Alaska Texas, and Independence

[civiltech]

(In response to watercooler topics thread )


I was watching a program on A & E regarding Alaskan indepence earlier this week.....the basis was that Alaska was illegally annexed by the US. (I always thought the US bought it from Russia.) It was my understanding that Texas tried to vote to leave the US a number of years ago. And Hawaii every now and then cries out for there old royalty. A "questionable" joining of the US.

Is there trouble on the home front? Please advise.

[latenight]

I say to you. there is not any contention of Alaska being bought legally by the US! These are lies spread by CNN and the toad headed infidels.

No state has ever wanted to leave the union, these are more lies which the aggressors put upon us.

We will bury them in there own piles of reptilian bile.

This I say to you! Bush be praised!



The US Information Minister.

[D'Artagnan1673]

I could see Bahgdad Bob written all over that one even before I made it to the signature.

There is an e-mail circulating out there about how Texas has everything necessary to survice without the rest of the Union. I myself am happy where I am.

[epeemike81]

Actually, when Texas joined the union, it was wary of connecting itself with the US and so documented its right to secede (not sure where....). It is the only state in the nation which theoretically has the right to secede. Obviously, this is all an academic discussion at this point. there isn't a significant portion of the population in ANY state in the union that wants to secede.

-m

[hawaii kid]

Alaskans have a long history of being rather independant. Old timers still refer to the lower 48 states as "outside". For many years a very popular saying was "We don't give a damn how they do it Outside!" when referring to new ideas and concepts imported from "The States".
This independant spirit is still alive but it manifests itself in different ways than a general distaste for "cheechakos" and Washington politicians.
I haven't heard much about a secession movement in quite a while, but in Kodiak we are oftimes in a political backwater. The general populace here seems to think that our state's economy runs on fish so we have a bit of a skewed view of reality sometimes. (OBTW in case you didn't know, our state economy is mainly Oil Production)

But as I'm sure you are aware, it's a moot point as there is no concievable way the USA would compensate Russia further, much less "give it back"... anymore than we will honor the treaties made with the indigent people of the lower 48 states that were forcibly removed from their customary territory as "Americans" moved into it.

[jeff]

Don't worry, civiltech, I think the rumors (you would write "rumours", right?) of our dissolution are exaggerated. It makes fun discussion over beers, though. Can you imagine the aggravation putting together a US flag that had 49 stars (or 51 in case we added one) and still make things line up?

Locally, New York (the city) has occasionally had movements to secede from New York (the state). There's a big cultural difference between Gotham and the largely rural state, plus most tax dollars collected in NYC are spent elsewhere. Not to be outdone, people in Staten Island, one of NYC's 5 boroughs, have occasionally lobbied to secede from NYC!

[KBayDog]

The "Rebel Spirit" is still alive and well in Charleston, SC, too...

We recently had a suburb "secede" from the city. Of course, the city does not want to let go, so the issue is at the state level now. I know the lawyers are smiling.

It is hilarious to see this type of thing happen, until one realizes that the taxpayers (by paying the legal fees) are the ultimate losers.

Of course, I do not pay taxes in this state, so I am spared this one...

[latenight]

Jeff,

That's funny! When I went to school in Rochester, the locals there said all their tax money was being drained away to support NYC.

Guess the answer always depends on who you ask.

[jeff]

Only if they don't all know how to do math

[Faggot the Hutt]

Originally posted by epeemike81
Actually, when Texas joined the union, it was wary of connecting itself with the US and so documented its right to secede (not sure where....). It is the only state in the nation which theoretically has the right to secede. Obviously, this is all an academic discussion at this point. there isn't a significant portion of the population in ANY state in the union that wants to secede.

-m

That was an urban legend. Legal historians did the research and found that there was nothing to substantiate the notion that Texas had any legal right to leave the Union.

[epeemike81]

Originally posted by jeff
Can you imagine the aggravation putting together a US flag that had 49 stars (or 51 in case we added one) and still make things line up?

actually, I don't think there would be much aggravation over the creation of a flag with 49 stars at all. after all, we already have that design. remember, this nation did have 49 states for a brief time (about 7.5 months).

-m

[Event Horizon]

I think there's more trouble on the Canadian front than the US front. As epeemike pointed out there isn't a significant amount of the population that wants to succeed. Not unlike what happened in Quebec awhile ago. Wasn't the vote very close? I wonder if it'll come up again in the near future.

The closest thing we have to that would be the issue with Puerto Rico. But PR isn't a state.

But, c'mon...we all know Canada is eventually going to become part of the union. It's just a matter of time. hehehe

[Catlady]

I've heard from a former Michigan native that the Upper Penninsula wants to secede from the Lower Penninsula.

As for Utah, many people maintain that we don't really consider ourselves a part of the US anyway. I don't know about that, but I don't think I'm alone in sometimes wishing Utah county--where it seems many of the radical, rabid neo-conservative odd-balls live not to mention the home of the evil BYU--would secede from the state.

[civiltech]

Originally posted by Event Horizon
I think there's more trouble on the Canadian front than the US front. As epeemike pointed out there isn't a significant amount of the population that wants to succeed. Not unlike what happened in Quebec awhile ago. Wasn't the vote very close? I wonder if it'll come up again in the near future.

The closest thing we have to that would be the issue with Puerto Rico. But PR isn't a state.

But, c'mon...we all know Canada is eventually going to become part of the union. It's just a matter of time. hehehe

Your half way there!

The notion of Quebec separation rears its head on more less a predictable cycle. The last Quebec referendum to see if they wanted to leave confederation was close. However, in the months, and even years to date, more and more information has been coming out about the corruption, and "Vote stacking" that went on in favour of the Yes side. The vote wasn't as (close as was initially thought)

The bottom line is that the Parti Quebecois was so blinded by becoming a soverign nation they let everything else fall by the wayside. The Quebec economy has suffered greatly since the 70's with language laws put in place, and busineses just getting fed up and moving to other areas of the country. Just recently, Quebec had it's provincial election. The Liberals are now the governing party in Quebec. They won are overwelmingly majority of the seats, because there platform was for the people. And they are pro-federalist (staying within confederation.) Not the blinding notion of self preservations of a culture, and language and dmaned if we all have to starve to get it. The concept of A separate Quebec is still around (it just doesn't disappear overnight) but it is on the down run. There are many laws in place both on a provincial level and a federal level to ensure Quebec's culture, and language are kept in tact.

In fact, Canada is officially a bilingual country. French and English are our languages. And Quebec is an important part of our country.

As for Canada becoming part of the US....well if you can get past our 20 boats, and 6 combat troups drinking beer at the border....you may have a chance! We don't have as much oil as Iraq though!

You'lll always here about areas wanting to leave. BC made an idle threat a couple of years ago. But it was more of a political statement to get there concern over the federal budget out. Newfoundaland made an idle threat just a couple of weeks ago. And again it was more less to show the distaste of the east coast over the way the Fed's are handling the fishing crisis. I'm sure you guys in the states have it to! Spain has a separatist movement (in fact they are a terrorist movement), etc. It's all over the world. Does breaking up to gain immediate rewards really help you in the long run? don't know.

[KBayDog]

Originally posted by civiltech
As for Canada becoming part of the US....well if you can get past our 20 boats, and 6 combat troups drinking beer at the border....you may have a chance!

Our Salvation Army is on full alert. Stand by to be crushed!

[epeemike81]

Originally posted by Event Horizon
I think there's more trouble on the Canadian front than the US front. As epeemike pointed out there isn't a significant amount of the population that wants to succeed.

I don't normally do the pointing out typos thing, but this one made me laugh! thats great!

-m

[Inquartata]

Hey, no one can beat the Brits. They go about declaring independence for abandoned WWII gun platforms...

[Event Horizon]

typo? what typo?

[epeemike81]

Originally posted by Event Horizon
typo? what typo?

you're joking, right?? you DO see the typo??

As epeemike pointed out there isn't a significant amount of the population that wants to succeed.

Succeed - To accomplish something desired or intended: “Success is counted sweetest/By those who ne'er succeed” (Emily Dickinson).

Secede - To withdraw formally from membership in an organization, association, or alliance.

-m

[MyrddinsPrecint]

of course the person from amherst brings up emily dickinson... coulda seen that one coming....

i hope you succeed in describing the typo, if you don't, i might have to secede from the messageboard....