened by it. Because of the often random nature of environmental hazards, the people may vote by referendum on what levels of a particular toxin are considered "harmful" for the purpose of Court decisions, and what the damage amounts are. Such referendums do not restrict the ability of actual harmed parties to sue for specific damages. What this means is that because carbon monoxide, for example, is known to cause health problems in a certain percentage of people, a referendum may be passed that sets a specific level of monoxide in auto exhaust as "harmful". After that referendum, anyone who found that much monoxide in auto exhaust could sue the person who owns the auto for damages specified in the referendum, or the auto manufacturer if it guaranteed that the auto wouldn't violate such limits, even if ey wasn't one of the few who suffered actual symptoms. Those who actually do suffer symptoms and can prove causality may still sue independently of the referendum and get specific damages. Also, someone who can show that ey was harmed by lower levels of monoxide can still recover damages for eir injuries. In the case of such things as lead in drinking water, a contract between the user and the supplier would override any such referendum. y Endangered species: Limits on hunting, destroying the habitat of, or otherwise harming designated species may be set by referendum. The referendum will have to designate a voluntary fund to compensate Oceanians hurt by this referendum and the referendum will not be enforced in cases where there are insufficient funds in the designated fund to pay the Oceanians hurt by the referendum. Of course, breeding such a species in captivity to increase their number is acceptable, even if some animals are sold or otherwise used to help fund the project. y Abortion: The people may, by referendum, place restrictions on abortions after three months gestation where the mother's life is not endangered. y Symbols: The people determine by referendum the appearance of the flag, passports, and other symbols of Oceania. These symbols and observances are, of course, matters of personal expression. Oceanians are free to celebrate as they choose, to display, burn, refuse to display, or otherwise treat flags as they choose, and otherwise express themselves freely. The name of Oceania, its flag, and its passports will serve to identify it to the other nations of the world, but Oceanians may use them or not as they choose. Using symbols of Oceania fraudulently is prosecutable under Article Four, National Security. y War: The people may, by referendum as specified in Article Four, National Security, declare war. Referendums can be used to add or remove countries from the Government's enemy list. y Recognition of new classes of Persons. y Modification of or dissolution of the Government. y Quarantine of Persons with infectious diseases. y Set off and establish election precincts. E.The following powers are reserved to Each Individual Oceanian: Article One, A Partial Listing of Rights, details the Rights of each Oceanian. We list here specific powers often usurped by Governments: y Life: Each Person can decide when and how to end eir Life. y Reproduction and birth control. y Drugs, vitamins and other health care. y Marriage: Each Oceanian can decide the terms of eir marriage Contract, or whether ey wishes to create such a Contract. y Inheritance: Each Oceanian may decide who gets eir Property (including eir body) when ey dies. In the event a Person dies without any explicit instructions as to the disposition of eir Property, the Person's Nearest Relative will be awarded inheritance. If there is no living relative, anyone making a claim on such Property (such as friends or favorite charities of the deceased) may petition a jury to award inheritance. The Government may never be awarded inheritance or any portion thereof unless explicitly granted by a will. F.The following powers have been taken away from the Government and given to No One: y Taxation: No one has the power to tax. Likewise, the profession of assessor has been eliminated. y Embassies. y Evacuation: No one may Force an Oceanian to leave eir Property for eir own "protection". If an Oceanian wants to live on unsafe Property, that is eir choice. y Eminent domain: Each Oceanian's Property is completely eir own. y Torture. y Financial Controls: No one may be forbidden from taking money or other valuables into or out of Oceania. No one may forcibly suspend trading in stocks and bonds. No one may forbid ownership or control the value of gold or other commodities. No one may forcibly freeze checking and savings accounts of others. It is hoped that non-Oceanian readers of this Constitution will realize what a long list of powers that they have entrusted to their Government. They should remember that absolute power corrupts absolutely. ARTICLE THREE Powers Specifically Forbidden to the Government If a power is forbidden this means that not only is it illegal for the Government to tax to fund this power, it is also illegal for the Government to accept voluntary contributions to fund this power. A 95% vote is necessary to remove an item from this list. A 66% vote is sufficient to add an item. Many of these restrictions are mentioned elsewhere in this Constitution. They are repeated here for clarity and emphasis, because Governments traditionally usurp these powers. A.Taxation: It is forbidden for the Government to tax. User fees may be required by the Justice System from losers in Court cases. No other user fees may be required by the Government. The use of revenue stamps, sales taxes, use taxes, excise taxes, inheritance taxes, vehicle and vehicle rental taxes, estate taxes, gift taxes, income taxes, tariffs, License fees, "sin" taxes, Property taxes, room taxes including comp room taxes, taxes on illegal substances, self-employment taxes, unemployment taxes, service taxes, taxes on health benefits, duties, energy taxes, "gas- guzzler" taxes, Business or corporate taxes, food taxes, withholding taxes, value added taxes, social security taxes, school taxes, airport taxes, luxury taxes, capital gains taxes, inventory taxes, windfall profits taxes, unitary taxes, hospital taxes, wealth taxes, departure taxes, capitations, franchise fees, public air space taxes, training taxes, interest taxes, birth taxes, poll taxes, barge taxes, gas taxes, or registration fees by the Government is forbidden, as well as any mandatory collection under any other name. To reduce the restrictions on the power of taxation in any way requires a dissolution of the Government along with a change of the country's name. This dissolution and renaming requires a 95% referendum vote. We hope it is obvious that tariffs that are used to restrict trade are considered a tax and therefore illegal. The reason that user fees may be requested by the Justice System is to discourage frivolous cases. Justice is an Entitlement. If it were free, people would use it more than services they had to pay for, and the people's Liberty, as well as the efficient administration of justice itself, would suffer. B.Business: It is illegal for the Government to own, operate, subsidize, donate money to, insure, or loan money to Businesses. This includes the practice of a Government breaking a "monopoly" by launching a competing Business. This includes the selling of alcoholic beverages, running lotteries, utility companies, delivering mail, running air traffic control centers, educational companies, libraries, notary publics, coroners, surveyors, orphans' homes, universities, and charitable organizations. C.Embassies: It is forbidden for the Government to run embassies or appoint ambassadors. It is not desired for the Government to get involved in foreign entanglements nor for the Government to try to enforce its laws in countries besides Oceania. Embassies from other countries are accepted in Oceania but their diplomats will not receive diplomatic immunity. Oceanians who hold passports to enemy nations still retain all Rights of Oceanians, even in time of war, and may not be detained or confined. In particular, they have the Right to leave Oceania without harassment if they choose to remain loyal to their previous Government. As to protecting Oceanians outside the country, the Government encourages Oceanians to join private associations whose goal is to protect Oceanians who have traveled outside the country. Associations have the Right to engage in war with countries that are not on the Government's official ally list. D.Property: It is forbidden for the Government to own real Property, i.e., Land and buildings. Government leases of real Property may not exceed ten years. The Government may also not buy or lease any vehicles. Government employees Must finance their own transportation. Government employees Must finance their own housing. E.Streets: It is forbidden for the Government to own streets or waterways. F.Banking: It is forbidden for the Government to mint money or issue stamps. It is forbidden for the Government to borrow money, even in times of war. It may not assume the debts of any County, Locality, City, or other corporation whatever. The Government may not lend money. G.Schools: It is forbidden for the Government to run, fund, subsidize, or regulate schools or universities. To allow this would be in direct conflict with the Right to Religion. Government-run schools and universities always discriminate against one or more religions. This includes the practice of subsidizing blackjack dealer schools. It is also forbidden to create any laws standardizing education or defining what is or isn't an educational program. No laws may be created stating the amount of time a student Must spend in an educational program per year. H.Welfare and Humanitarian Activities: It is forbidden for the Government to have welfare programs including Social Security programs or any redistribution or transfer schemes, or to give charity of any kind. It is forbidden for the Government to give aid to other countries or to help Oceanians or others after disasters. Likewise, it is forbidden for the Government to run, fund, or subsidize hospitals or any other health related programs. This includes institutions for the benefit of the insane, blind, and deaf and dumb, and such other benevolent institutions as the public may ask for. This includes helping Persons who, by reason of age and infirmity, or misfortunes, may have claim upon the sympathy and aid of society. The one exception to this is that the Court of Oceania may hire private mental hospitals for holding people who have been convicted of a crime but are obviously insane and need more help than a jail can provide them. Finally, it is forbidden for the Government to receive aid from other countries. In particular, the Department of War Must never be used for humanitarian activities. Private companies may Contract with national reserve militias and mothballed militias to engage in humanitarian activities as needed. Charity at gunpoint is not charity. Only charity accomplished by truly voluntary donations is good and moral. Oceanians may not donate money to Government-run charities because of the threat that such charities will eventually become mandatory charities that Oceanians will be Forced to contribute to. I.Scientific Research: It is forbidden for the Government to run, fund, or subsidize scientific research. This includes funding military research. J.Police: It is forbidden for the Government to fund or subsidize police with the exception of those servicing Government facilities. K.Fire Protection: It is forbidden for the Government to fund or subsidize fire departments with the exception of those servicing Government facilities. It is expected that Police and Fire protection agencies will be mostly employed by insurance companies to protect their clients and property with the goal of minimizing insurance claims. Usually these insurance companies will be hired by Housing Developments. L.Garbage Disposal: It is forbidden for the Government to fund or subsidize garbage disposal Entities with the exception of those servicing Government facilities. M.Public Transportation: It is forbidden for the Government to fund or subsidize public transportation. N.Emigration and Immigration: It is forbidden for the Government to refuse entry into the country based on someone's place of birth or to otherwise discriminate against Oceanians based on where they were born. Also, people who wish to emigrate out of Oceania will not be fined or penalized in any way when they leave the country. O.Insurance: It is forbidden for the Government to insure industries. Examples would be insuring banks, pension funds, health of Oceanians, and loans between individuals. P.Eminent Domain: It is forbidden for the Government to give itself eminent domain. Q.Emergency Powers: The Right to a Writ of Habeas Corpus cannot be suspended under any circumstances. The Government cannot pass a bill of attainder, ex post facto law, pre facto law (law declaring all future actions of a Person or Entity to be legal) or law impairing the obligation of Contracts. This was already covered in Article Two where it was shown that the President has no Right to declare a state of emergency, but considering the poor track record of Governments, it is detailed again here. The practice of passing laws declaring a Government office or official to be guilty of no crimes retrospectively as well as prospectively is particularly abhorred. Violation of anything in this section is considered Treason and is punished with the maximum penalties available by law. R.Religion: It is forbidden for the Government to establish a national religion or support any religion in any way or to deny the Right to worship freely. S.Records: It is forbidden for the Government to hold records on when someone was born, or when ey died. This will be a job for the private sector. Considering the importance of these records, it is suggested that an individual store eir records with more than one private Entity. It is illegal for the Government to conduct a census that asks anything besides number of beings existing in a location, and it may not compel even that information. T.Art: It is forbidden for the Government to fund or subsidize art. U.Prisons: Prisons are part of the Court system and are paid for and controlled as are other Court Costs. The Court of Oceania may collect voluntary donations and user fees as specified in Article Two for their maintenance. It is strictly forbidden for any other agency of government to create, run, or fund prisons, or to imprison or detain Oceanians. All Prisons are private in Oceania and Courts Must have regular bidding contests for the prison space they wish to use. V.Multinational Organizations: The Government is forbidden to enter treaties placing it under organizations which conflict with "any" of the terms of this Constitution or Oceania's laws. Any treaty placing Oceania within any multinational organization will become null and void upon any action or agreement of said organization violating any terms of Oceania's Constitution or laws. See Article Four, National Security, for one exception to this restriction. W.Kidnapping: The Government is forbidden to kidnap Persons in other countries not on its declared enemies list. X.Rationing: The Government is prohibited from taking control of items away from Oceanians and then rationing the use of such items. Having agencies such as the water police is particularly abhorred. ARTICLE FOUR National Security This article requires an 80% vote to reduce restrictions and an 80% vote to add restrictions. Once Oceania has been in existence for 20 years or has reached a population of 1,000,000 people this article will require only a 66% vote to reduce restrictions. A.A Declaration of War may be effected in one of three ways: y The President, Commander in chief, Air and Space Force Commander, Army Commander, and Navy Commander declare war immediately after an attack on Oceania. If one or more of them is killed by the attack or is otherwise unavailable within fifteen minutes, (th)eir vote(s) will not be needed. y A declaration of war referendum is passed by a majority of the Voters and signed by the President. y A declaration of war referendum is passed by more than two-thirds of the Voters. In situation one, any of the four executives named may initiate defensive attacks until there is time for the vote. In situations two and three, the people who collect the signatures necessary for the referendum or the President emself, if ey initiates the referendum, can demand the referendum be held within seven days of this request. If it is possible to hold the referendum even sooner, this Constitution allows it to be held at an even earlier time. B.Multinational Organizations: Oceania may, by a vote of its people, become a member of the United Nations no matter what policies the United Nations engages in. A fund may be created to pay for membership fees of the United Nations. This will enable Oceania to gain recognition as a country and therefore reduce the chance of invasion by opposing forces. Of course, Oceania may not engage in actions as a member that violate this Constitution. The following restrictions on Rights have been made in the interest of National Security: C.The Right to Self-Defense is restricted by not allowing Oceanians to own, produce, import, or export Weapons of mass destruction. At the time of the adoption of this Constitution, this includes nuclear Weapons, large-scale chemical Weapons, and biological Weapons. All other Weapons that are available at this time are not considered Weapons of mass destruction, including personal chemical Weapons such as mace and tear gas. The Government may grant Licenses for the Privilege of working with Weapons of mass destruction. For example, it may want these Weapons for its own use or may wish to sell them to its allies. D.The Right to Free Trade is restricted by not allowing Oceanians to import or export mind-altering drugs to or from nations where they are illegal. A Privilege License would be allowed to import a mind-altering drug that is currently not being grown in Oceania. This License would be granted by the Commander in chief of Oceania. Of course, this does not apply to vitamins, medicinal drugs, or other healthful substances. The manufacture of such drugs for use in our country will never be interfered with by the Government. The only reason for the restriction on trade is that other nations often use the drug trade as an excuse for military action. E.The Right to Free Trade is further restricted by not allowing Oceanians to export Weapons to nations or Entities that are on Oceania's forbidden list. The Government may create different categories on this list for different types of Weapons banned to different countries or Entities. It is the duty of the Commander in Chief to make such a list, which may be modified by referendum. F.The Right to Travel into the country may be restricted during time of war. Travel through easements may also be restricted during time of war. The Right to leave Oceania may never be violated. G.The Right to Own and Operate a Business is restricted for owners of airplane or ship registering companies whose clients fly the flag of Oceania. Such companies may be prosecuted by the Government for fraudulent actions because by flying the flag of Oceania they can be considered to represent the Government of Oceania. Of course, an airplane or ship registering company which does not authorize its clients to fly the flag of Oceania may not be prosecuted in such manner. And, finally, an airplane or ship that flies the flag of Oceania without authorization by a ship registering company can be prosecuted in like manner. The same restrictions apply to providers since their passports will be considered to represent the country of Oceania. ARTICLE FIVE Abortion This Constitution recognizes that abortion is a conflict of Rights between the mother and potential Child. It hereby declares that all abortions during the first three months of pregnancy are unrestricted. Even a pregnant Child may ask for an immediate abortion with no restrictions. After three months, the Government may place restrictions on abortion with the exception of endangerment of the mother's Life. These restrictions may only be enacted through referendum. In the case of frozen eggs, sperm, embryos, and fetuses, the frozen beings have the same Rights as if they were not frozen, i.e., they may not be destroyed if their unfrozen counterpart may not be destroyed. If funding for these items ceases, then either private parties may continue funding or these tissues will be destroyed. Public notice about the termination of funding Must be made two weeks in advance of the funding cutoff. A doctor who knowingly performs an illegal abortion will get one quarter the penalty that the mother gets because ey will be an accomplice to the crime. Therefore if the mother was sentenced to one year in jail and fined 100 grams of gold, the doctor would be sentenced to three months and fined 25 grams of gold. None of this would be deducted from the mother's punishment. ARTICLE SIX Government Budgets To encourage donations, all agencies will publish a list of all donors and the amount of their donations at least once a year. Of course, donors may request that the amount of the donations and/or their names be kept confidential. Agencies may also issue receipts that can be displayed by the donor. The following budgets will exist and Oceanians may pick the specific ones that they would like to fund. Transferring money among these budgets except as specified below is a fraud against the people, i.e., Treason. y The Executive Budget (a general fund for payment of President, Vice President, and staff). y The Department of War Budget (a general fund for this agency that funds three agencies below it besides itself). y The Air and Space Force Budget. y The Army Budget. y The Navy Budget. y The Anti-Law Department Budget. The following budgets should be mainly funded by user fees paid for by the loser in Court decisions: y The Supreme Court Budget is a specific fund for this agency and for the prison, juvenile detention center, and mental hospital costs on the Supreme Court level. Costs of maintaining juries, judges, secretaries, etc., are included in this budget. y The County Court Budget has a specific fund for each County Court and for the prison, juvenile detention center, and mental hospital costs on the County level. Costs of maintaining juries, judges, secretaries, etc., are included in this budget. y The Local Court Budget has a specific fund for each local Court and for the prison, juvenile detention center, and mental hospital costs on the local level. Costs of maintaining juries, judges, secretaries, etc., are included in this budget. y The Local Grand Jury Budget has a specific fund for each local jury. All these agencies may create subsidiary budgets for specific projects. Any money left in the budget of a canceled project Must be refunded. Leftover anonymous donations may be kept by the agency creating the defunct project. ARTICLE SEVEN Housing Developments Throughout history, Governments have imposed harmful monopolies on their citizens by deciding which "natural" monopoly will be used by the residents of a particular community. This article is meant to end the Government's ability to do this. A Housing Development is the smallest unit of Government in Oceania. It is recommended that Land developers create a Housing Development, with its rules enforced by deed restrictions, private covenants with neighbors, or other private means, to manage the infrastructure of an area. Housing Developments may enact zoning laws, building codes, clothing standards, and other regulations. It may take charge fees for police, fire, election, sanitation, and other services. It may provide infrastructure such as water (including treatment and fluoridation), drainage, sewers, gas lines, communications, power, television, graffiti control, animal control, disaster insurance, roads, and railroad lines. It may provide community facilities such as swimming pools, golf courses, hockey rinks, gymnasiums, baseball fields, football fields, and basketball courts. Any services not provided by the Housing Development nor prohibited by it will be the responsibility of any individuals who want the service. Residents moving into Land that is part of a Housing Development, and Land buyers buying pieces of such Land, Must be shown the deed restrictions and regulations of the Housing Development before they make their buying decision. Failure of the seller to disclose such regulations is Fraud. While all of the above is a matter of Contract and mutual consent, the reason that a Housing Development is considered part of the Government is that Children born into the Housing Development are subject to its regulations without their consent. When such Children become Adults, they are still subject to the regulations of their Housing Development (but are, of course, free to move). If a Housing Development grows beyond 5,000 Persons, it Must be divided into smaller ones within one year. We are concerned that a Person in a larger Housing Development would have too little influence on eir Government. Nothing prevents two or more Housing Developments from sharing their laws, their resources, and otherwise behaving as one. The restriction simply ensures that it would not take so many Persons to secede from such an arrangement that it would be a virtual impossibility. It is also strongly recommended that Contracts for the services above not last for more than ten years so that the residents will have more control over their infrastructure. In a situation that effects more than one Housing Development, such as moving the created land that more than one Housing Development is on, all the Housing Developments must agree with the decision or no action may be taken. There is no eminent domain in Oceania. ARTICLE EIGHT Secession, Addition, Reorganization A County or local Government may secede from Oceania upon a 75% or greater vote in favor of secession. Secession means either breaking away from a County Government, or a local Government, or the national Government, or any combination of these three levels of Government. A majority vote would be needed to add Land to Oceania. This is the necessary vote percentage needed by both the population joining Oceania and by a general vote conducted in Oceania. Creating Land within the twelve- mile territorial limits of territory controlled by the Government does not require a vote. A County or local Government may be reorganized into two or more territories upon a 75% or greater vote. If more than one County or local Government is involved in the reorganization because the new territory would span the borders of more than one County or local area, then a vote would have to be taken in all the relevant counties and/or local areas. Each County and/or local area would need a 75% or greater vote. ARTICLE NINE Ratification and Amendment This Constitution may only be ratified by unanimous consent of the original land owners of Oceania. It may be changed by a 80% vote of all Voters except where otherwise noted in the Constitution. Such amendments shall be added to the end of the Constitution although footnotes may be added to printed copies of the Constitution for easier reference of these amendments. ARTICLE TEN Suggestions The following suggestions have no Force of law: A.Adding Land to Oceania: It is suggested that when Land is added to Oceania, a 10% donation of its appraised value be made to the Department of War. This will help the Government defend that Land. B.Drug Testing: It is suggested that instead of testing someone for drugs, a Person should be tested via a physical or mental task to see if ey is capable of performing eir job. C.Endangered Species: The best way to protect endangered species is to have private groups buy the Land where the endangered species live. D.Animal Plaintiff: Since the state is unable to be the Plaintiff except in times of Treason, it is suggested that animal Right's groups be the Plaintiffs in animal Right's cases. E.Armed Forces: It is suggested that the armed forces challenge each other in games of skill. There should be armed forces football teams, boxing teams, and chess teams. They should be given a chance to prove themselves on areas besides the battlefield and to become financially self-sufficient. F.Fire and Police Departments: It is suggested that fire and police departments be combined to save money and personnel. THE LAW OF OCEANIA Draft 0.27 by Eric Klien and Mike Oliver Copyright 1993. All rights reserved. Special thanks to Lee Crocker and Chuck Geshlider for all their suggestions. For more information about the new country Oceania, contact The Atlantis Project, 4132 So. Rainbow Blvd. #388, Las Vegas, NV 89103. (702) 897-8320. The latest versions of the constitution and laws are available electronically via ftp from ftp.ece.uc.edu in pub/biblio/oceania. AS A FREE SOCIETY of sovereign individuals, the Law of Oceania serves a purpose very different from that of the laws of other societies. Rather than imposing a structure upon the lives of citizens, it exists only to ensure that citizens are free to run their own lives without interference from others, including the Government. It also serves to regulate the Government that the founders have created to serve the needs of individual Oceanians. The law is a means to ensure the rights of Oceanians, not to endanger them. It is hoped that whatever problems arrive in the lives of Oceanians can be resolved by peaceful, consensual means rather than by the force of law. It should be noted as well, that an act which is considered legal in Oceania is so because of our Constitution's dedication to the sanctity of each individual's rights. In no way should it be construed that legality equals moral judgment. It's not the Government's or its individual representatives' place in society to determine morality for the people of Oceania. For example, while it is true that these laws allow an Oceanian to have multiple wives in the tradition of King Solomon. It should be noted that such an activity is neither criticized or endorsed by the Constitution of Oceania. CHAPTER ONE Definitions and Introduction The common law of England, so far as it is not repugnant to, or inconsistent with the Constitution or laws of Oceania, shall be the rule of decision in all Courts of Oceania. The laws of Oceania, and all Contracts entered into by Oceanians, and all treaties entered into by Oceania, exist within the context of the Constitution of Oceania, and may not conflict with or alter it in any way. Laws that impose upon the rights of individual Oceanians are unconstitutional and void, even if passed by a clear majority. Any two laws that conflict with each other shall both be considered void by the jury trying them. Words capitalized throughout this book of law are to be interpreted exactly as defined here. The remaining text of this document should be interpreted strictly and exactly as written in common English language usage at the time of its adoption. Conflicts may be resolved by Webster's Third International Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language. While it is true that everything not declared illegal in these laws is automatically legal, a few laws state that certain actions are legal to help clarify some aspects of life in Oceania. To make it clear that we are granting justice to all persons who love liberty, regardless of sex, race, or beliefs, the pronouns in this document are gender-neutral ones formed by removing the initial th from the plural pronouns. That is, ey means he/she, eir means his/her, em means him/her, and similarly for eirs and emself. It is recommended that ey be pronounced to rhyme with he/she. Shall , Must and Will indicate legal compulsion. Should indicates suggestion. May indicates permission. Including always means "including but not necessarily limited to". Recommendations do not have the force of law. Commentary on or examples of certain laws will appear in boxes like this. These notes help to clarify the intent of the authors or the reasoning behind some of the decisions made here. These commentaries bear the full force of law. A Person is any born human being of either sex, and of any race, origin, or beliefs. Other beings may be granted the status of Person by law as necessary. In this document, this includes Persons not currently in Oceanian territory, who are still responsible for Crimes and Debts incurred in foreign territory. Of course, such Persons cannot be abducted by the Government to stand trial, but if they should appear in Oceania by other means, they may be arrested and brought to trial. An Entity is any corporation, club, foundation, charity, or other type of organization, formed for any purpose. Business is a synonym for Entity. Persons cannot evade responsibility for Crimes and Debts by forming Entities. If an Entity commits a Crime, the jury trying the Crime may decide which Person or Persons shall bear the consequences thereof. Generally, Debts will be paid by the Entity itself and punishments will be served by its officers or other Persons controlling it. In the remainder of this text, we will describe acts committed by Persons. It will be understood that Entities are also culpable for such actions, and suffer the same consequences. An Oceanian is a Person or Entity other than the Government currently within the territory of Oceania. A Child is a born human of age twelve years or less. Children are a special case in many laws that otherwise apply to all Persons. This age was chosen by studying the traditions of ancient cultures. A Teen is a human between thirteen years and seventeen years of age. An Adult is a human eighteen years of age or older. A Person may be declared a Child or a Teenager by a Court. A Parent is an Adult who has assumed responsibility for the care of a Child. This may or may not be the Child's biological Parents. A Spouse is one of two or more Oceanians who have signed a Marriage Contract with each other. The Nearest Relative of an Oceanian, to whom certain Rights and Entitlements are granted under these laws, is the first living Person in the following categories: Spouse, Child, sibling, grandchild, Parent, any blood relative, any Oceanian. If the Right or Entitlement sought applies only to Adults (such as the Right to bring suit), then only Adults on this list will be considered. If more than one Person is eligible in the first category eligible, then all Persons eligible in that category share equally the Rights and Entitlements of Nearest Relative under these laws. An exception to this is when someone from the "any blood relative" or "any Oceanian" categories claims proceeds from a deceased's estate or other Entitlements, in which case only the first Person successful in such a suit is granted such Entitlements in their entirety. A Right is a freedom guaranteed to every Oceanian. These include Life, Liberty, Property, and Privacy. Rights extend not only to Persons in Oceania, but to Entities as well. All Rights of Entities are derived from personal Rights, therefore Entities can have no Rights that Persons do not also have. A Privilege is an action that can only be done with a License from the Government. A License is the granting of a Privilege by the Government to an Oceanian. Oceanians do NOT need Licenses for anything that is a Right. A Permit is a synonym for this word. Life is the biological state of animation. Persons who are unconscious, in cryonic suspension, or otherwise supported by technology are still considered alive and have all the Rights of conscious Persons. As technology advances, it is expected that precise definitions of Life and Death will be set by law. Liberty is a condition that exists when Persons have control over their individual lives and Property and where all Rights are protected. Liberty also applies to Entities. Property is the material and intellectual belongings of an Oceanian. Material belongings include Land, pets, livestock, Contracts, and personal effects. Intellectual belongings include patents and copyrights. Privacy is the expectation of a Person not to be subject to public scrutiny of eir personal affairs. Force is a physical act by one or more Oceanians that is destructive to the Rights of others. A believable threat to carry out such an action also constitutes Force. Fraud is the intentional deceit of another Oceanian to induce em to part with Property or to surrender a Right. A Voter is a Person allowed to vote in Oceania. A Permanent Oceanian is a Person who has lived a total of twelve months in Oceania, or an Oceanian under the age of twelve months. The Government (under the Constitution of Oceania) is a restricted Entity that protects Oceanians against external and internal Force and Fraud. Unlike other Entities, the Government has had most of its Rights restricted by laws and regulations. Land is an area composed of dirt, concrete, steel, or other substances that people are able to live on for extended periods of time. A Housing Development is a voluntary private association of Land owners and residents formed for the purpose of maintaining the infrastructure of a parcel of Land. A Housing Development may not contain more than 5,000 Persons, and can contain as few as one. The reason the size of a Housing Development is limited by law is that it is allowed to take on many of the traditional functions of Government. Of course, a Housing Development is not bound by the restrictions that Government agencies normally must follow such as not discriminating against others. A Locality is a Government level that does not encompass more than 100 square kilometers. A County is a Government level that does not encompass more than 10,000 square kilometers. A City is a grouping of population with a geographical border. A City MAY NOT possess a Governmental structure. It may have one mayor to act as its ambassador. A Court is a forum in which Oceanians resolve conflicts. A Valuable is any money, Property, bonds, promissory notes, bank notes, bills of exchange, or other bills, orders, drafts, checks, receipts or certificates, or warrants concerning money or Property, due, or to become due, or to be delivered, any public security issued by any country, and any deed or writing containing a conveyance of Land or other Property, or valuable Contract in force, or any release or defeasance, or any other instrument of value, or which, by some contingency, may become valuable. The value, for the purposes of these laws, of an item that is to become valuable at some future time is the mathematical net present value of that item at a fair rate of interest set by the jury trying the case. The value of an item which is valuable only in certain contingencies, such as lottery tickets or other gambling instruments, is the mathematical expe __ ______ \ _____ ______ __ __ __ _____ _ | ||__ __| | ___| |__ __|| || \/ || ___|| | | | | | |___ | | | | || || ___||_| |__| |__| |_____| |__| |__||__||__||_____||_| The Atlantis Project has gone into full gear. We are planning on unveiling a model of Oceania at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas! Dates will be set soon! Hope to see you there! We are overwhelmed at The Atlantis Project headquarters. If you would like to help out at our headquarters and have typesetting, printing, sales abilities, or MSDOS mainstream knowledge: give us a call at (702) 897-4176, Monday - Friday, 9am - 5pm or e-mail us. Another way you can help is: 1) review the constitution 2) review the laws 3) get others who are interested to contact me 4) give me your home address for any snail mail mailings 5) make donations to The Atlantis Project, 4132 S. Rainbow Blvd #388, Las Vegas, NV 89103. Donations will be used to pay for architect costs. These special donations will help make Oceania real. Oceania will be built with a futuristic look. It will probably be fifty miles east of Panama in water about 100 feet deep. It will be a floating city, anchored to the ground so the city will stay in one place. It will be near the equator, so there won't be a hurricane threat. It will look like a futuristic sea city. Brochures that contain pictures of how Oceania will appear are available. Oceania's main industries will be private banking, tourism, and fishing. Medical research would also move to Oceania, especially recombinant biotechnology. Finally, life extension technology can be pursued! Note that "no" financial compensation will be given to anyone for suggestions on how to improve our constitution or laws. But I may decide to name a street after you in the housing development I will be building on OCEANIA. If you are interested in ordering stuff before you have even seen my snail mail brochure, here is the ordering info: Bumper stickers are $3; 4" x 6" flags are $5; 12" x 18" flags are $10; Pilkington Sea City Reports are $10; one year subscriptions to Chain Breaker are $10; Constitutions are $15; T-shirts are $15 and are available in XS/S/M/L/XL/XXL; Cassette sets of the Art Bell interview are $15; Laws are available for $29; 2' x 3' flags are $30; 3' x 5' flags are $100; and 5' x 8' flags are $250. The two smallest flags come with staffs, the larger ones are finished w/header and grommets. No sales tax or postage and handling are charged. Unless you live overseas, in which case I charge you 10% postage. Send your check or money order to The Atlantis Project, 4132 South Rainbow Blvd. #388, Las Vegas, NV 89103. We have four bulk specials available: 5 bumper stickers for $10, 5 T-shirts for $50, 20 T-shirts for $140, and 10 4" x 6" flags for $30. Following is the latest Constitution and Laws: THE CONSTITUTION OF OCEANIA Draft 0.82 by Eric Klien and Mike Oliver Copyright 1993. All rights reserved. Special thanks to Lee Crocker and Chuck Geshlider for all their suggestions. For more information about the new country Oceania, contact The Atlantis Project, 4132 So. Rainbow Blvd. #388, Las Vegas, NV 89103. (702) 897-8320. The latest versions of the constitution and laws are available electronically via ftp from ftp.ece.uc.edu in pub/biblio/oceania. WE, THE FOUNDERS of Oceania, do not believe in the initiation of force or fraud by the government or others. Like the peaceful dolphin, we believe such actions should only be used in defense. We disagree with governments that imitate the shark, using force and fraud to extract wealth and labor from their citizens. Oceania is founded on the principle that the only true and proper function of government is to protect its citizens from force and fraud. This government is to be strictly limited to providing that protection. This constitution is the result of the collaboration of many who have seen the deterioration or destruction of societies based on other constitutions. The U.S. constitution in particular, while an inspired document, has shown itself to be vague enough to allow its government to pass laws clearly at odds with the spirit of liberty in which that once-free nation was founded. It is for this reason that the document here is painfully specific about exactly what powers belong to whom. All of the powers listed here are usurped by present governments somewhere on Earth. Even at this level of detail, it is impossible for any document to fully account for all conditions that may arise in future. The natural progress of all governments is to gain more power as time progresses. It Must be made clear that under no circumstance is the government created under this constitution ever to assume any power or authority not explicitly granted here. We hope that whenever crises arrive in the future, the people of Oceania will have as much imagination in finding peaceful solutions as historical governments have had in finding despotic ones. There has been considerable debate over all issues here, in particular the perceived need for a tax-funded defense force. We believe that we have found solutions to these issues consistent with the spirit of freedom. Oceania will set an example we hope the rest of the world will follow. Definitions Words capitalized throughout this constitution are to be interpreted exactly as defined here. The remaining text of this document should be interpreted strictly and exactly as written in common English language usage at the time of its adoption. Conflicts may be resolved by Webster's Third International Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language. To make it clear that we include all persons who love liberty, regardless of sex, race, or beliefs, the pronouns in this document are gender-neutral ones formed by removing the initial th from the plural pronouns. That is, ey means he/she, eir means his/her, em means him/her, and similarly for eirs and emself. It is recommended that ey be pronounced to rhyme with he/she. Shall , Must and Will indicate legal compulsion. Should indicates suggestion. May indicates permission. Including always means "including but not necessarily limited If you have given me your e-mail address after answering one of my ads, I have added you to my e-mail mailing list as well as to my snail mail mailing list. If you have not given me your snail mail address, please send it to me if you wish to receive our brochures. __ ______ \ _____ ______ __ __ __ _____ _ | ||__ __| | ___| |__ __|| || \/ || ___|| | | | | | |___ | | | | || || ___||_| |__| |__| |_____| |__| |__||__||__||_____||_| The Atlantis Project has gone into full gear. We are planning on unveiling a model of Oceania at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas! Dates will be set soon! Hope to see you there! We are overwhelmed at The Atlantis Project headquarters. If you would like to help out at our headquarters and have typesetting, printing, sales abilities, or MSDOS mainstream knowledge: give us a call at (702) 897-4176, Monday - Friday, 9am - 5pm or e-mail us. Another way you can help is: 1) review the constitution 2) review the laws 3) get others who are interested to contact me 4) give me your home address for any snail mail mailings 5) make donations to The Atlantis Project, 4132 S. Rainbow Blvd #388, Las Vegas, NV 89103. Donations will be used to pay for architect costs. These special donations will help make Oceania real. Oceania will be built with a futuristic look. It will probably be fifty miles east of Panama in water about 100 feet deep. It will be a floating city, anchored to the ground so the city will stay in one place. It will be near the equator, so there won't be a hurricane threat. It will look like a futuristic sea city. Brochures that contain pictures of how Oceania will appear are available. Oceania's main industries will be private banking, tourism, and fishing. Medical research would also move to Oceania, especially recombinant biotechnology. Finally, life extension technology can be pursued! Note that "no" financial compensation will be given to anyone for suggestions on how to improve our constitution or laws. But I may decide to name a street after you in the housing development I will be building on OCEANIA. If you are interested in ordering stuff before you have even seen my snail mail brochure, here is the ordering info: Bumper stickers are $3; 4" x 6" flags are $5; 12" x 18" flags are $10; Pilkington Sea City Reports are $10; one year subscriptions to Chain Breaker are $10; Constitutions are $15; T-shirts are $15 and are available in XS/S/M/L/XL/XXL; Cassette sets of the Art Bell interview are $15; Laws are available for $29; 2' x 3' flags are $30; 3' x 5' flags are $100; and 5' x 8' flags are $250. The two smallest flags come with staffs, the larger ones are finished w/header and grommets. No sales tax or postage and handling are charged. Unless you live overseas, in which case I charge you 10% postage. Send your check or money order to The Atlantis Project, 4132 South Rainbow Blvd. #388, Las Vegas, NV 89103. We have four bulk specials available: 5 bumper stickers for $10, 5 T-shirts for $50, 20 T-shirts for $140, and 10 4" x 6" flags for $30. Following is the latest Constitution and Laws: THE CONSTITUTION OF OCEANIA Draft 0.82 by Eric Klien and Mike Oliver Copyright 1993. All rights reserved. Special thanks to Lee Crocker and Chuck Geshlider for all their suggestions. For more information about the new country Oceania, contact The Atlantis Project, 4132 So. Rainbow Blvd. #388, Las Vegas, NV 89103. (702) 897-8320. The latest versions of the constitution and laws are available electronically via ftp from ftp.ece.uc.edu in pub/biblio/oceania. WE, THE FOUNDERS of Oceania, do not believe in the initiation of force or fraud by the government or others. Like the peaceful dolphin, we believe such actions should only be used in defense. We disagree with governments that imitate the shark, using force and fraud to extract wealth and labor from their citizens. Oceania is founded on the principle that the only true and proper function of government is to protect its citizens from force and fraud. This government is to be strictly limited to providing that protection. This constitution is the result of the collaboration of many who have seen the deterioration or destruction of societies based on other constitutions. The U.S. constitution in particular, while an inspired document, has shown itself to be vague enough to allow its government to pass laws clearly at odds with the spirit of liberty in which that once-free nation was founded. It is for this reason that the document here is painfully specific about exactly what powers belong to whom. All of the powers listed here are usurped by present governments somewhere on Earth. Even at this level of detail, it is impossible for any document to fully account for all conditions that may arise in future. The natural progress of all governments is to gain more power as time progresses. It Must be made clear that under no circumstance is the government created under this constitution ever to assume any power or authority not explicitly granted here. We hope that whenever crises arrive in the future, the people of Oceania will have as much imagination in finding peaceful solutions as historical governments have had in finding despotic ones. There has been considerable debate over all issues here, in particular the perceived need for a tax-funded defe From mailer.acns.fsu.edu!darwin.sura.net!jhunix.hcf.jhu.edu!mozart.amil.jhu.edu!europa.eng.gtefsd.com!howland.reston.ans.net!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!portal!cup.portal.com!Eric_S_Klien Thu Jan 13 12:33:11 1994 Path: mailer.acns.fsu.edu!darwin.sura.net!jhunix.hcf.jhu.edu!mozart.amil.jhu.edu!europa.eng.gtefsd.com!howland.reston.ans.net!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!portal!cup.portal.com!Eric_S_Klien From: Eric_S_Klien@cup.portal.com Newsgroups: talk.philosophy.misc Subject: Oceania Message-ID: <100696@cup.portal.com> Date: Wed, 12 Jan 94 03:03:23 PST Organization: The Portal System (TM) Distribution: world Lines: 29 A recent television newsmagazine story on the creator of FOG-S, a low cost alternative missile system developed by an engineer at the Navy's China Lake Weapons facility raises some interesting questions. This guy is certainly being attacked for having repeatedly designed missiles that cost orders of magnitude less than competing systems preferred by Navy brass. There are many motives for spending extra tax dollars; there are few for spending carefully. So, if you accept that taxation is theft, the thieves are motivated to steal more all the time and have no motive to be parsimonious with their ill gotten gains. There is also an interesting issue regarding the charges that the engineer was not a "team player" because his brothers helped lobby for his missile project in Congress. Many of his accusers felt this particular course of action showed his self-interested motives. Ignoring for a moment the fact that self-interest motivates everyone, the charge that there was something wrong with lobbying Congress on a matter of this consequence is tantamount to claiming that the right to petition the government for redress of grievances is out of date. Although that right is specified in the First Amendment to the US Constitution, few of those sworn to uphold it seem to remember that clause. And few who work the civil liberties side of the street work in defense of it. If you're tired of the condition of liberty in America, perhaps you should learn more about the new nation, Oceania. To receive more information by e-mail, send your e-mail address to Oceania@world.std.com.