By Anna Von Reitz
Affirmations otherwise known as “Acceptances” are public acceptance of the office— its duties and responsibilities together with the authorities— and recognition that this is a duty undertaken on behalf of Illinois and its people.
Different States had different verbiage for this but it comes down to these basic public concerns—
(1) the individual volunteering or elected to office accepts the job, its responsibilities and duties along with its authorities;
(2) they recognize that this duty is undertaken for and on behalf of Illinois and the people who live in Illinois — and not for any private or selfish purpose.
(3) they promise to perform the duties of the position or office faithfully and honestly and to the best of their ability.
(4) they promise upon leaving office for any reason that they or their heirs will do their best to return all property and records they may use or establish in the course of their work for the Assembly to the Assembly and their Successors in office.
So long as your public office affirmation covers those points it will stand up under any scrutiny and for any lawful purpose.
We don’t invoke any religious overtones in this Affirmation or make it at all complicated.
The written Affirmation should fit on half of a page of typing paper and include space for Witnesses, and once complete should be scanned and published by the Recording Secretary as part of the Official’s Public Record and the hard copy should be retained by the Assembly Secretary.
In this way, all bases are covered.
The use of vetting also varies widely but cannot be used “pre judicially” — meaning to blackball candidates for reasons of racial, political or personal animosities.
Such abuses of vetting are a constant danger and have to be guarded against by the Assembly Officials and the General Assembly itself.
Most States limit vetting to elected officials who then appoint volunteer and committee level offices.
Vetting should never be applied to people who are simply joining in and participating in the General Assembly.
Always remember that this is a public institution, not a private club.
The intention of vetting is to keep people honest, not to keep people out.
Early on we got sidetracked into an issue about “Membership Agreements”—- but that proved confusing and made people think of what we are doing as a Private Membership Association (PMA) —which it decidedly is not.
So instead, for their own needs, many States have published what can be more accurately described as a Decorum Agreement. This is a written declaration of behavioral standards and expectations — things like the use of Robert’s Rules of Order (or similar method) for conducting meetings, placing items for discussion on the Agenda kept by the Assembly Secretary, refraining from the use of profanity, waiting for one’s turn to speak, limiting one’s comments to the allotted time for each speaker, recognizing and respecting the right of others to hold differing opinions, and everyone’s right to express their opinions. Agreeing to uphold the integrity of Illinois (in this case) as a State of the Union and to protect the best interests of the people living in Illinois, to lawfully maintain their lives, their property, and their freedom. Recognition that the Assembly is a public government operating at the State level and has serious work to do that can’t be impeded. Recognition that our American Government as a whole and each one of the States maintain separation of church and state and uphold the right to freedom of religion and conscience for all.
It may seem tedious to spell these things out and have people sign off on them upon entering an Assembly, but it saves a lot of irritation in the long run, and serves as a solid basis for disciplinary action (time outs) if they become necessary.
We discipline unruly members who violate our purposes, interfere with our work, or otherwise violate our Decorum Agreement using “Time Outs” of various durations — 3 days, 5 days, a week, a month, and so on, depending on how severe and stubborn a problem is.
Time outs should be progressive in nature. The one receiving a time out should be taken aside and all and any reasons for the time out must be fully disclosed and discussed with them in an effort to communicate exactly what they are doing that is objectionable and encouraging them to stop.
Name calling and swearing (profanity) and personal attacks are, for example, not appropriate behaviors in a public meeting. The Marshal at Arms or Moderator would hit the Mute button and later discuss exactly why with the Offender. A 3-5 day time out would be imposed.
There have been numerous cases where people have been pursuing other issues or agendas apart from each Assembly’s current need to finish the Assembly process and be fully seated.
They may not have done anything “wrong” and have simply gotten sidetracked or too far ahead of the group, but if they distract enough attention, time, and energy away from the actual necessity of standing up the Assembly itself—- their activities may create a disruption that needs to be discussed with them and they may need to be disciplined with a time out or more progressive time outs.
The Assembly and its leaders need to be able to “stack out” and logically progress through a time line of agenda items.
Right now, all fifty States are enrolled, populated, and have a properly declared body of eligible people operating their State General Assembly.
The next goal is to have all fifty States “fully seated” — meaning that they have identified those who are able and willing to function as State Citizens and as members of the International Business Assembly, the State Courts and the Jural Assembly supporting them are present and functioning, and the State Assembly Militia is also.
This is a lot of work being done in a short time by people who have never done this before, so there is no time or energy to waste, and plenty of opportunity for us all to make mistakes and endure corrections.
The important thing is to keep focused on our goals and the nuts and bolts of raising our Assemblies and getting organized. Once that is done we will be ready to carry on with the next steps and the next and the next….. until the government that we owe ourselves and our children is once again running like a well-oiled machine.
If I may observe— the First Goals have been achieved brilliantly.
We have fifty properly defined, declared, populated and enrolled States of the Union up and rolling. Each Assembly is populated by properly identified people who have declared, recorded, and published their birthright political status, so that they and their Assembly have lawful and legal standing and authority to act.
This is an amazing and ongoing accomplishment!
Everyone take a deep breath and take a bow!
Next, we fill up the Assembly’s International Business Assembly with State Citizens.
We fill up our Jural Assembly with eligible Jurors, elect viable Court Officials, and stand up our State Courts.
And we find our place as a member or supporter of our State Assembly Militia.
Along with all this furious activity, it’s time to bring our directions and complaints to the State-of-State Legislatures and the State Trust Administrators.
After the Assemblies are fully functioning it’s time for selecting and training Congressional Delegates to represent our States in the Continental Congress, to take the lead in managing the State Trusts and rethinking the State of State Constitutions.
It will be time to send our elected State Delegates to the Federation and start the process (if we decide to do so) to Reconstruct the Confederation and Federal Republic.
Let us all hasten the day when the people of this great country lift their voices and the Silent Majority speaks and tells their Public Employees what to do, instead of the other way around.
This is, ultimately, what needs to happen and what we are all looking forward to— so rock on, America! Let your feet be light and your hearts be joyful. And let’s get through the house building so we can get to the housecleaning — and then, the peaceful enjoyment of our country and our world.
Whatever questions there are, we must answer. Whatever obstacles, we must overcome.
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