The Southern Poverty Law Center estimates the number of people who now consider themselves sovereign citizens, Americans above the law who adhere only to the Constitution and follow a revised history of the United States, grew to 300,000 during the past decade. Some of their beliefs:
-14th Amendment citizens: Belief that the 14th Amendment created a class of citizens who had no constitutional rights but were instead slaves to the government. They also believe the government tricks people into becoming 14th Amendment citizens by signing contracts for privileges such as vehicle registration, Social Security and even fishing licenses.
-The gold standard and bankruptcy: Belief that the country went bankrupt in 1933 when it suspended the gold standard and no longer had collateral to back its loans. In response, the government, with the consent of state governors, secretly pledged current and future citizens as collateral. The government also set up secret accounts at the U.S. Treasury linked to the birth certificate number of each citizen. The value of the accounts ranges from $600,000 to $20 million.
-Straw man: Under a sovereign citizen theory called redemption, the government creates a fictional identity for each citizen at birth tied to the secret accounts. The identity is represented by a person's name in all capital letters. Often referred to as an "artificial person" or a "legal fiction."
Sources: Southern Poverty Law Center, Anti-Defamation League, AP research
-14th Amendment citizens: Belief that the 14th Amendment created a class of citizens who had no constitutional rights but were instead slaves to the government. They also believe the government tricks people into becoming 14th Amendment citizens by signing contracts for privileges such as vehicle registration, Social Security and even fishing licenses.
-The gold standard and bankruptcy: Belief that the country went bankrupt in 1933 when it suspended the gold standard and no longer had collateral to back its loans. In response, the government, with the consent of state governors, secretly pledged current and future citizens as collateral. The government also set up secret accounts at the U.S. Treasury linked to the birth certificate number of each citizen. The value of the accounts ranges from $600,000 to $20 million.
-Straw man: Under a sovereign citizen theory called redemption, the government creates a fictional identity for each citizen at birth tied to the secret accounts. The identity is represented by a person's name in all capital letters. Often referred to as an "artificial person" or a "legal fiction."
Sources: Southern Poverty Law Center, Anti-Defamation League, AP research
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