Simbas and Sovereign Citizens

At the time, we knew very little about it.  But, during the 1960's, America diverted quite a bit of covert aid to the African continent, especially the Congo, to thwart Communist initiatives there.  We had apparently had Special Forces on the ground during the Simba Rebellion.  The stories are fascinating to read.

One of the best that I have ever read is about a Belgian paratrooper who dropped into Stanleyville to reclaim the city from the rebels who been executing white people on sight and burning their own people who didn't cooperate alive.  The trooper was attacked by a small group of Simba rebels who charged his position head on, some wearing the animal skins that were the trademark of the movement.

The trooper describes how one fellow came running at them in great loping strides, swinging a huge machete. The trooper raised his weapon and shot the guy through the chest.  When the bullet hit, the rebel's eyes grew huge in shock and then he crumpled and died.  The rebels with

him stopped and looked at him in awe for a second before they received more of the same.  The few survivors ran for the bush as fast as their legs would carry them.  The rebels were surprised because their witch doctors had told them that if they wore the right skins and had some mojo dust sprinkled on them they would be invincible to the white man's bullets.  To prove their point, they would anoint a poor bushman and then fire a weapon in the air behind him to prove that he was invincible.

Sadly, this story reminds me of the people who follow the so called "sovereign citizen" movement today. They truly believe that if they can just say the right words, they will unlock the secrets of the "hidden rights of free citizens" and be immune from government jurisdiction and the laws of the land.  And, of course, there are plenty of people ready to make a buck selling the books and even giving financial advice based upon this psuedo-legal mumbo jumbo.

The whole thing is almost pathetically naive.  In the end, legal authority either comes from God or the point of a gun.  If you have a government that does not respect God and the natural law that flows from that respect, their only remaining authority comes by force.  It is ludicrous to think that a godless government ruling by force would let itself be restrained by the Magna Carta, the common law, "hidden rules" or for that matter the type of fringe on an American flag.

Walking into a courtroom spouting that nonsense is exactly like the Simba rebel charging Belgian machine guns.  It's gonna be bloody and it ain't gonna end well for the person on the wrong side of the gun.