KrisAnne Hall in The American Redoubt
By Donna Capurso
Bonner and Boundary Counties were blessed this past weekend when KrisAnne Hall came to share her knowledge, her insight, her enthusiasm and her solutions on how to put “Liberty First” in order to take back our republic.
Sandpoint’s Community Hall quickly became filled with people wanting to listen to KrisAnne’s presentation entitled “America Disarmed” on Friday evening. We were taken through an historical journey starting in 1774 when one governor disarmed one town. KrisAnne showed her audience the similarities to what is going on in America here and now from that time long ago.
Does history repeat itself? Will we as a nation reclaim America by studying our past? She explained that America is trading liberty for security and prosperity. If we have to ask permission to have the right to bear arms then our right becomes a privilege instead of a God-given right for self-preservation and to have the ability to defend ourselves, our family, our community and our country. Liberty should know no bounds unless you are taking away someone else’s liberty.
KrisAnne explained to us that in February of 1761, James Otis Jr., who had been an attorney for the government, became a whistle-blower who actually brought a lawsuit against the government for violating the colonists’ rights over the British “Writs of Assistance.” These writs were violating colonists’ rights to privacy and security of their property from search and seizure actions by government agents that permitted them to gain access to colonists’ homes and businesses to search and seize anything at all that the government agents decided was “suspicious,” with no warrants.
Otis had been the man in charge of the warrant-less searches and the prosecutions for them. After realizing just how tyrannical these writs were, he resigned from his government post in favor of taking up the battle for the colonists and to defend and fight for them in court. Although he lost the case, this was the birth of the spirit of independence for the colonists.
Men we are familiar with, such as John Adams and Samuel Adams, were in the courtroom that day while Otis planted the seeds of liberty and inspired what would become the revolutionary war and eventually the Declaration of Independence from Great Britain. The revolutionary war was not about consumption taxes but the colonists’ lack of representation in Parliament and failure of the government to provide for due process. It is the same as now, that when those who make laws but do not follow them, then the people have no representation
On Saturday morning and afternoon in Bonners Ferry, KrisAnne did an awesome six-hour workshop on “The Roots of Liberty”, which took us through the history of our Constitution for basic training for the defense of liberty. We were given many examples of how our Constitution came into being. We must concentrate on application not interpretation of this document, and to change the way we think and speak for solutions that matter and work to defend liberty via our Constitution. In 1765, John Adams advised that liberty must at all hazards be supported; that we have a right to it, derived from our Maker. That our forefathers earned and bought it for us at the expense of their ease, their estates, their pleasure and their blood.
KrisAnne spoke of the various kings of England and how they ruled the people by their “Power of Decree.” Laws do not stop crimes. Liberty equals both freedom and morality. The difference between a democracy and a republic was covered, summed up with a democracy always has masters and slaves, while a republic is equal representation.
KrisAnne spent considerable time speaking about our First, Second, Third and Fourth Amendments to our Constitution, explaining the purpose and principles of the Bill of Rights and why and how they are so important. Those who do not know their history are doomed to repeat its mistakes.
Saturday evening in Bonners Ferry was spent on State Sovereignty. The designed solution was given to us by James Madison regarding the remedy to the states for combating federal overreach. According to our founders, it was not only the remedy but the duty of the states to stand in defense of the Republic.
“…in the case of deliberate, palpable, and dangerous exercise of other powers not granted…the states…have the right, and are in duty bound, to interpose, …for maintaining, within their respective limits, the authorities, rights, and liberties…” Virginia Resolutions of 1798, James Madison
This interposition is what Jefferson referred to as NULLIFICATION of the unauthorized acts of the federal government. It is the States declaring, “The federal government is NOT our master, the States and the people are the masters of the Constitution and we do not have to, nor will we comply!”
“Whenever the general government assumes undelegated powers, its acts are unauthoritative, void and of no force.” Thomas Jefferson, Kentucky Resolutions of 1798
Nullification is the legitimate act of refusing to implement unconstitutional federal directives.
“That the several states who formed [the Constitution], being sovereign and independent, have the unquestionable right to judge of its infraction; and, That a nullification, by those sovereignties, of all unauthorized acts done under the color of that instrument, is the rightful remedy.” Thomas Jefferson, Kentucky Resolutions 1799
To deny the States this right is tyrannical and is an unconstitutional doctrine. In fact our founders believed that if the States did not refuse to submit to unconstitutional use of federal power, the result would be the elimination of state powers, elimination of the rights of the people, and the complete dissolution of the Union and our Constitution.
“the doctrine which denies to the States the right of protecting their reserved powers, and which would vest in the General Government (it matters not through which department) the right of determining, exclusively and finally, the powers delegated to it, is incompatible with the sovereignty of the States, and of the Constitution itself, considered as the basis of the Federal Union.” Fort Hill Address, John C. Calhoun July 26, 1831.
“The idea that the general government is the exclusive judge of the extent of the powers delegated to it, stop nothing short of despotism– since the discretion of those who administer the government, and not the Constitution would be the measure of their powers.” Thomas Jefferson, Kentucky Resolution 1799
To assume that the Supreme Court has the final word on what will or will not be implemented throughout the land is to abandon all power of the states, and throw them into complete submission to a federal power. It would be like allowing a criminal to determine his own guilt or innocence.
“If the decision of the judiciary be raised above the authority of the sovereign parties to the Constitution…dangerous powers, not delegated, may not only be usurped and executed by the other departments, but that the judicial department, also, may exercise or sanction dangerous powers beyond the grant of the Constitution…consequently, that the ultimate right of the parties to the Constitution, to judge whether the compact has been dangerously violated, must extend to violations by one delegated authority as well as by another–by the judiciary as well as by the executive, or the legislature.” James Madison, Virginia Assembly Report of 1800
Even Federalist, Alexander Hamilton made clear that the Constitution is binding upon any branch of the federal government. To suggest that the creature could overrule its creator was to our founders a complete absurdity.
“No legislative act, therefore, contrary to the Constitution, can be valid. To deny this, would be to affirm, that the deputy is greater than his principal; that the servant is above his master; that the representatives of the people are superior to the people themselves; that men acting by virtue of powers, may do not only what their powers do not authorize, but what they forbid.” Alexander Hamilton Federalist Paper #78
KrisAnne spent time stressing the importance of our local officials, especially the office of the sheriff. The sheriff has the ultimate ability to keep the federal bureaucrats at bay and out of his county. County commissioners, city councils and state representatives must carry out their oath of office, “to support and defend the Constitution of the United States” and to be the guardians of liberty of its citizens.
For more information on KrisAnne Hall as well as additional info on liberty and issues, go to her website at www.krisannehall.com. If you sign up for info on her website, you can download her book: “In Defense of Liberty” for free. I recently read her book “Sovereign Duty” and found it very enlightening and informative.
