2847 lines
140 KiB
Plaintext
2847 lines
140 KiB
Plaintext
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Received: from nova.unix.portal.com (nova.unix.portal.com [156.151.1.101]) by terminus (8.6.8/8.6.6) with ESMTP id LAA18852 for <oceania@terminus.intermind.net>; Fri, 2 Dec 1994 11:18:07 -0800
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From: Eric_S_Klien@cup.portal.com
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Received: from hobo.online.portal.com (hobo.online.portal.com [156.151.5.5]) by nova.unix.portal.com (8.6.9/8.6.5) with ESMTP id LAA10651 for <oceania@terminus.intermind.net>; Fri, 2 Dec 1994 11:25:27 -0800
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Received: (pccop@localhost) by hobo.online.portal.com (8.6.7/8.6.5) id KAA27433 for oceania@terminus.intermind.net; Fri, 2 Dec 1994 10:50:04 -0800
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To: Eric.S.Klien@online.portal.com, oceania@terminus.intermind.net
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Subject: Constitution of Oceania
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Lines: 2834
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Date: Fri, 2 Dec 94 10:50:03 PST
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Message-ID: <9412021050.1.24270@cup.portal.com>
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X-Origin: The Portal System (TM)
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Status: R
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THE CONSTITUTION OF OCEANIA
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Draft 0.83
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by Eric Klien
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Copyright 1993, 1994. All rights reserved.
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Special thanks to Lee Crocker for his suggestions.
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---------------------------------------------------------------------
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CONTACT INTO
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---------------------------------------------------------------------
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FTP: unicycle.cs.tulane.edu/pub/oceania
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LISTSERVER: send the message: subscribe oceania-l <your full name> to
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listproc@unicycle.cs.tulane.edu
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E-MAIL: oceania@terminus.intermind.net
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WWW: http://unicycle.cs.tulane.edu/oceania
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BOOK: The Atlantis Papers from After Dark Publications/
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73370.3046@compuserve.com
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SNAILMAIL: The Atlantis Project
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4132 S. Rainbow Blvd., Suite 388
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Las Vegas, NV 89103
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----------------------------------------------------------------------
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WE, THE FOUNDERS of Oceania, do not believe in the initiation of force or
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fraud by the government or others. Like the peaceful dolphin, we believe
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such actions should only be used in defense. We disagree with governments
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that imitate the shark, using force and fraud to extract wealth and labor
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from their citizens.
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Oceania is founded on the principle that the only true and proper function
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of government is to protect its citizens from force and fraud. This
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government is to be strictly limited to providing that protection.
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This constitution is the result of the collaboration of many who have seen
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the deterioration or destruction of societies based on other constitutions.
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The U.S. constitution in particular, while an inspired document, has shown
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itself to be vague enough to allow its government to pass laws clearly at
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odds with the spirit of liberty in which that once-free nation was founded.
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It is for this reason that the document here is painfully specific about
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exactly what powers belong to whom. All of the powers listed here are
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usurped by present governments somewhere on Earth.
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Even at this level of detail, it is impossible for any document to fully
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account for all conditions that may arise in future. The natural progress
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of all governments is to gain more power as time progresses. It Must be
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made clear that under no circumstance is the government created under this
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constitution ever to assume any power or authority not explicitly granted
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here. We hope that whenever crises arrive in the future, the people of
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Oceania will have as much imagination in finding peaceful solutions as
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historical governments have had in finding despotic ones.
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There has been considerable debate over all issues here, in particular the
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perceived need for a tax-funded defense force. We believe that we have
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found solutions to these issues consistent with the spirit of freedom.
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Oceania will set an example we hope the rest of the world will follow.
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Definitions
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Words capitalized throughout this constitution are to be interpreted
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exactly as defined here. The remaining text of this document should be
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interpreted strictly and exactly as written in common English language
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usage at the time of its adoption. Conflicts may be resolved by Webster's
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Third International Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language.
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To make it clear that we include all persons who love liberty, regardless
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of sex, race, or beliefs, the pronouns in this document are gender-neutral
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ones formed by removing the initial th from the plural pronouns. That is,
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ey means he/she, eir means his/her, em means him/her, and similarly for
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eirs and emself. It is recommended that ey be pronounced to rhyme with
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he/she.
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Shall , Must and Will indicate legal compulsion. Should indicates
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suggestion. May indicates permission. Including always means "including but
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not necessarily limited to". Recommendations do not have the force of law.
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Commentary on certain parts of the constitution will appear in
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boxes like this. These notes help to clarify the intent of the
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authors or the reasoning behind some of the decisions made here.
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These commentaries bear the full force of law.
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Oceania is the name of our peaceful country.
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A Person is any born human being of either sex, and of any race, origin, or
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beliefs who is currently on territory in Oceania or was on such territory
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until abducted in violation of Oceanian law. Other beings may be granted
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the status of Person by law as necessary. The point of birth is defined as
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that point at which the organism becomes detached from its mother's
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biological systems and can function independently of that system.
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An Entity is any corporation, club, foundation, charity, or other type of
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organization, formed for any purpose, that is operating in Oceania.
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Business is a synonym for Entity.
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An Oceanian is a Person or Entity other than the Government.
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A Right is a freedom guaranteed to every Oceanian. These include Life,
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Liberty, Property, and Privacy. Rights extend not only to Persons, but also
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to Entities. All rights of Entities are derived from personal rights,
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therefore Entities can have no rights that Persons do not also have.
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Rights are absolute and may not be restricted or regulated by
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taxes or licensing. A Right DOES NOT imply an obligation on
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anyone else's part to provide the means to exercise that Right.
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An Oceanian may voluntarily waive some of eir Rights by Contract.
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The Government of Oceania waives all Rights except those
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explicitly granted to it in this Constitution.
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An Entitlement is a positive obligation on one Oceanian to provide
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something for another, or a Right that interferes with someone else's
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Rights.
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Prisoners are prevented from exercising some of their Rights,
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such as the Right to Travel, while they are imprisoned or exiled.
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Because this restricts the prisoner's ability to provide for
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emself, ey is Entitled to food, shelter, and basic medical care.
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When a prisoner is released, ALL of eir Rights are restored
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intact and eir Entitlements are removed. This includes the Rights
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to travel, vote, speak, own Weaponry, assemble, etc.
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Children have some limitations on their Rights such as the Right
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to Self-Defense, and have some additional Entitlements, such as
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food, shelter, medical care, and education.
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A Privilege is an action that can only be done with a License from the
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Government.
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A License is the granting of a Privilege by the Government to an Oceanian.
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Oceanians do NOT need Licenses for anything that is a Right. A Permit is a
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synonym for this word.
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Life is the biological state of animation. Persons who are unconscious, in
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cryonic suspension, or otherwise supported by technology are still
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considered alive and have all the Rights of conscious Persons.
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As technology advances, it is expected that precise definitions
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of Life and Death will be set by law.
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Liberty is a condition that exists when Persons have control over their
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individual lives and Property and where all Rights are protected. Liberty
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also applies to Entities.
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Property is the material and intellectual belongings of an Oceanian.
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Material belongings include Land, Contracts, and personal effects.
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Intellectual belongings include patents and copyrights.
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Privacy is the expectation of a Person not to be subject to public scrutiny
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of eir personal affairs.
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Weapons are technological devices used for defense. These include, but are
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not limited to, firearms, artillery, booby traps, mines, mace, tear gas,
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and any such devices that may be invented in the future.
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A Child is a born human of age less than sixteen years old. Children are a
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special case in many laws that otherwise apply to all Persons. This age was
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chosen by studying the traditions of ancient cultures.
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A Teen is a human at least sixteen years of age, and younger than eighteen.
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An Adult is a human eighteen years of age or older. A Person may be
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declared a Child, Teen, or Adult by a Court.
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A Parent is a Teen or Adult who has assumed responsibility for the care of
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a Child. This may or may not be the Child's biological Parents. A Child
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does not have the Right to be classified as a Parent.
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A Spouse is one of two or more Oceanians who have signed a Marriage
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Contract with each other.
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The Nearest Relative of an Oceanian may be defined by law.
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A Contract is a binding agreement to which there is evidence of between two
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or more Oceanians, written or oral.
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An Implied Contract is a Contract inferred by a Person's words or actions.
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For example, claims in advertisements and labeling are considered an
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Implied Contract between the seller and the customer.
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Force is a physical act by one or more Oceanians that is destructive to the
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Rights of others. The threat to execute such an act also constitutes Force.
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Fraud is the intentional deceit of another Oceanian to induce em to part
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with Property or to surrender a Right. This includes the willful use of
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another's name or trademark to do business.
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The Free Market is a voluntary exchange between two or more parties of
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goods and services.
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A Voter is a Person allowed to vote in Oceania.
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A Permanent Oceanian is a Person who has lived a total of twelve months in
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Oceania, or an Oceanian under the age of twelve months.
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The Government (under this Constitution) is a restricted Entity that
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protects Oceanians against external and internal Force and Fraud. Unlike
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other Entities, the Government has had most of its Rights restricted by
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laws and regulations.
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Treason is defined as the act of an Oceanian waging war upon the territory
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and people of Oceania or giving military aid to its declared enemies.
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Giving food, medical care, or other humanitarian aid to anyone cannot be
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Treason (but could be physically hazardous during warfare). Election Fraud
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and defrauding of the people by Government agencies are also defined as
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Treason. Violating any of the restrictions of Article Four, National
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Security, is also declared to be Treason.
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The Constitution is this document. It enumerates the Government's powers,
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and places limits upon those powers. It defines the structure of the
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Government, and defines the Rights of people it serves.
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Land is an area composed of dirt, concrete, steel, or other substances that
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people are able to live on for extended periods of time.
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Land Owner is a Person who owns at least one square meter of land.
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A Housing Development is a voluntary private association of Land Owners and
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residents formed for the purpose of maintaining the infrastructure of a
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parcel of Land. A Housing Development may not contain more than 5,000
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Persons, and can contain as few as one.
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The reason the size of a Housing Development is limited by law is
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that they are allowed to take on many of the traditional
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functions of Government . Of course, a Housing Development is not
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bound by the restrictions that Government agencies normally must
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follow such as not discriminating against others. See Article
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Seven, Housing Developments, for more details.
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A Locality is a Government level that does not encompass more than 100
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square kilometers.
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A County is a Government level that does not encompass more than 10,000
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square kilometers.
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A City is a grouping of population with a geographical border. A City MAY
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NOT possess a Governmental structure. It may have one mayor to act as its
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ambassador for ceremonial purposes.
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A Court is a forum in which Oceanians resolve conflicts, establish
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liability for wrongdoing, and assign penalties for such liability.
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ARTICLE ONE
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A Partial Listing of Rights
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This article requires a 95% vote to remove a Right or add an Entitlement,
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and a 66% vote to add a Right or remove an Entitlement.
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Powers not specifically delegated to the Government are reserved to
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Oceanians. The enumeration of certain Rights in this Constitution shall not
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be construed to deny or disparage others retained by Oceanians. No other
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power is granted to the Government, and no powers unspecified, either
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herein, or later amended, are considered de facto powers of the Government.
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This article shall be binding on all subordinate organized Government
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agencies within territories in Oceania.
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No Entitlements not listed here are implicitly granted to the people. In
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particular, no persons (except Children) have an entitlement to receive
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food, housing, health care, education, or clothing.
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1.Life
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A.The Right to Life: A Person has the Right not to be killed or harmed by
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others. While a Person is in a coma or is otherwise unconscious, all of
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eir money will be used to keep em alive unless ey has signed explicit
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instructions to the contrary. When the money runs out, the hospital in
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charge of the patient has the Right to turn off the life support. The
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patient's family or any other Person or Entity may provide additional
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money for life support.
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The Court of Oceania may not repress this Right except to stop someone
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from escaping arrest.
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B.The Right to Self-Defense: An Oceanian may injure or kill in defense of
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emself or eir Property. This includes the Right to defend other Persons
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or their Property. This includes the Right to defend yourself against
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the Government if it becomes corrupt and stops honoring this
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Constitutition.
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An Oceanian (except a Child) has the Right to keep and bear Weaponry,
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concealed and non-concealed. This Right extends to all Weaponry with the
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exception of Weapons of mass destruction as detailed in Article Four,
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National Security. Supplies for Weaponry, such as bullets, are included
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in this Right. Of course, minor weapons such as shiriken, water pistols
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(realistic and not), knives (long and short), brass knuckles, swords,
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and nunchaku are included in this right. A society that has banned such
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minor weapons is a society very close to banning all means of defense
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from innocent people living within it.
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If a child uses a weapon in self-defense, it is recommended that
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the jury acquit em for the use of the weapon.
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This includes the Right to set booby traps on eir Property. Of
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course such Property Must include warnings, if the booby trap can
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cause physical harm, that the Property is booby trapped and
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therefore trespassing could be dangerous. A Property that is hard
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to casually stroll onto, such as one surrounded with barbed wire
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or an electrified fence may not need such a warning at jury
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discretion.
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The Right to Life implies the Right to protect and defend that
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Life with whatever means are necessary. The Government may not
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grant or take away Licenses for the Right to own or use Weaponry.
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Owners of private Property may refuse to allow weapons on their
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Property. Renters Must follow the Weaponry rules set within the
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parameters given by the Owners. This includes renters, such as
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the Government renting a courtroom.
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C.The Right to Self-Sovereignty: A Person has the Right to determine what
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ey wishes to put into eir body or wear on eir body; how to use, decorate
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or modify eir body; and when ey will die. This includes the Right to
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control the medical care ey receives. The Government may not under any
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circumstances require a Person to modify eir body by sterilization,
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tattooing, piercing, or any other method. The Government may not require
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a Person to take drugs against eir will or wear uniforms or other
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clothing.
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This Right continues after death. A Person has the Right to specify in
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eir will what can and cannot be done with eir body. The Government may
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not perform autopsies without the prior consent of the deceased, even
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for criminal investigations. In the absence of an explicit will, no
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family or other Entity can grant such permission.
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Persons have the Right to ingest any food or drugs they wish. The
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Government may not grant or take away Licenses for the Right of
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Persons to ingest food or drugs. The Government may not require
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physicians to hold a License to dispense drugs, dietary
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supplements., or any substance or device deemed by the physician
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to be of potential benefit for the patient.
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Persons have the Right to determine whether or not they wish to
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wear seat belts, helmets, or other safety devices. Owners of
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private roads may require that such devices be used on their
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roads. Medical insurance companies may make the use of such
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devices a requirement of coverage.
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Property owners may develop their own clothing standards. Those
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who are offended by certain styles of dress (such as nudity) on
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public or neighboring Land Must use private means such as deed
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restrictions, covenants, or physical barriers to protect
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themselves from such freedoms.
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Persons have the Right to end their own lives and to request help
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when they do so. Prisoners also have this Right. A Person who
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undergoes cryonic suspension while legally alive is not
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considered to have ended eir Life, and therefore continues to
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hold eir Right to Life.
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Adults have the Right to engage in any form of sexual activity
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with any Adult who consents with the exception of incest when one
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or more of the parties involved is under the age of 21. Payment
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may be made by one or more of the parties engaging in sex. All
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Persons have the Right to seek personal use of all birth control
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methods. Of course, the Government may not fund any birth control
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methods, including abortion.
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Oceanians have the Right to engage in dangerous activities
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including, but not limited to, boxing, bungee jumping, dueling,
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skydiving, and using fireworks. They do not have the Right to
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injure others when doing these activities unless the Person
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injured has signed an explicit Contract allowing it, as in boxing
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or dueling. Anyone who entices another into performing a
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dangerous act by misrepresenting it as safe has committed Fraud
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and is responsible for any damages caused. Children may be
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forbidden by their Parents from these activities, as well as
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activities considered harmful to Children such as using drugs,
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playing video games or using spray paint,, but not by any
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Government agency or law.
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D.The Right to Free Speech: An Oceanian has the Right to speak or publish
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without interference from the Government. This Right is granted to all
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media including television, radio, cable, paper and electronic media and
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is extended to all advertisements and entertainment as well as editorial
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||
|
speech. There are no exceptions for obscenity, sedition, or other
|
||
|
controversial speech. A speaker who directly incites illegal activity or
|
||
|
causes damage to Property or persons may be held responsible as an
|
||
|
accessory to such activity.
|
||
|
|
||
|
An example of this would be yelling fire in a theater and
|
||
|
inciting a riot. Consequently, you could be prosecuted for
|
||
|
causing injury to people who try to hurriedly escape because of
|
||
|
your false statement or any property they damage in their attempt
|
||
|
to escape.
|
||
|
|
||
|
This Right does not allow a broadcaster to broadcast a signal that
|
||
|
interferes with an Oceanian who owns a frequency band. Frequency bands
|
||
|
are considered Property. Such bands are given away in a lottery at the
|
||
|
time Oceania is formed according to Oceania law. All Land Owners will be
|
||
|
able to participate in this lottery.
|
||
|
|
||
|
The Government may not grant or take away Licenses for the Right
|
||
|
to broadcast or otherwise distribute information. Nor may the
|
||
|
Government compel a broadcaster or other medium to distribute
|
||
|
particular information including issues of "public importance" or
|
||
|
require that the broadcaster offer a reasonable opportunity for
|
||
|
the presentation of contrasting viewpoints.
|
||
|
|
||
|
The Right to Free Speech includes the Right not to speak. The
|
||
|
Government may not require the press to reveal its sources under
|
||
|
any conditions, even in times of war or Treason, nor may anyone
|
||
|
be compelled to testify in Court or reveal any information ey
|
||
|
wishes to keep secret.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Oceanians may voluntarily waive their Right to Free Speech by
|
||
|
Contract. For example, the Court of Oceania requires its
|
||
|
subscribers to allow themselves to be subpoenaed as witnesses.
|
||
|
Employers may require non-disclosure agreements as a condition of
|
||
|
employment.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Actions of Fraud in the media such as libel may be prosecuted in
|
||
|
Court by Oceanians. Slander and libel consist only of knowingly
|
||
|
publishing falsehoods as fact with intent to harm. True
|
||
|
statements and statements presented as opinion or satire are
|
||
|
immune from prosecution. And if Oceanians don't want to watch
|
||
|
pornography or the KKK channel, they can just turn the dial.
|
||
|
|
||
|
E.The Right to Work: A Person and a Business have the Right to agree to a
|
||
|
Contract of employment. A Business may not be Forced to agree to a union
|
||
|
Contract, unless stipulated by former Contract. A Person may not be
|
||
|
Forced to join a union, unless that Person has a prior Contract
|
||
|
voluntarily waiving this Right.
|
||
|
|
||
|
The Right to Life implies the Right to the ordinary means of
|
||
|
sustaining Life, i.e., work. The Government cannot require
|
||
|
Licenses to work. This means that even doctors, lawyers, and
|
||
|
computer programmers do not need Licenses. Of course, private
|
||
|
Entities can License doctors, lawyers, and other professionals.
|
||
|
We believe that private Entities would do a better job than
|
||
|
Government agencies. Oceanians have the Right to use unlicensed
|
||
|
professionals as they see fit.
|
||
|
|
||
|
F.The Right to Religion: An Oceanian has the Right to practice or not
|
||
|
practice any religion that ey chooses.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Particularly abhorred is the war on religion practiced by most
|
||
|
countries on Earth. The Government of Oceania will never storm a
|
||
|
church with tanks and grenades because it is unpopular. The
|
||
|
Government of Oceania may not fund art, media, education, or any
|
||
|
other means of promoting any particular religion; nor may it
|
||
|
interfere with the Right of any broadcaster to provide religious
|
||
|
programming or the Right of Parents and schools to provide
|
||
|
religious education. Of course, the Government may not mint money
|
||
|
that says "In God we trust" or require oaths to God.
|
||
|
|
||
|
No additional Rights, Entitlements, or Privileges are to be
|
||
|
granted based upon freedom of religion. If a religion requires
|
||
|
that you rob banks, robbing banks will still be a prosecutable
|
||
|
offense for members of that religion. Freedom of religion does
|
||
|
not confer the freedom to violate the Rights of others.
|
||
|
|
||
|
2. Liberty
|
||
|
|
||
|
A.The Right to Liberty: An Oceanian has the Right to determine for emself
|
||
|
how and where ey will live, work, and play. Neither slavery nor
|
||
|
involuntary servitude, not even as punishment for a crime whereof the
|
||
|
party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist in Oceania or in any
|
||
|
territory subject to its jurisdiction.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Slavery includes the military draft, national service, forcing
|
||
|
people to help others in emergency situations such as a heart
|
||
|
attack, forced jury duty, and witness subpoenas, except where a
|
||
|
Person has voluntarily agreed to make emself subject to them. The
|
||
|
defense of a peaceful nation should not require the enslavement
|
||
|
of young people to be sacrificed at the Government's whim.
|
||
|
|
||
|
One exception to the Right to Liberty is a crime victim's
|
||
|
Entitlement to Justice. An Oceanian accused of a crime can be
|
||
|
subpoenaed by a grand jury to appear at the Court of Oceania.
|
||
|
Because this is such a dangerous power, many protections are
|
||
|
given to the accused as detailed in Article Two.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Mental illness is not a crime. No Adult may be imprisoned for
|
||
|
mental illness if ey has committed no crime.
|
||
|
|
||
|
The reason that someone in jail may not be forced to work is that
|
||
|
a significant percentage of People imprisoned are innocent of the
|
||
|
crime that were convicted of. Therefore making them work and then
|
||
|
profiting off of their imprisonment will just encourage others to
|
||
|
frame and convict even more innocents.
|
||
|
|
||
|
B.The Right to Travel: An Oceanian may travel from point A to point B
|
||
|
provided the traveler has the property owner's permission to enter eir
|
||
|
property.
|
||
|
|
||
|
In addition to this Right, Land in Oceania Must contain eight-meter wide
|
||
|
and eight meter high easements in a grid format of squares with eight
|
||
|
kilometer sides on which there is an Entitlement to travel. This
|
||
|
Entitlement means that no permission is needed from anyone to use the
|
||
|
easement for traveling. The grid is determined by the initial owners of
|
||
|
Land incorporated into Oceania. Land Owners bordering easements may pay
|
||
|
for or authorize maintenance of easements.
|
||
|
|
||
|
No charge may be made for traveling in these easements. Since no profit
|
||
|
can be made from the easements, it is expected that they will not be
|
||
|
used as main roads. Instead they will be used to help people who have
|
||
|
been denied access to private roads. Easements are not required on
|
||
|
islands less than eight kilometers across. These easements are not for
|
||
|
camping, sleeping, or loitering_only for traveling.
|
||
|
|
||
|
On floating structures, it will be the duty of neighboring Land Owners
|
||
|
to make sure that these easements are not allowed to fall into such
|
||
|
disrepair that the floating structure is endangered in any way. The Land
|
||
|
Owners will be responsible according to the percentage of the easement
|
||
|
touching their Land, i.e., total cost of maintenance will be divided
|
||
|
according to the percentage of the easement touching the Land in
|
||
|
question.
|
||
|
|
||
|
The Government may not grant or take away Licenses for the Right
|
||
|
to Travel, whether on foot, by car, by plane, or by any other
|
||
|
means. Owners of private roads may require Licenses to use their
|
||
|
roads. Owners of airspace may require Licenses for pilots flying
|
||
|
over their airspace.
|
||
|
|
||
|
The Right to Life overrules the Right to Travel. Therefore Persons with
|
||
|
highly infectious diseases may not Travel. For a disease to be
|
||
|
considered highly infectious takes an 80% vote in a referendum. It takes
|
||
|
a majority vote to remove a disease from the infectious list.
|
||
|
Quarantines may be placed on people who have highly infectious diseases.
|
||
|
Oceanians under quarantine do have the Right to travel to countries who
|
||
|
will accept them. To be quarantined requires that a jury declare a
|
||
|
Person infected and order them to be quarantined.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Of course, even without a public quarantine declared by
|
||
|
referendum, any person may enforce their own private quarantine.
|
||
|
For example, they could prohibit someone with a disease from
|
||
|
entering their Business or home.
|
||
|
|
||
|
C.The Right to Assemble: Oceanians have the Right to freely assemble
|
||
|
together either physically on Land or by means of a communication
|
||
|
medium. Note that the Government is not allowed to own Land or control
|
||
|
media.
|
||
|
|
||
|
D.The Right to Associate and Discriminate: An Oceanian has the Right to
|
||
|
choose with whom ey will associate or do Business, and whom ey will not.
|
||
|
|
||
|
The Government does not have this Right. The Government may not ask
|
||
|
Persons about their race, creed, gender, sexual preference, handicap,
|
||
|
age, or anything else not related to job qualifications. Of course, this
|
||
|
also prevents the Government from practicing reverse discrimination.
|
||
|
|
||
|
This Right includes the Right to associate with those of
|
||
|
unpopular views, and to discriminate against anyone for any
|
||
|
reason, including race, creed, gender, sexual preference,
|
||
|
attractiveness, weight, height, handicap, age, hair style, dress,
|
||
|
jewelry, veteran status, pet ownership, language(s) spoken,
|
||
|
national origin, marital status, medical condition, Parenthood,
|
||
|
whether they are pregnant or not or any other reason. This also
|
||
|
includes the Right to discriminate against someone because they
|
||
|
have discriminated against another Oceanian.
|
||
|
|
||
|
E.The Right to Knowledge: An Oceanian has the Right to make use of
|
||
|
whatever knowledge ey has.
|
||
|
|
||
|
The one exception to the Right to Knowledge is the Entitlement to
|
||
|
Intellectual Property. Because this is a powerful Entitlement, many
|
||
|
restrictions are placed on it as detailed in Section Three of this
|
||
|
article.
|
||
|
|
||
|
This Right includes engaging in insider stock trading. Of course,
|
||
|
a company's bylaws are allowed to prohibit such an action. A
|
||
|
buyer can find out if the bylaws allow or do not allow insider
|
||
|
trading. Stock exchanges can decide whether or not they wish to
|
||
|
allow trading of such stocks.
|
||
|
|
||
|
This Right includes using illegally obtained evidence in Court.
|
||
|
Of course, the one who obtained the evidence is still responsible
|
||
|
for eir illegal act.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Blackmail, i.e., extorting money or other valuables from someone
|
||
|
by threatening to make true statements about em, is a legal
|
||
|
exercise of the Right to Knowledge. Of course, encouraging em to
|
||
|
commit crimes makes one an accessory to such crimes, and
|
||
|
threatening physical harm constitutes assault.
|
||
|
|
||
|
F.The Right to Listen: An Oceanian has the Right to listen, view, or
|
||
|
otherwise receive broadcasts from television, radio, and the rest of the
|
||
|
electromagnetic spectrum, including cellular phone conversations, police
|
||
|
and military radio traffic, and any other signal broadcast through eir
|
||
|
body or Property.
|
||
|
|
||
|
This does not include the power to violate another's Right to Property
|
||
|
by spying on em with bugging devices, such as shining a laser on a
|
||
|
window and listening to conversations by decoding the modulated
|
||
|
reflected beam. Such spying may be prosecuted as a trespass, because it
|
||
|
involves physically entering the other person's Property or putting
|
||
|
something on eir Property.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Of course, a communication provider can build encryption device,
|
||
|
algorithms or techniques into the units it manufacturers or buys,
|
||
|
or sells, and the communication services it provides. Most
|
||
|
importantly, the Government is not permitted to require that any
|
||
|
encryption devices, algorithms or techniques be made non-secure
|
||
|
in any way.
|
||
|
|
||
|
3.Property
|
||
|
|
||
|
A.The Right to Property: An Oceanian has the Right to own Property and to
|
||
|
not have eir Property taken from em by Force or Fraud.
|
||
|
|
||
|
A Person's body and the fruits of eir labor are eir Property. No one may
|
||
|
claim another's work as eir own by taxation, civil forfeiture, eminent
|
||
|
domain, or other forms of theft. An Oceanian may sell or rent parts of
|
||
|
eir body. This includes becoming a surrogate mother, prostitute, or
|
||
|
subject of medical experiments.
|
||
|
|
||
|
In the absence of an explicit will, it will be assumed that the deceased
|
||
|
does not wish to sell or give away eir body parts.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Water is considered Property. As is the case with all property,
|
||
|
it may not be taken by any persons, entities, or Government,
|
||
|
without the owner's consent. The practice of taking away water
|
||
|
rights for "lack of use" or for "improper" use is forbidden.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Not only is it against our Constitution for a thief or looting
|
||
|
mob to take money from an Oceanian but the same holds true for
|
||
|
our Government. Therefore all forms of taxation are against our
|
||
|
Constitution. The only way the Government may extract money from
|
||
|
Oceanians is by accepting voluntary donations. The Government may
|
||
|
not use Force or Fraud in collecting donations. Claiming that any
|
||
|
such donations are mandatory is, of course, Fraud.
|
||
|
|
||
|
The Government may not charge a rental fee to people who "own"
|
||
|
Property. By charging a rental fee, Governments turn Land Owners
|
||
|
into Land leasers. In these corrupt countries, once the Land
|
||
|
"owner" stops eir lease payments eir Land is taken from em.
|
||
|
|
||
|
The Government may not enact zoning laws since they take away the
|
||
|
Right of a Oceanian to do with eir Property as ey pleases.
|
||
|
Likewise, the Government may not enact building codes. Of course,
|
||
|
if an unsafe structure damages others' Property or injures or
|
||
|
kills someone, then the owner of the structure would be liable
|
||
|
for the damages and deaths caused. Oceanians who believe that
|
||
|
such Property may injure them may sue the owner of the Property
|
||
|
before they are actually injured. Rent control by the Government
|
||
|
is illegal as it is a form of Property theft
|
||
|
|
||
|
As explained in Article Seven, Housing Developments may enact
|
||
|
zoning laws, building codes, and rent control.
|
||
|
|
||
|
The Property owner has the Right to control access to and use of
|
||
|
eir Property, and set any conditions on access or use. This
|
||
|
includes excluding people based on their clothing or appearance.
|
||
|
Of course, warnings Must be placed around unusually dangerous
|
||
|
Property such as mined Property.
|
||
|
|
||
|
No soldier, Government official, or other Person shall, in time
|
||
|
of peace or war, be quartered in any house without the consent of
|
||
|
the owner.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Property shall not be taken for public use without consent of the
|
||
|
owner. The Government may not choose a "fair" price for the
|
||
|
Property and then just "buy" it from the owner without eir
|
||
|
consent.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Property found more than two years after it is lost is considered
|
||
|
the Property of the finder.
|
||
|
|
||
|
B.The Right to Own and Operate a Business: An Oceanian has the Right to
|
||
|
run a Business, for profit or not for profit, and for any purpose.
|
||
|
|
||
|
The Government may not grant or take away Licenses for the Right
|
||
|
to Own and Operate A Business. A Business may hire and fire
|
||
|
employees without explanation. It may permanently fire an entire
|
||
|
union. It may refuse to rehire former union employees. Of course,
|
||
|
any voluntary Contracts made between the union or individual
|
||
|
employees and the Business Must be honored.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Sexual harassment between employee and employer may be defined in
|
||
|
a Contract between the two parties.
|
||
|
|
||
|
It is legal to own a "monopoly". Most governments' definition of
|
||
|
a monopoly is a successful Business. It is legal to "dump" goods
|
||
|
at below "fair" market value and to engage in "predatory"
|
||
|
pricing. Cartels are also legal as long as they don't use Force
|
||
|
and Fraud to keep members in the cartel.
|
||
|
|
||
|
It is legal for a Business to sign a Contract with an employee
|
||
|
that takes away eir Rights with respect to such Business for the
|
||
|
duration of the Contract. The same applies to a Contract that
|
||
|
takes away the Rights of the employer. No Contract can take away
|
||
|
the Rights of Oceanians who are not party to the contract,
|
||
|
including Children of signatories to the Contract
|
||
|
|
||
|
A Business may not be Forced by the Government to offer a minimum wage,
|
||
|
family leave benefits, medical insurance, disability benefits,
|
||
|
unemployment insurance, or workers' compensation, or any other benefit
|
||
|
that robs the employer of eir Right to control eir own Property.
|
||
|
Mandatory disability benefits for transvestites, pedophiles,
|
||
|
pyromaniacs, kleptomaniacs, drug addicts, and compulsive gamblers are
|
||
|
obviously forbidden.
|
||
|
|
||
|
C.The Right to Negotiate Contracts: Two or more Oceanians may negotiate a
|
||
|
Contract for goods or services without Government interference.
|
||
|
Government agencies do not have this right and may only negotiate
|
||
|
contracts that do not violate restrictions given to them by the laws of
|
||
|
Oceania.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Marriage is a private Contract between consenting Persons, and as such,
|
||
|
the Government may take no part in it other than enforcing the terms
|
||
|
agreed upon by the participants. All Contracts for sexual behavior,
|
||
|
cohabitation, reproduction, survivorship benefits, or other aspects of
|
||
|
marriage, for money or otherwise, are legal and enforceable.
|
||
|
|
||
|
D.The Right to Free Enterprise: An Oceanian has the Right to buy and sell
|
||
|
anything without Government interference. The only exceptions to this
|
||
|
Right are listed in Article Two (restricted private Entities for
|
||
|
patents, etc.) and Article Four (Weapons, drugs, etc.).
|
||
|
|
||
|
The Government may not grant or take away Licenses for the Right
|
||
|
to Free Enterprise. For example, it could not grant or take away
|
||
|
Licenses for the Right to buy and sell alcohol.
|
||
|
|
||
|
There can be no "blue sky" laws, no usury laws, and no laws
|
||
|
setting margin requirements on the purchase and sale of
|
||
|
securities. There can be no restrictions on branch banking and no
|
||
|
restrictions on the interest paid on deposits. Bearer bonds and
|
||
|
certificates are legal. Pyramid plans are legal as long as fraud
|
||
|
is not used to promote them.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Laws cannot restrict the advertising of prices, products, or
|
||
|
services. This includes the services of doctors, dentists and
|
||
|
lawyers, and products such as alcohol and tobacco.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Scalping of tickets or of any other products, selling drugs
|
||
|
within the bounds of Oceania, prostitution, and all forms of
|
||
|
gambling are legal.
|
||
|
|
||
|
In order to solve the problem of deaths that occur each year due
|
||
|
to the lack of available body parts, it is legal to buy and sell
|
||
|
body parts.
|
||
|
|
||
|
In order to solve the problem of Children being abused by Parents
|
||
|
who do not want them, it is legal for such Parents to charge
|
||
|
monies to Persons who do want them for the Right to become their
|
||
|
new Parents. Of course, such Children retain all Rights and
|
||
|
Entitlements normally possessed by Children, notably the Parental
|
||
|
responsibility to be cared for, and are not to be sold as
|
||
|
laborers.
|
||
|
|
||
|
E.The Right to Free Trade: An Oceanian has the Right to import and export
|
||
|
without Government interference. This means that it is illegal for the
|
||
|
Government to put tariffs, quotas, or taxes on imported goods. If
|
||
|
another country puts such tariffs, quotas, taxes, or other restrictions
|
||
|
on Oceania's exports, the Government of Oceania may not retaliate in any
|
||
|
way.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Oceania will set an example for the rest of the world by showing
|
||
|
what "free trade" really means.
|
||
|
|
||
|
F.The Entitlement to Intellectual Property: An Oceanian is Entitled to
|
||
|
receive patents and copyrights on eir creative works. If two or more
|
||
|
Oceanians make the same discovery independently, both shall be granted
|
||
|
patents even when the discoveries are not made simultaneously. Burden of
|
||
|
proof of independence of development shall rest upon the party making
|
||
|
the later application.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Intellectual Property is an Entitlement because it interferes with the
|
||
|
Right to Knowledge. Because of this, many restrictions are placed on
|
||
|
this Entitlement, and it is expected that juries will favor the Right to
|
||
|
Knowledge in close decisions.
|
||
|
|
||
|
No patent or copyright may last for more than ten years from the date of
|
||
|
first application. In the case of simultaneous patents or copyrights,
|
||
|
all expire when the earliest one does. Foreign patents and copyrights
|
||
|
will be recognized for ten years from the date they were first
|
||
|
introduced into Oceania. After that date, such patents and copyrights
|
||
|
may not be ignored when products based on them are exported out of
|
||
|
Oceania. Trademarks are recognized as long as they are being actively
|
||
|
used. A creation that is shown to have existed before the date of
|
||
|
invention claimed in the first application is in the public domain, and
|
||
|
may not be patented or copyrighted. Any work explicitly placed in the
|
||
|
public domain may not subsequently be patented or copyrighted by others.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Reverse Engineering is making a copy of something by looking at what it
|
||
|
does, not at its blueprints. Reverse engineering is legal in Oceania. In
|
||
|
particular, computer chips and software may be reverse engineered. "Look
|
||
|
and feel" of computer programs cannot be copyrighted. Computer code,
|
||
|
algorithms, processes, and other intangible creations cannot be
|
||
|
patented. Created animals can be patented with the exception of Persons.
|
||
|
|
||
|
"Fair use" of copyrighted works for the sake of education, comment,
|
||
|
criticism, parody, comparison, etc., is allowed.
|
||
|
|
||
|
The copyrights on this Constitution and Laws will automatically expire
|
||
|
on the day the first person moves to Oceania.
|
||
|
|
||
|
G.The Right to Set Contract Length: There will be no laws against setting
|
||
|
Contracts in perpetuity. The Government of Oceania does not have this
|
||
|
Right. The Government of Oceania may not participate in a Contract
|
||
|
lasting longer than ten years.
|
||
|
|
||
|
H.The Entitlement to Bankruptcy: The people may provide by law the
|
||
|
protection of Bankruptcy upon those who cannot meet their debts.
|
||
|
Whatever bankruptcy laws exist at the time a debt is incurred remain in
|
||
|
effect for that debt until it is paid, regardless of future laws to the
|
||
|
contrary.
|
||
|
|
||
|
4.Privacy
|
||
|
|
||
|
A.The Right to Privacy: An Oceanian has the Right to be secure in eir
|
||
|
person, house, papers, and effects, against all search and seizure,
|
||
|
without a warrant issued by a grand jury of the Court of Oceania.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Like the Right to Liberty, this Right is also subordinate to a crime
|
||
|
victim's Entitlement to Justice, and similar protections are granted to
|
||
|
the accused.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Warrants shall be issued upon probable cause, supported by open
|
||
|
affirmation, describing in detail the place to be searched and the
|
||
|
Persons or things to be seized. Probable cause in the absence of a
|
||
|
warrant is insufficient for a search. Anonymous tips are insufficient
|
||
|
for a search. Warrants are required to intercept private communications
|
||
|
that are not transmitted by air, such as wiretaps or even recording
|
||
|
address information from written or electronic mail, or telephone
|
||
|
numbers.
|
||
|
|
||
|
A Person who is caught in the act of committing a crime may be detained
|
||
|
if the detaining officer identifies emself, and takes immediate steps to
|
||
|
obtain an arrest warrant.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Refusal to consent to a search without a warrant cannot be
|
||
|
considered probable cause. All searches, seizures or arrests done
|
||
|
without a warrant are illegal. Oceanians may not be detained by
|
||
|
Government officials. They may be arrested as described above,
|
||
|
but they may not be detained without an arrest warrant or
|
||
|
immediate steps to obtain such a warrant. Questioning Oceanians
|
||
|
while using physical harm, emotional distress, intimidation, or
|
||
|
threat of harm when they have not been accused of a crime is a
|
||
|
particularly heinous violation of their Privacy.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Transmissions over the air are handled in the following manner:
|
||
|
1) If a broadcast is meant for the general public, then it would
|
||
|
be legal to intercept it and to repeat information learned from
|
||
|
it in a Court of law. 2) If a communication has a specific
|
||
|
audience, then any overheard conversations may not be used
|
||
|
against either party in court although the communication may be
|
||
|
listened to without a warrant. 3) If the communication is
|
||
|
encrypted, this is enough evidence to show the communication was
|
||
|
intended to be kept personal and confidential. Therefore, a
|
||
|
warrant would be needed to intercept and decrypt such a
|
||
|
communication.
|
||
|
|
||
|
B.The Right to Self-Identity: An Oceanian may identify emself by any name
|
||
|
ey wishes, so long as ey is not doing so to defraud. The Government may
|
||
|
not issue numbers or any other form of "official" identification to
|
||
|
Oceanians, nor may it require anyone to carry or present identification
|
||
|
at any time. An Oceanian's use of different names or refusal to give eir
|
||
|
name cannot be used as probable cause for a search or seizure (though it
|
||
|
may, of course, be used as evidence if the Person does appear in Court).
|
||
|
|
||
|
C.The Right to Financial Privacy: An Oceanian has the Right to expect all
|
||
|
Business transactions to be completely private when there is a
|
||
|
Contractual agreement to that effect. An Oceanian may not be required by
|
||
|
the Government to reveal eir income or any other financial information
|
||
|
ey wishes to keep private.
|
||
|
|
||
|
For example, all banks have the Right to guarantee complete
|
||
|
confidentiality to their customers. Except for subpoena by the
|
||
|
Court of Oceania, such banking records could never be revealed to
|
||
|
anyone but the owner of the account. Such a Court order may never
|
||
|
be generated unless there is evidence that Oceania's laws have
|
||
|
been broken and said laws are relevant to the individual's
|
||
|
banking account.
|
||
|
|
||
|
D.The Right to Encryption: An Oceanian has the Right to encrypt eir
|
||
|
conversations and data. Such encryption cannot be used as evidence that
|
||
|
the Oceanian is doing something wrong or illegal. This Right extends to
|
||
|
all forms of information an Oceanian deems should be secure regardless
|
||
|
of format, whether paper, electronic, holographic or other, and
|
||
|
regardless of content.
|
||
|
|
||
|
An Oceanian has the Right to use any encryption algorithms or
|
||
|
computer software available. The Government may not restrict free
|
||
|
trade in encryption software by calling it "munitions" or any
|
||
|
other name.
|
||
|
|
||
|
E.The Right to Secure Conversations: Oceanians have the Right to not have
|
||
|
their conversations tapped, recorded, or be otherwise compromised, by
|
||
|
persons not party to the conversation, unless permission has been
|
||
|
granted by at least one person who is party to the conversation. One
|
||
|
party to a conversation or eir agent may record a conversation without
|
||
|
the permission of the other party, as this is an exercise of eir Right
|
||
|
to Knowledge.
|
||
|
|
||
|
A communication provider may record conversations if its
|
||
|
subscribers have voluntarily waived their Right to Secure
|
||
|
Conversations by their Contract with the provider.
|
||
|
|
||
|
The conflict between the Right to Privacy and the Right to
|
||
|
Knowledge is resolved by declaring that any Entity securing said
|
||
|
recording under this right is restricted from public presentation
|
||
|
in any form unless express, provable permission has been
|
||
|
obtained. Of course, this recording may be used in Court as
|
||
|
admissible evidence having been properly secured by subpoena.
|
||
|
|
||
|
F.The Right to Privacy on Government Leased Property: An Oceanian does not
|
||
|
lose eir Privacy Rights by entering Government leased Property,
|
||
|
including customs checkpoints, assuming that the Government of Oceania
|
||
|
ever has such checkpoints. The practice of inflicting strip searches and
|
||
|
body cavity searches on law abiding Oceanians without a warrant is
|
||
|
particularly abhorred.
|
||
|
|
||
|
The practice of declaring customs checkpoints as Land not part of
|
||
|
the country they serve to avoid its laws is particularly
|
||
|
abhorred.
|
||
|
|
||
|
G.The Right to Privacy in the Workplace: Oceanians have the Right to
|
||
|
Privacy in the workplace with the exception of anything in their work
|
||
|
Contract that specifies otherwise.
|
||
|
|
||
|
5.Children
|
||
|
|
||
|
Unlike Adults, Children have many Entitlements. Every Child Must have at
|
||
|
least one Adult Parent to provide these Entitlements. Initial Parental
|
||
|
responsibility falls upon the biological Parents jointly as an implied
|
||
|
Contract, unless an explicit Contract exists assigning it elsewhere. This
|
||
|
responsibility will restart if an offspring is declared to be a Child by a
|
||
|
court. All marriage Contracts, sperm donor agreements, and other Contracts
|
||
|
assigning Parental responsibility are valid and enforceable as long as no
|
||
|
Child is deprived of Parental care thereby. Parental responsibility
|
||
|
assigned by Contract (as in adoptions) may not be arbitrarily dissolved by
|
||
|
a Court or other Entity. The Courts will not recognize biological
|
||
|
Parenthood as having any legal priority over Contractual Parenthood.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Children's Entitlements are based upon the assumption that a Child is
|
||
|
incapable of sustaining eir own Life without them. Any Child who feels ey
|
||
|
is capable of bearing full responsibility for eir own Life has the Right to
|
||
|
petition a Court to declare em a Teen or Adult.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Children do not have any Entitlements not listed here, or have any other
|
||
|
restrictions of eir Rights not listed here. In particular, Parents do not
|
||
|
own their Children's Property and are not responsible for their debts, nor
|
||
|
are Children exempt from criminal prosecution.
|
||
|
|
||
|
The people may, by referendum, remove or confer other Rights and
|
||
|
Entitlements upon Children. Unless otherwise noted in this Constitution, a
|
||
|
referendum takes a two thirds vote to pass.
|
||
|
|
||
|
A.Additional Entitlements: A Child is entitled to food, housing, clothing,
|
||
|
basic health care, and basic education. A Parent may provide any of
|
||
|
these directly, or hire others to provide them. The precise manner in
|
||
|
which they are provided is up to the discretion of the Parent. In
|
||
|
particular, the Government may not impose standards for education, and
|
||
|
juries are not required to judge the quality of education given a Child.
|
||
|
Of course, providing food or other things that actually injure a Child
|
||
|
may result in liability.
|
||
|
|
||
|
B.Restricted Rights. Children have most of the Rights of Adults, including
|
||
|
not being subject to warrant-less searches. The following Rights of
|
||
|
Adults are not granted to Children:
|
||
|
|
||
|
Travel: A Parent may restrict the movements of eir Child. It is
|
||
|
expected that a Parent will only do so to the degree necessary to
|
||
|
ensure the Child's safety.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Self-Sovereignty: A Child does not have the Right to end eir own Life,
|
||
|
or to consent to sexual activity. Any Adult who has sexual relations
|
||
|
with a Child has done so without the Child's consent, and is liable
|
||
|
for damages. Children do not have the Right to use mind altering
|
||
|
drugs. If their Parents give them permission to use such drugs, these
|
||
|
Parents may be prosecuted for Child abuse when a jury deems this
|
||
|
proper.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Weapons: A Child may not use Weapons, except for non-injuring uses
|
||
|
(sport, training, etc.) under direct Adult supervision.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Contracts: A Child may not consent to a binding Contract. Any
|
||
|
Contracts entered into by a Child may be dissolved by a Court at the
|
||
|
request of the Child or eir Parent. This includes, for example, a
|
||
|
Parent Contracting for the labor of eir Child.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Right to Work: Child labor laws may not be passed but a jury may
|
||
|
determine that Child abuse has occurred if a Child is forced to work
|
||
|
too many hours or under poor conditions.
|
||
|
|
||
|
C.Jury Review: A Child has the Right to sue eir Parent for failure to
|
||
|
provide these entitlements or for other injuries. If a Child is
|
||
|
incapable or unwilling to bring such a suit, any Oceanian may sue on eir
|
||
|
behalf. Under no circumstances shall a Child be removed from eir Parent
|
||
|
until that Parent is convicted in Court and ordered to relinquish
|
||
|
custody by a jury.
|
||
|
|
||
|
If a jury decides that a Parent has failed in these areas they
|
||
|
can vote to give eir Child to some Entity who will not fail. If
|
||
|
no Oceanian is willing to take the Child, then the Child will not
|
||
|
be taken. The Government will not take the Child as the
|
||
|
Government is not allowed to steal money for any purpose,
|
||
|
including the purpose of Child care.
|
||
|
|
||
|
6.Teens
|
||
|
|
||
|
Teens have all the Rights of Adults plus the Right to Terminate Contracts.
|
||
|
A Teen may bring a Contract to a jury, and if the jury votes unanimously
|
||
|
that the Contract is unreasonable, the Contract may be broken. When the
|
||
|
Contract is broken, no fines or penalties may be inflicted on the other
|
||
|
party who signed the Contract as long as no fraud or misrepresentation was
|
||
|
used by that party. A Teen may not terminate eir implied Contractual
|
||
|
responsibility for the care of eir Children.
|
||
|
|
||
|
A Teen who has sexual intercourse with a Child may be held responsible for
|
||
|
damages as if ey was an Adult, or may be acquitted at the jury's
|
||
|
discretion. Teens do not have the Entitlements of Children.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Any Teen who feels ey is capable of bearing full responsibility for eir own
|
||
|
Life has the Right to petition a Court to declare em an Adult.
|
||
|
|
||
|
7.Animals and Other Beings
|
||
|
|
||
|
Animals may not be given cruel and unusual mistreatment. If it is suspected
|
||
|
that an animal has been mistreated by a Person, then any Oceanian may bring
|
||
|
suit on the animal's behalf and a jury may decide the issue. A unanimous
|
||
|
decision is required to convict the Person.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Of course, scientific research is legal in Oceania with the
|
||
|
provision that the animals are not unnecessarily tortured,
|
||
|
maimed, or killed.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Any being whose species or type (for example, cybernetic beings) is not
|
||
|
recognized as a Person may individually petition a jury for individual
|
||
|
recognition as a Person. The jury Must believe beyond a reasonable doubt
|
||
|
that the being is not a Person to refuse recognition. Upon recognition of a
|
||
|
member of a new class of Person, a referendum will be held to refuse
|
||
|
recognition of the being's class as a class of Persons; the referendum
|
||
|
requires a 80% majority to refuse recognition. In the event of a
|
||
|
referendum's class refusal, individual members of the class may still apply
|
||
|
for individual recognition.
|
||
|
|
||
|
The ages for Child, Teen, and Adult would vary for different species as
|
||
|
determined by law.
|
||
|
|
||
|
|
||
|
ARTICLE TWO
|
||
|
|
||
|
Government Agencies and Power Structure
|
||
|
|
||
|
|
||
|
This article requires a 95% vote to add an agency or office and a 66% vote
|
||
|
to remove an agency or office.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Under no circumstances may a Person hold a particular office for more than
|
||
|
four years consecutively. Any Adult not currently in jail may run for any
|
||
|
office. No Government official will have to make any religious oath. The
|
||
|
only oath ey will have to make is to uphold the Constitution of the
|
||
|
peaceful country of Oceania.
|
||
|
|
||
|
1.The Judicial Branch
|
||
|
|
||
|
The Justice system exists to resolve conflicts among Oceanians, both
|
||
|
Persons and Entities. Justice is accomplished by one Oceanian, called the
|
||
|
Plaintiff, filing suit against another, called the Defendant, in a Court.
|
||
|
The Court Must decide if either party has been wronged and to what degree.
|
||
|
The Court may then impose penalties upon the losing party, including the
|
||
|
costs of the trial. Because there can be no "victimless crimes", there is
|
||
|
no distinction between criminal and civil law.
|
||
|
|
||
|
When both parties to a suit agree, any Entity in Oceania may serve as a
|
||
|
Court to resolve their conflict, and all judgments and findings by that
|
||
|
Court, including jail sentences, will be legal and enforceable. It is
|
||
|
recommended that all Contracts specify a private Court in which to resolve
|
||
|
disputes. Appeal is allowed from private Court only if the Court Contract
|
||
|
allows it. Where the Defendant does not agree to appear in a Court
|
||
|
acceptable to the Plaintiff, the Plaintiff may bring suit in the Court of
|
||
|
Oceania, which has the power to seize the Defendant, if the Plaintiff is a
|
||
|
Member of the Court of Oceania.
|
||
|
|
||
|
A 95% vote of Oceanians within a respective jurisdiction is necessary to
|
||
|
grant subpoena power of Defendant to another Court. A 75% vote is
|
||
|
sufficient to remove this power.
|
||
|
|
||
|
This is to ensure that the Court of Oceania does not take
|
||
|
advantage of its monopoly status. The people may vote to grant
|
||
|
its unique power to another Court, or they may vote to remove
|
||
|
that power altogether.
|
||
|
|
||
|
The Court of Oceania consists of the Supreme Court, one or more County
|
||
|
Courts, and one or more Local Courts. Every case brought before the Court
|
||
|
of Oceania Must be tried first in a Local Court. It may then be appealed to
|
||
|
a County Court, and finally may be appealed to the Supreme Court. All
|
||
|
Judges of these Courts are elected with Supreme Court and County Court
|
||
|
Judges serving four years and Local Court Judges serving two years. Judges
|
||
|
are not required to have lawyer Licenses.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Because the Court of Oceania is a department of the Government, the people
|
||
|
may, by referendum, regulate how it is operated. Initially, the Voters will
|
||
|
elect a Chief Director of the Court of Oceania with the responsibility to
|
||
|
administrate the Supreme Court and lower Courts, including appointing
|
||
|
judges and setting procedures for the courts consistent with Oceanian law.
|
||
|
|
||
|
The Judicial Branch also includes Local Grand Juries who are elected every
|
||
|
year.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Military Courts are private Courts to which military personnel have
|
||
|
voluntarily granted power by Contract. The Department of War may not
|
||
|
interfere with, control, or fund these Courts in any way. It is strongly
|
||
|
recommended that these Courts allow appeal to the Court of Oceania, as
|
||
|
military Courts have a history of overzealous prosecution.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Definitions
|
||
|
|
||
|
In this article, the following terms have the specific meanings below:
|
||
|
|
||
|
The Plaintiff is the Oceanian who initiates a Court suit. Ey is also what
|
||
|
other legal systems calls a "prosecutor", in that ey controls the
|
||
|
prosecution of the case at all times.
|
||
|
|
||
|
The Defendant is the party accused of a criminal act or liability.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Court Costs are costs incurred by the Court administering a suit, e.g., the
|
||
|
room rental, fees of the judge and jurors, etc.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Legal Costs are costs incurred by the litigants on their own behalf, e.g.,
|
||
|
lawyer's fees, witness fees, police fees for subpoenaing witnesses,
|
||
|
investigation fees, etc.
|
||
|
|
||
|
The Entitlement to Justice
|
||
|
|
||
|
Justice in the Court of Oceania is an Entitlement to the Plaintiff because
|
||
|
the Defendant may be physically seized and brought to trial, in conflict
|
||
|
with eir Right to Liberty. Because this is such a dangerous power, many
|
||
|
restrictions are placed on the Court's power. Also, the Entitlement to
|
||
|
bring suit in the Court of Oceania is granted only to those who have
|
||
|
obtained a Court Membership. An Oceanian who acquires a Court Membership
|
||
|
may not bring suit for any acts committed before ey attained Membership.
|
||
|
|
||
|
If an Oceanian has been harmed by a diplomat or other foreign national,
|
||
|
Government official, or Government agency, ey has the same Entitlement to
|
||
|
Justice as if the Defendant were an ordinary Oceanian. There will be no
|
||
|
"sovereign immunity" or "diplomatic immunity" in Oceania. In the interest
|
||
|
of better international relations, any diplomat may accept exile for one
|
||
|
century instead of a prison sentence. However, violation of this exile
|
||
|
could result in a prison sentence. Fines not paid by the diplomat are the
|
||
|
responsibility of the diplomat's Government.
|
||
|
|
||
|
The Government of Oceania may not grant immunity from prosecution to any
|
||
|
Oceanian or other Person. A Defendant may sign a Contract with a Plaintiff
|
||
|
stipulating that the Plaintiff declines to prosecute for a particular
|
||
|
offense, but that power rests solely with the Plaintiff. Such Contracts are
|
||
|
valid and enforceable.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Children, the mentally ill or retarded, and others with "diminished
|
||
|
capacity" are granted no special exemption from responsibility for their
|
||
|
actions although they should not be placed in prisons with Adults. Placing
|
||
|
a Child in a detention center does not end eir Parent's responsibility to
|
||
|
provide food, health care, and other Entitlements granted to Children.
|
||
|
Charities would be responsible for those that are unable to provide for
|
||
|
themselves.
|
||
|
|
||
|
A.Definition and properties of Court Membership. Members of the Court of
|
||
|
Oceania Must consent to allow themselves to be subpoenaed as witnesses
|
||
|
and compelled to testify. The Court of Oceania SHALL NOT require
|
||
|
Members to surrender any Rights other than the Right to Liberty for the
|
||
|
purpose of subpoenaing witnesses and the Right of Free Speech for
|
||
|
compelling their testimony. In particular, the Court may not require its
|
||
|
Members to surrender their Right to Property by charging a fee or tax
|
||
|
for Membership in the Court, though it may charge for an actual printed
|
||
|
evidence of such Membership in the form of a card or certificate. Those
|
||
|
who chose not to buy the card or certificate have the same Entitlements
|
||
|
as those who do. A Child is assumed to be a Member if eir primary
|
||
|
guardian is. An Entity is assumed to be a Member if the majority of the
|
||
|
Persons controlling it are.
|
||
|
|
||
|
It is expected that every Person in Oceania will have a Court
|
||
|
Membership, as ey will be very vulnerable to exploitation since
|
||
|
non Members will not be able to sue in the Court of Oceania.
|
||
|
|
||
|
B.Selection of Juries. Juries will be selected at random from a pool of
|
||
|
peers so designated by the Defendant as outlined by the laws of Oceania.
|
||
|
Jurors may be volunteers or may ask for pay but may not be forced into
|
||
|
duty.
|
||
|
|
||
|
The Rights and Entitlements of the Accused
|
||
|
in the Court of Oceania
|
||
|
|
||
|
A.The Right to Fair Prosecution: When the injured party is available and
|
||
|
capable of bringing suit or of appointing an agent on eir behalf, or has
|
||
|
previously appointed an agent by power of attorney or will, only ey or
|
||
|
eir agent has standing to sue. If the injured party is a Child, the
|
||
|
Child's Parent has standing, except when a conflict of interest exists
|
||
|
with the Defendant (as in a Parental abuse case). When the injured party
|
||
|
is unavailable (for example, due to murder), or incapable of naming an
|
||
|
agent, the injured party's Nearest Relative Must bring suit. In a
|
||
|
Parental abuse case, any Oceanian may sue on behalf of the injured
|
||
|
Child. Any Oceanian may bring suit on behalf of non-Persons such as
|
||
|
animals or other things. At all times during the trial, the Plaintiff
|
||
|
has complete control of the prosecution of the case. A jury may
|
||
|
determine if there are conflicts of interest among the Plaintiff, judge,
|
||
|
or Defendant.
|
||
|
|
||
|
To avoid conflicts of interest, it is recommended that officials and
|
||
|
employees of the Court of Oceania use private Courts to settle their
|
||
|
disputes. They are still Entitled to use the Court of Oceania if they
|
||
|
Must, in which case they Must bring suit in a Court other than the one
|
||
|
that actually employs them. Of course, employees of the Supreme Court
|
||
|
have no option but to use it. The Government of Oceania may bring suit
|
||
|
only in the case of Treason.
|
||
|
|
||
|
This law is to prevent the practice of having kangaroo Courts
|
||
|
where the judge, jury, Plaintiff, and witnesses are all
|
||
|
Government employees.
|
||
|
|
||
|
B.The Right to a Jury: In all cases, the Right to trial by jury shall be
|
||
|
preserved. Final judgment in all suits is entirely within the power of
|
||
|
the jury. Judges preside the Court and may instruct the jury, but have
|
||
|
no power to render or set aside jury judgments, to decide sentences, or
|
||
|
cite participants for contempt. All these functions belong to the jury.
|
||
|
This statement applies to the Supreme Court as well as the other court
|
||
|
levels.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Of course, if the defendant loses the case, ey Must pay for the
|
||
|
cost of the jury trial, so it is expected that some Defendants
|
||
|
will choose less expensive alternatives. But if ey insists, ey
|
||
|
may request a jury trial no matter how small the penalty of the
|
||
|
crime..
|
||
|
|
||
|
C.The Right to a Level Playing Field: In all suits, each side will declare
|
||
|
the maximum amount of Legal Costs ey will spend in the case. We will
|
||
|
define the party declaring the larger amount Rich and the other party
|
||
|
Poor. The maximum amount of recoverable Legal Costs spent by each side
|
||
|
is the lesser of these amounts. If the Rich party wishes, ey may
|
||
|
subsidize the Poor party. If such subsidy is offered as part of the
|
||
|
recoverable Legal Costs, the Poor party may refuse the subsidy. If the
|
||
|
subsidy is offered out-of-pocket, the Poor party Must accept it, or at
|
||
|
least allow the Rich party to spend that amount as if the Poor party had
|
||
|
accepted the subsidy. In this latter case, the Poor party has no
|
||
|
obligation to spend the out-of-pocket subsidy on Legal Costs, but may
|
||
|
spend it as ey pleases. Private Entities may also provide money for Poor
|
||
|
parties to pursue cases.
|
||
|
|
||
|
The costs of the Court itself are determined by the Court and are always
|
||
|
part of the judgment against the loser, even if ey chose to spend no
|
||
|
money in the case. Spending money under-the-table on legal costs without
|
||
|
claiming them is prosecutable as contempt of Court.
|
||
|
|
||
|
It is a fact that whether a party wins or loses a Court case is
|
||
|
all too often determined by the amount the party pays its
|
||
|
lawyers. The Court has the power to take away Property and even
|
||
|
freedom from the losing party, so it is vital that some means be
|
||
|
used to equalize the power of wealth. The Court of Oceania is
|
||
|
dedicated to justice regardless of wealth.
|
||
|
|
||
|
D.The Right to Fair Bail and Fines: Excessive bail shall not be required,
|
||
|
nor excessive fines imposed. Bail and fines may not be imposed without
|
||
|
informing the accused of the nature and cause of the accusation. A bail
|
||
|
hearing can be requested with one hour notice. Bails and all other
|
||
|
requests for money by the Government will be accepted in all convertible
|
||
|
currencies. Any monies that a Person has on em when ey is arrested may
|
||
|
be used for bail including any electronic forms of money such as credit
|
||
|
cards and credit lines. Likewise, anyone who wishes to bail out someone
|
||
|
need not appear at the Court in person, instead they may use any
|
||
|
electronic forms of money such as credit cards and credit lines.
|
||
|
|
||
|
An Oceanian is Entitled to immediately ask for a standing grand jury to
|
||
|
decide whether this or any other Right in this article has been
|
||
|
violated. Ey Must be put in front of this grand jury within two hours of
|
||
|
eir request. This will prevent Oceanians from being held in jail cells
|
||
|
for days or weeks without cause. As usual, they will have to pay for the
|
||
|
cost of the jury if their complaint is deemed invalid by the jury.
|
||
|
|
||
|
An Oceanian will receive all of eir bail money back in exactly the same
|
||
|
form in which it was posted when ey appears at eir Court date as
|
||
|
promised. If the Person who posted bail for an Oceanian fails to pick up
|
||
|
eir bail money after the accused has attended eir Court date, then bail
|
||
|
money Must be mailed to the Person who posted bail within 24 hours.
|
||
|
|
||
|
E.The Right to Presumption of Innocence: Until an Oceanian is convicted of
|
||
|
a crime, ey cannot be jailed or denied any other basic Rights of
|
||
|
innocent Oceanians. Bail holding facilities Must be very comfortable,
|
||
|
including full communication services, televisions, good food service,
|
||
|
private showers, well mannered hosts, etc. In addition, any Person who
|
||
|
voluntarily walks into a Court Must be told if there are any warrants
|
||
|
for eir arrest and be allowed to pay bail instead of being put in a
|
||
|
holding facility. If ey does not have bail money on em, ey will still
|
||
|
not be arrested until ey has walked off the Court's Property. There Must
|
||
|
be communication facilities on the Court's Property so ey can call
|
||
|
someone to provide bail.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Taking or denying use or control of any Property of an Oceanian not
|
||
|
specifically convicted and fined is a violation of this Right.
|
||
|
Preventing the accused from using eir money to hire attorneys is a
|
||
|
violation of this Right.
|
||
|
|
||
|
We particularly abhor the practice of "civil forfeiture" or
|
||
|
"reversion back" as practiced by more primitive legal systems.
|
||
|
Detaining a traveling Oceanian without an arrest warrant is a
|
||
|
violation of this Right. Removing a Child from eir Parent before
|
||
|
the Parent has been convicted in Court of Child Abuse is a
|
||
|
violation of this Right, and is prosecutable as kidnapping.
|
||
|
|
||
|
F.The Right to a Speedy Trial: The time between accusation and trial may
|
||
|
not be more than 30 days unless both the Plaintiff and Defendant agree
|
||
|
otherwise. The same applies to time between appeals. There may not be
|
||
|
more than one hour between the time of appearance set by the Court and
|
||
|
the time that the trial or hearing begins. This is not an Entitlement,
|
||
|
because it is a limitation on the Plaintiff's Entitlement to Justice.
|
||
|
|
||
|
G.The Right to a Public Trial: All trials Must be open to the public
|
||
|
unless both the Plaintiff and Defendant agree otherwise. To prevent the
|
||
|
creation of star chambers, the document whereby the Plaintiff and
|
||
|
Defendant agree to a closed trial Must itself be made public. Trial
|
||
|
proceedings Must be recorded.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Television cameras and other mass media may be allowed in Court if the
|
||
|
Plaintiff and Defendant agree. The media are allowed to pay the
|
||
|
litigants for this privilege. If the Plaintiff is the Government, then
|
||
|
the Government is declared by this Constitution to agree to television
|
||
|
cameras and other mass media in the Court.
|
||
|
|
||
|
The order of cases to be tried on a particular day Must be random, or
|
||
|
assigned by a published procedure and not at the discretion of the
|
||
|
Court. This is to prevent a Court from trying controversial cases last
|
||
|
or at odd hours of the day to avoid public scrutiny.
|
||
|
|
||
|
H.The Right to Trial in Oceania: If a Person is accused of crimes that
|
||
|
occurred outside Oceania, ey will not be extradited to the country
|
||
|
accusing em of the crimes. Instead, the Person will be tried in Oceania
|
||
|
under the laws of Oceania. The foreign prosecution, public or private,
|
||
|
will pay for the costs of prosecuting the accused individual if it is
|
||
|
the loser in such case. Failure for the foreign prosecution to pay will
|
||
|
result in it be banned from being a prosecutor in further trials.
|
||
|
|
||
|
This Right exists in place of "political asylum". The accused individual
|
||
|
will be placed in a prison in Oceania if ey is convicted of the crime
|
||
|
and subsequently sentenced to serve time in prison. The country that was
|
||
|
the plaintiff will pay for this imprisonment. No treaty may ever
|
||
|
override this right.
|
||
|
|
||
|
I.The Right to Protection from Double Jeopardy: If a Person is found
|
||
|
innocent of a crime, ey may not be tried again for the same crime. The
|
||
|
penalty for violating this Right is the same penalty as for false
|
||
|
arrest.
|
||
|
|
||
|
If a local Government accused someone of a crime that ey was
|
||
|
declared innocent of, a County or national Government could not
|
||
|
then try that Person for the same crime. Nor can an Oceanian be
|
||
|
tried for "different" crimes committed by the same action.
|
||
|
|
||
|
J.The Right to Judicial Review: All three levels of Courts, the Supreme
|
||
|
Court, the County Courts, and the Local Courts, have the responsibility
|
||
|
to decide if a law is constitutional. Also, precedents from earlier
|
||
|
trials may be presented to a jury, but the jury is free to decide each
|
||
|
case on its own merit.
|
||
|
|
||
|
All proceedings in Court are to be recorded, even in trials closed to
|
||
|
the public. If the Defendant or Plaintiff believes that either side is
|
||
|
not following the Constitution in the proceedings, ey may stop the
|
||
|
proceedings and ask for a local grand jury to decide if the Constitution
|
||
|
may have been violated. A tape of the proceedings would be provided to
|
||
|
the grand jury. If the grand jury determines that the Constitution may
|
||
|
have been violated, a new trial shall be held in a different Court at
|
||
|
the same level to determine if the Constitution was violated. If there
|
||
|
are no other Courts at the same level, then the grand jury will try the
|
||
|
case. Once this trial is over, the original case may be resumed.
|
||
|
|
||
|
The maximum time between request for a grand jury and being seated in
|
||
|
front of one is two hours. This applies to all requests for a grand jury
|
||
|
that this Constitution or the laws of Oceania allow.
|
||
|
|
||
|
It is expected that there will be a sitting grand jury available
|
||
|
24 hours a day within two hours of travel at all times in
|
||
|
Oceania.
|
||
|
|
||
|
K.The Right to Fair Jurisdiction: If both Plaintiff and Defendant agree,
|
||
|
they may select a private Court. The Plaintiff, Defendant, and private
|
||
|
Court Must agree to a Court Contract; the Government will recognize all
|
||
|
terms in the Court Contract, including prison sentencing, but under no
|
||
|
circumstances will the Government pay for any actions resulting from the
|
||
|
private Court Contract.
|
||
|
|
||
|
For suits brought in the Court of Oceania, the Defendant has the Right
|
||
|
to be tried in the Court most local to where ey resides. If Plaintiff
|
||
|
and Defendant agree, the case may be moved to any other Court.
|
||
|
|
||
|
L.The Right to Attorney-Client Relationship: An Oceanian has the Right to
|
||
|
have private conversations with eir attorney. Therefore wiretaps to
|
||
|
interfere with this relationship Must never be granted. An Attorney may
|
||
|
not be jailed for refusing to testify to the content of private
|
||
|
conversations with a client. Of course, Privacy Must be explicitly made
|
||
|
part of the Attorney-Client Contract so it does not violate the
|
||
|
Attorney's Right to Knowledge.
|
||
|
|
||
|
M.The Right to Protection from Self-Incrimination: An Oceanian cannot be
|
||
|
Forced to testify against emself. For example, ey can not be forced to
|
||
|
produce business records, desk calendars, or private diaries. Ey may be
|
||
|
forced to produce fingerprints or other identifying information from eir
|
||
|
body for identification purposes only. For example, a hair sample could
|
||
|
be forced for identification use but not for testing for drugs. This
|
||
|
Right DOES include Entities. This Right should not be construed to apply
|
||
|
to friends, relatives, or other associates of the accused.
|
||
|
|
||
|
The use of torture to Force confessions is particularly abhorred.
|
||
|
|
||
|
N.The Right to a Fully Informed Jury: Before a trial begins, the judge
|
||
|
Must notify the jury of its common law Right and duty to decide if a law
|
||
|
is fair and just as it applies to the specific case they are judging.
|
||
|
The jury Must also be informed that laws in violation of the
|
||
|
Constitution are invalid.
|
||
|
|
||
|
The jury may not at any time be removed from the courtroom during a
|
||
|
trial to prevent them from hearing evidence. A trial may not be declared
|
||
|
a mistrial because of "prejudicial" evidence. The judge has no power to
|
||
|
strike any testimony from the record, and no power to suppress any
|
||
|
evidence presented during the trial. It is expected that juries are
|
||
|
reasoning Adults who are as competent as the judge to decide who is
|
||
|
lying and who is not.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Evidence uncovered by an illegal search WILL be allowed in Court. Unlike
|
||
|
corrupt countries that allow both the criminal and the arresting officer
|
||
|
to go free when an illegal search is made, Oceanians will be allowed to
|
||
|
prosecute both.
|
||
|
|
||
|
The use of expert witnesses is allowed, but the jury Must be informed
|
||
|
that no witness is completely unbiased.
|
||
|
|
||
|
O.The Right to Forgiveness: The statute of limitations on prosecuting a
|
||
|
crime may not exceed ten years. This Right is given to foreign
|
||
|
corporations and foreign Persons as well as to all Oceanians. Anyone who
|
||
|
has not been tried for a crime until ten years after its commission will
|
||
|
be forgiven, unless ey has spent that time in cryonic suspension or
|
||
|
otherwise unconscious.
|
||
|
|
||
|
The reason for this is that the primary goals of jailing a Person
|
||
|
are not retribution or rehabilitation, but to stop the prisoner
|
||
|
from committing crimes for a period of time, and as a deterrent.
|
||
|
If someone hasn't committed crimes during the past ten years then
|
||
|
these goals have already been accomplished.
|
||
|
|
||
|
It is legal for prisons and juvenile detention centers to try
|
||
|
rehabilitation. It would be up to the individual Courts to decide
|
||
|
if they wished to fund such attempts.
|
||
|
|
||
|
P.The Right to Witness Decision: Ex parte decisions, made when either the
|
||
|
Defendant or Plaintiff are not in Court, are illegal. The Defendant or
|
||
|
Plaintiff may wave this right by giving others power of attorney to
|
||
|
represent them.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Q.The Right to Unbiased Judges and Juries: Judges and Juries may be paid
|
||
|
on an hourly basis only. No bonuses may be given for convictions or
|
||
|
acquittals. Conviction of a Judge or Juror on charges of such bribery is
|
||
|
grounds for appeal to all Persons convicted by that Judge or Juror.
|
||
|
|
||
|
The only questions the Court may ask of the jurors before the trial are
|
||
|
"Is there any reason in this case that you cannot give a fair and
|
||
|
unbiased judgment?" and "Are you capable of understanding the
|
||
|
evidence?". If, during a trial, a juror decides that ey is biased or not
|
||
|
capable of understanding the evidence, ey may excuse emself without
|
||
|
consequence. It is expected that juries will be seated with extra jurors
|
||
|
for such contingencies.
|
||
|
|
||
|
R.The Entitlement to Subpoena: The Defendant shall be Entitled to subpoena
|
||
|
witnesses who are Members of the Court of Oceania and physical evidence
|
||
|
owned by Members on eir behalf. In the same manner, the Plaintiff shall
|
||
|
be Entitled to subpoena witnesses and physical evidence on behalf of the
|
||
|
prosecution. Persons subpoenaed may sue for false arrest if the jury
|
||
|
finds the subpoena frivolous.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Subpoenaed witnesses who refuse to testify may be jailed for up to one
|
||
|
year, time to be set by jury. No further compulsions may be used, and no
|
||
|
more than one detention may be levied upon a witness for the duration of
|
||
|
a trial, even if the witness is called to testify more than once for
|
||
|
different reasons.
|
||
|
|
||
|
The Right to Attorney-Client Relationship overrides the Entitlement to
|
||
|
Subpoena. An attorney may not be jailed for refusing to break the
|
||
|
confidence of eir client. A journalist may not be jailed for refusing to
|
||
|
identify eir source.
|
||
|
|
||
|
S.The Right to Writ of Habeas Corpus: An Oceanian may demand to be brought
|
||
|
in front of a Court within two hours of eir imprisonment and told why ey
|
||
|
has been imprisoned.
|
||
|
|
||
|
T.The Right to Immediate Countersuit: A Defendant acquitted of a crime may
|
||
|
immediately countersue the Plaintiff for false arrest and have eir case
|
||
|
tried in the same Court by the same jury. A Defendant either acquitted
|
||
|
or convicted may immediately countersue for the use of unnecessary Force
|
||
|
in eir arrest. Witnesses subpoenaed to testify in the case may sue for
|
||
|
false arrest at this time as well.
|
||
|
|
||
|
If a jury finds a suit to be frivolous and unjustified, it may return a
|
||
|
harassment judgment against the Plaintiff.
|
||
|
|
||
|
The judge and the Court itself are also subject to immediate countersuit
|
||
|
to be heard by the same jury and different judge if either litigant
|
||
|
wishes to sue for bias or illegal procedure. Only the litigants have
|
||
|
this standing to sue, but others in the courtroom, including public
|
||
|
audience members, may serve as witnesses. Jurors who fail in their
|
||
|
responsibilities may be sued in a different Court.
|
||
|
|
||
|
It is desired that the same Court that has heard all of the
|
||
|
evidence of a case should decide whether the arrests were
|
||
|
justified, whether unnecessary Force was used, and whether the
|
||
|
Court itself was biased. The use of unnecessary Force in an
|
||
|
arrest may be prosecuted as assault and battery or murder, as
|
||
|
appropriate. The use of Force without a warrant is particularly
|
||
|
abhorred.
|
||
|
|
||
|
U.The Right to Quick Service: If a Court of Oceania or other Government
|
||
|
office keeps an Oceanian waiting an unreasonable amount of time,
|
||
|
especially when arrested, that office may be sued for false arrest.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Because the Government is a monopoly, being kept waiting in line
|
||
|
is no different from being shackled. The main purpose of this
|
||
|
Right is to make sure that the justice system doesn't commit
|
||
|
injustice by detaining the defendant in long and slow lines. To
|
||
|
enforce this Right, Oceanians may bring in video recorders,
|
||
|
stopwatches, or other devices to document their wait.
|
||
|
|
||
|
V.The Right to Reach Counsel: Any Person placed in a bail holding facility
|
||
|
Must be allowed to reach counsel for eir defense, with the communication
|
||
|
charges added to the eventual Court Costs. The Right to Quick Service
|
||
|
applies here as well.
|
||
|
|
||
|
The practice of surrounding a Defendant's house with tanks and
|
||
|
armed agents to prevent em from reaching eir attorney is a
|
||
|
particularly heinous violation of this Right.
|
||
|
|
||
|
This Right includes the obligation of the arrestor to initially act as
|
||
|
counsel for the person under arrest by repeating a list of Rights that
|
||
|
includes the Right not to speak until ey has consulted with eir counsel.
|
||
|
|
||
|
W.The Right to Investigation: If an Oceanian finds evidence that a
|
||
|
Government official is committing Fraud, ey has the Right to bring this
|
||
|
to a grand jury which may then order further investigation or bring
|
||
|
charges against the Government.
|
||
|
|
||
|
X.The Entitlement to Know the Law: Copies of all laws Must be available at
|
||
|
all Courts of Oceania. It is legal to have the copies available only in
|
||
|
an electronic format that can be processed by personal computers. The
|
||
|
one exception to this is that the laws must be made available in a human
|
||
|
readable format to persons in bail holding facilities. It is also
|
||
|
recommended that important Court decisions be made available as well,
|
||
|
even though Court precedents do not bear the full Force of law.
|
||
|
|
||
|
It is illegal to change laws retroactively. The Government of Oceania
|
||
|
may not prosecute someone for an action that was not a crime when ey did
|
||
|
the action. But the reverse, changing a law to retroactively allow an
|
||
|
action, may be allowed. If the punishment for a crime is increased by a
|
||
|
new law, the increased punishment does not apply to past crimes. If the
|
||
|
punishment for a crime is decreased by a new law, this change does apply
|
||
|
to past crimes.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Y.The Right to Humane Treatment: Prisoners may not be subjected to cruel
|
||
|
and unusual punishment. A prisoner may request a grand jury hearing to
|
||
|
decide if ey is being treated inhumanely. Of course, if ey loses, ey
|
||
|
will have to pay the cost of the hearing.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Z.The Right to Not Be Punished for Others' Actions. An Oceanian will not
|
||
|
be held responsible for the crimes of others, unless ey incited another
|
||
|
to commit the crime.
|
||
|
|
||
|
For example, if a Person causes injuries or property damage as a
|
||
|
result of being drunk, that Person, not the Person who provided
|
||
|
the drinks, nor the manufacturer of the drinks nor any other
|
||
|
person not immediately at fault, will be held liable. Similarly,
|
||
|
if a person uses a weapon to unjustifiably kill or injure
|
||
|
someone, ey, not the weapon, weapon manufacturer, nor the
|
||
|
retailer, nor anyone who is not an immediate party to the crime,
|
||
|
will be held liable. Or, if a Person forgets to ask the dangers
|
||
|
of an operation, they will take responsibility for this, not eir
|
||
|
Doctor. It is assumed that Adults who live in Oceania do not wish
|
||
|
to be treated as Children.
|
||
|
|
||
|
The Rights of Prisoners
|
||
|
|
||
|
Prisoners are able to obtain food, shelter, basic health care, and clothing
|
||
|
by working for such within the prison they are in. In addition, charities
|
||
|
and other interested parties may provide such services to them as well.
|
||
|
Prisoners have the Right to speak with an attorney as do other detainees.
|
||
|
Prisoners retain their Right to Self-Sovereignty and may not be sterilized
|
||
|
or tattooed. Prisoners retain their Right to Property that was not seized
|
||
|
as part of their judgment, and may not be forced to labor for another.
|
||
|
Prisoners may be allowed to work in exchange for reduction in their
|
||
|
sentences.
|
||
|
|
||
|
2.The Executive Branch
|
||
|
|
||
|
A Major Law is a law that affects every Oceanian and therefore Must be
|
||
|
decided by referendum.
|
||
|
|
||
|
A Minor Law is a law that only affects specific Entities in Oceania and
|
||
|
therefore may be decided by a two thirds vote of a jury according to
|
||
|
section three, The Legislative Branch. A Minor Law becomes a Major Law
|
||
|
if a petition with the signatures of 1% of the Voters is presented to
|
||
|
the Government.
|
||
|
|
||
|
A.The Executive Branch includes a President and a Vice President whose
|
||
|
sole duty is to replace the President if ey is killed or incapacitated.
|
||
|
They are elected every four years on the tenth of June. The President
|
||
|
has the powers to:
|
||
|
|
||
|
put a referendum on the ballot for the next election,
|
||
|
|
||
|
sign minor Contracts and legislation.
|
||
|
|
||
|
In all three cases, if a grand jury determines that there is a conflict
|
||
|
of interest then the next Person in the chain of succession will have
|
||
|
the obligation to take the President's duties for that particular case.
|
||
|
|
||
|
In all cases where the President signs Contracts or enacts legislation,
|
||
|
ey Must go before a grand jury selected at random and get the consent of
|
||
|
two-thirds of them for such actions. The President may bring many
|
||
|
different Contracts and legislation in front of the jury at the same
|
||
|
time if the Contracts and legislation are simple matters. All major
|
||
|
Contracts and legislation Must be brought in front of the people in the
|
||
|
form of referendums, which require a two-thirds vote to pass. Of course,
|
||
|
an unconstitutional referendum or grand jury vote is not valid and
|
||
|
should be ignored. No Government Contract may extend for more than ten
|
||
|
years.
|
||
|
|
||
|
To ensure that all major Contracts and legislation are brought in front
|
||
|
of the people, there is a 60 day waiting period after all minor
|
||
|
Contracts and legislation are approved. During this waiting period, an
|
||
|
Oceanian may gather the signatures of 1% of the Voters to call for a
|
||
|
referendum on whether these measures should be approved. Not until this
|
||
|
waiting period is over are the minor Contracts or legislation considered
|
||
|
approved.
|
||
|
|
||
|
The President does not have the power to sign treaties until they have
|
||
|
been adopted by a 75% Oceanian vote. Of course, Oceanians are forbidden
|
||
|
to vote for an unconstitutional treaty. The President does not have the
|
||
|
power to declare a national emergency giving em special powers.
|
||
|
|
||
|
If the President and Vice President are killed or incapacitated, the
|
||
|
chain of succession is Commander in Chief, Air and Space Force
|
||
|
Commander, Army Commander, Navy Commander, Chief Justice of the Supreme
|
||
|
Court, then the remaining members of the Supreme Court selected at
|
||
|
random. The President appoints replacements to any elected vacancies if
|
||
|
the Person is incapacitated by death, injury, illness, resignation,
|
||
|
insanity, or imprisonment. If a Person has vacated eir office for more
|
||
|
than 30 consecutive days, ey is considered to have resigned.
|
||
|
|
||
|
The process for impeachment of the President or another elected official
|
||
|
is to convict them of a crime that sentences them to prison. Once they
|
||
|
have been sentenced to prison, they may not hold that elected title for
|
||
|
the remainder of their term.
|
||
|
|
||
|
B.The Department of War consists of a Commander in Chief, Air and Space
|
||
|
Force Commander, Army Commander, and Navy Commander. These four
|
||
|
positions are elected every four years, each position being elected on a
|
||
|
different year. Initially, the Commander in Chief will only serve one
|
||
|
year, the Air and Space Force Commander two years and the Army Commander
|
||
|
three years. The Air and Space Force Commander is in charge of all
|
||
|
appointed positions in the Air and Space Force, and likewise for the
|
||
|
Army and Navy Commanders. These Commanders control the respective
|
||
|
budgets of their departments, and have discretion to spend these
|
||
|
budgets. Of course, the public has final control in that it elects the
|
||
|
Commanders and directly chooses to fund or not fund their budgets.
|
||
|
|
||
|
The three agencies of Air and Space Force, Army, and Navy will Contract
|
||
|
with private militias, using no fewer than three different militias per
|
||
|
agency for active duty status. Militias who are not chosen for active
|
||
|
duty status may be selected for national reserve status where they will
|
||
|
normally only be asked to practice less than one month per year.
|
||
|
Militias not selected for national reserve status may be selected for
|
||
|
mothballed status where they will normally never be asked to practice.
|
||
|
Militias may only receive access to Weapons of mass destruction via
|
||
|
Privilege Licenses provided by the Department of War.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Active militias will be on 24-hour call but they may engage in other
|
||
|
activities while they are not engaged in military activities.
|
||
|
|
||
|
C.The Anti-Law Department repeals laws by referendum for major laws, by
|
||
|
jury trial for minor laws. This branch can request referendums and jury
|
||
|
trials. Oceanians may make requests to this department or call for
|
||
|
referendums by petitions signed by 1% or more of the Voters.
|
||
|
|
||
|
The Chief Director of the Anti-Law Department is elected by the people
|
||
|
and is responsible for running the department and its budget as ey
|
||
|
chooses, consistent with Oceanian law.
|
||
|
|
||
|
3.The Legislative Branch
|
||
|
|
||
|
All legislation in Oceania is passed directly by the people. This
|
||
|
Constitution does not allow an elected representative body.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Finally, the lobbying problem is solved. The Government of
|
||
|
Oceania will be one that doesn't pay its farmers not to grow
|
||
|
food. The problem of one powerful legislator forcing everyone to
|
||
|
vote eir way will be solved as well.
|
||
|
|
||
|
No law may violate the Rights of Oceanians. Unconstitutional laws may not
|
||
|
be enforced. The people may pass laws in the following areas:
|
||
|
|
||
|
Crimes: The people may establish by referendum the definitions and
|
||
|
punishments for crimes.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Common Law: The people may establish by referendum standard
|
||
|
definitions of terms used in private Contracts, implied obligations in
|
||
|
certain Contracts, implied liabilities and limitations of
|
||
|
corporations, and other standards not explicitly overridden in the
|
||
|
Contracts involved. Any Contract may override any of these standards
|
||
|
by supplying its own explicit definitions.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Resolutions: The people may make any recommendations they choose that
|
||
|
do not bear the force of law.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Pollution: Pollution Must be prosecuted by the Oceanian whose Land,
|
||
|
water, or air is damaged or whose Life and health are threatened by
|
||
|
it. Because of the often random nature of environmental hazards, the
|
||
|
people may vote by referendum on what levels of a particular toxin are
|
||
|
considered "harmful" for the purpose of Court decisions, and what the
|
||
|
damage amounts are. Such referendums do not restrict the ability of
|
||
|
actual harmed parties to sue for specific damages.
|
||
|
|
||
|
What this means is that because carbon monoxide, for example, is
|
||
|
known to cause health problems in a certain percentage of people,
|
||
|
a referendum may be passed that sets a specific level of monoxide
|
||
|
in auto exhaust as "harmful". After that referendum, anyone who
|
||
|
found that much monoxide in auto exhaust could sue the person who
|
||
|
owns the auto for damages specified in the referendum, or the
|
||
|
auto manufacturer if it guaranteed that the auto wouldn't
|
||
|
violate such limits, even if ey wasn't one of the few who
|
||
|
suffered actual symptoms. Those who actually do suffer symptoms
|
||
|
and can prove causality may still sue independently of the
|
||
|
referendum and get specific damages. Also, someone who can show
|
||
|
that ey was harmed by lower levels of monoxide can still recover
|
||
|
damages for eir injuries.
|
||
|
|
||
|
In the case of such things as lead in drinking water, a contract
|
||
|
between the user and the supplier would override any such
|
||
|
referendum.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Endangered species: Limits on hunting, destroying the habitat of, or
|
||
|
otherwise harming designated species may be set by referendum. The
|
||
|
referendum will have to designate a voluntary fund to compensate
|
||
|
Oceanians hurt by this referendum and the referendum will not be
|
||
|
enforced in cases where there are insufficient funds in the designated
|
||
|
fund to pay the Oceanians hurt by the referendum. Juries will
|
||
|
determine the amount of compensation.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Of course, breeding such a species in captivity to increase their
|
||
|
number is acceptable, even if some animals are sold or otherwise
|
||
|
used to help fund the project.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Abortion: The people may, by referendum, place restrictions on
|
||
|
abortions after three months gestation where the mother's life is not
|
||
|
endangered.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Symbols: The people determine by referendum the appearance of the
|
||
|
flag, passports, and other symbols of Oceania. These symbols and
|
||
|
observances are, of course, matters of personal expression. Oceanians
|
||
|
are free to celebrate as they choose, to display, burn, refuse to
|
||
|
display, or otherwise treat flags as they choose, and otherwise
|
||
|
express themselves freely. The name of Oceania, its flag, and its
|
||
|
passports will serve to identify it to the other nations of the world,
|
||
|
but Oceanians may use them or not as they choose. Using symbols of
|
||
|
Oceania fraudulently is prosecutable under Article Four, National
|
||
|
Security.
|
||
|
|
||
|
War: The people may, by referendum as specified in Article Four,
|
||
|
National Security, declare war. Referendums can be used to add or
|
||
|
remove countries from the Government's enemy list.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Recognition of new classes of Persons, and eligibility requirements
|
||
|
for passports and voting.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Modification of or dissolution of the Government.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Quarantine of Persons with infectious diseases.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Establish election precincts.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Regulation of Government agencies.
|
||
|
|
||
|
It is expected, and sincerely hoped, that the typical Oceanian may live eir
|
||
|
entire life peacefully without ever encountering a law, using the Courts to
|
||
|
resolve conflicts and control crime, and the War Department to provide
|
||
|
defense. Whenever a need or a problem arises, it is hoped that Oceanians
|
||
|
will not ask "What law can we pass?" but "What Business can we create?"
|
||
|
|
||
|
The actual method of voting is up to the private Entities hired to
|
||
|
administer voting, but the method Must allow Voters to vote in secret, that
|
||
|
is, without the possibility of anyone else influencing or discovering how a
|
||
|
particular Voter decides. No votes may be made by absentee ballot, because
|
||
|
they cannot guarantee secrecy. Votes may be done electronically or by any
|
||
|
other methods that referendums have not banned with the exception of
|
||
|
absentee ballots. Voters who will not be in Oceania during election day may
|
||
|
vote in person during the 30 days before election day.
|
||
|
|
||
|
As mentioned earlier, election Fraud is prosecutable as Treason against
|
||
|
Oceania. This includes voting more than once, voting on behalf of another
|
||
|
Person, denying ballot access to legitimate candidates or referendums,
|
||
|
bribing or intimidating Voters, accepting ballots not delivered in person,
|
||
|
misrepresenting the content of a ballot, and breach of specific written
|
||
|
promises made by candidates to Voters.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Political candidates do not surrender their Right to Free Speech or
|
||
|
Privacy. It is illegal to require limits on campaign spending or to require
|
||
|
candidates to reveal their sources of funding. The Government and Entities
|
||
|
administering elections do not have this Right. It is forbidden for them to
|
||
|
print materials that tell citizens which way they should vote in an
|
||
|
election.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Elected officials do not surrender their Right to Free Speech. No
|
||
|
restrictions may be made on their making speeches or writing articles,
|
||
|
including restrictions on the amount of money they may make from such
|
||
|
speeches or articles.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Oceanians do not give up their sovereignty as individuals by voting for any
|
||
|
Person. Oceanians have a direct Government and do not need anyone to
|
||
|
represent them in vital issues.
|
||
|
|
||
|
A.Passing Major Laws: Major laws Must be passed by referendum, as
|
||
|
described below.
|
||
|
|
||
|
B.Passing Minor Laws: The President of Oceania may bring minor laws and
|
||
|
Contracts to a grand jury and pass them with two-thirds consent. A
|
||
|
waiting period of 60 days Must then elapse before the law becomes valid.
|
||
|
If, in that 60-day period, a petition with the signatures of 1% of the
|
||
|
Voters is presented to the President, the law becomes a major one and
|
||
|
Must be brought before the people as a referendum.
|
||
|
|
||
|
C.Repealing Major Laws: Laws passed by referendum may be repealed by
|
||
|
referendum. The Anti-Law Department may request that the repeal of a law
|
||
|
be placed on a referendum.
|
||
|
|
||
|
D.Repealing Minor Laws: Laws that were instated by a jury vote may be
|
||
|
removed by a jury vote at the request of the President or the Anti-Law
|
||
|
Department. They may also be repealed in the same way that major laws
|
||
|
are.
|
||
|
|
||
|
E.Conflicting Laws should both be repealed by grand jury vote.
|
||
|
|
||
|
F.The Right to Vote: All Adults and Teens in Oceania not currently in jail
|
||
|
are Voters, and may vote in elections. Children, including older
|
||
|
Oceanians who have been declared Children by a Court, may not vote. A
|
||
|
Person under the age of sixteen who has been declared a Teen or Adult by
|
||
|
a Court may vote. The Right of Adults and Teens to vote shall not be
|
||
|
denied or abridged because of race, creed, sex, sexual preference,
|
||
|
handicap, or any reason other than being in jail for a crime. The reason
|
||
|
for this restriction is that grand juries and other officers of the
|
||
|
Court are elected, and could be too influenced by organized crime if
|
||
|
prisoners could vote.
|
||
|
|
||
|
G.Referendums: For a referendum to gain ballot access, a petition
|
||
|
containing signatures of 1% of the Voters in the jurisdiction affected
|
||
|
by the referendum Must be presented to the election administrators. The
|
||
|
President of Oceania and the Anti-Law Department may also put
|
||
|
referendums on the ballot. A referendum may not be denied ballot access
|
||
|
because it has been found to be unconstitutional. Constitutionality may
|
||
|
only be decided after the referendum passes. Voters may vote either
|
||
|
"yes" or "no" to a referendum. If 66% of those voting on the referendum
|
||
|
vote "yes", the referendum passes and becomes law (assuming it is
|
||
|
constitutional), unless a different percentage is specified in this
|
||
|
Constitution. The vote for a referendum Must be held no later than 60
|
||
|
days after it gains ballot access.
|
||
|
|
||
|
A referendum may be held to recall a public office holder, or to
|
||
|
eliminate the office entirely.
|
||
|
|
||
|
H.Elective Offices: Any Adult or Teen not currently in jail may run for
|
||
|
any elective office. At the discretion of the Entity administering
|
||
|
elections, candidates may be required to present a petition with the
|
||
|
signatures of 100 Voters eligible to vote for that office before that
|
||
|
candidate is granted ballot access. This should only be done to prevent
|
||
|
ballots from containing hundreds of names of frivolous candidates. It is
|
||
|
normally recommended that all candidates desiring access be granted it.
|
||
|
No fee may be levied for access to a ballot.
|
||
|
|
||
|
For each elective office, the ballot will list all candidates running,
|
||
|
as well as "None of the Above" and "Remove This Office". Each Voter will
|
||
|
indicate on eir ballot which, if any, of the candidates listed ey
|
||
|
approves of for each office. The Voter may approve of none, one, or any
|
||
|
number of candidates for an office. The candidate receiving the greatest
|
||
|
number of approvals will be given the office. If "None of the Above"
|
||
|
receives the greatest number of approvals, then the office will remain
|
||
|
vacant and unfunded for its normal term. If "Remove This Office" wins,
|
||
|
the elective office itself will be retired. Of course, no candidate may
|
||
|
run under the names "None of the Above" or "Remove This Office".
|
||
|
|
||
|
No Oceanian may hold an office for more than four years in a row. Once
|
||
|
these four years are up, ey may not run for that office again until four
|
||
|
more years have passed.
|
||
|
|
||
|
I.Political Parties: Oceanians have the Right to form political parties.
|
||
|
Political parties cannot be given any Rights or Privileges not given to
|
||
|
individuals running for elective office. A petition for candidacy may be
|
||
|
written to indicate that in the event of the death or incapacity of the
|
||
|
named candidate, the ballot access granted to that candidate may be
|
||
|
given to another Person designated by the party. Of course, one Person
|
||
|
may form a political party and have the same Right.
|
||
|
|
||
|
The purpose of a political party is to give the Voters some idea of what
|
||
|
philosophies and opinions are shared by members of a party, to aid them
|
||
|
in their decision. Political parties have the Right to run any candidate
|
||
|
they choose, and to refuse to run anyone they choose. Under no
|
||
|
circumstances should political parties be used as a means to deny ballot
|
||
|
access to those who want it, or to grant special Privileges to members
|
||
|
of major parties that are denied to minor parties.
|
||
|
|
||
|
J.Election Results: There will be no central Government agency collecting
|
||
|
or reporting vote results. Election administrators will report directly
|
||
|
to the press or other Entities with whom they have contracted to do so.
|
||
|
Candidates for office Must discover for themselves who has won the
|
||
|
office they seek, and in case of disputes, Must resolve their conflict
|
||
|
in Court. Election administrators and their information may be
|
||
|
subpoenaed for such cases.
|
||
|
|
||
|
4.The Power Structure of Oceania
|
||
|
|
||
|
Many of the traditional powers of the Government have been taken away from
|
||
|
it. To make it clear that we are not omitting powers because we haven't
|
||
|
thought of them, we will list here where the powers traditionally assumed
|
||
|
by the Government have gone. The Government may not create new agencies or
|
||
|
assume any new powers not explicitly granted herein.
|
||
|
|
||
|
A.The following powers are given to Restricted Businesses. All such
|
||
|
Businesses Must release copies of relevant records at cost, but may
|
||
|
otherwise operate as they choose, including setting their own hours of
|
||
|
Business_even election Entities. Any Oceanian may create such an Entity.
|
||
|
These Entities may involve themselves in more than one such Business.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Issuance and recording of copyrights, patents, and trademarks.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Contract recording including Business initiation/incorporation and
|
||
|
dissolution documents. It is also recommended that such Entities have
|
||
|
notaries.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Passports. Private Entities will provide passports to Permanent
|
||
|
Oceanians and to Children of Permanent Oceanians who are under twelve
|
||
|
months of age. While passports will not be needed for entry into
|
||
|
Oceania, there may be some use for Oceanian passports for people who
|
||
|
wish to enter other countries. Oceanians may hold passports to more
|
||
|
than one country. See Article Four, National Security, for details.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Birth certificates and death certificates.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Ship and airplane registration. Ships and airplanes registered by
|
||
|
Private registration services may fly the flag of Oceania as long as
|
||
|
such Private registration services are not convicted of fraud in the
|
||
|
Court of Oceania. See Article Four, National Security, for details.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Elections. These private Entities have some additional restrictions
|
||
|
upon them to discourage Fraud:
|
||
|
|
||
|
Physical ballots, petitions, or other evidence of vote results,
|
||
|
may not be destroyed for ten years after an election.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Election administrators Must allow ballots or other evidence to be
|
||
|
subpoenaed by Courts.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Employees of the Entity administering elections may not hold or
|
||
|
run for elective office.
|
||
|
|
||
|
They may not refuse ballot access to a candidate or referendum
|
||
|
that has met the constitutional requirements.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Additional restrictions may be added by referendum.
|
||
|
|
||
|
B.The following powers are given to Unrestricted Businesses. In other
|
||
|
words, the Government is prohibited from partaking in these activities
|
||
|
other than enforcing Contracts created in the Free Market.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Money: The Government of Oceania may not issue or control currency.
|
||
|
Private banks may issue money, the use and acceptance of which is
|
||
|
entirely voluntary. It is expected that all Contracts specify which
|
||
|
currencies are acceptable forms of payment.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Stocks and securities: Private Entities will be in charge of endorsing
|
||
|
or panning securities. Private Entities will run security exchange
|
||
|
markets and set the rules that these markets will follow including
|
||
|
rules regulating the percentage of a stock that an Entity may own.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Census taking: the Right to Free Speech includes the right of Entities
|
||
|
to ask for any information from all of the beings in an area although
|
||
|
it may not compel them to answer, even though it may pay them to do
|
||
|
so. The Government does not have this Right and may only ask number of
|
||
|
beings in any census.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Loans, including student loans.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Professional licensing: Private Entities may license Oceanians for
|
||
|
various professions. Of course, it is voluntary for a professional to
|
||
|
have such a license, and consumers are free to hire unlicensed
|
||
|
professionals if they choose.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Product labeling: Private Entities may endorse types of labeling for
|
||
|
products. This includes marketing claims of drugs for efficacy and
|
||
|
safety. Of course, it is voluntary for a company to use such labeling.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Postal services and issuance of stamps.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Standards of weights and measures.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Surveying.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Power generation.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Water: Water for residential, industrial, agricultural or any other
|
||
|
use will be bought and sold as is any other commodity.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Schools: The practice of Governments running schools, setting
|
||
|
curriculum standards, and compelling attendance is anathema to a free
|
||
|
society. Parents have the sole Right to determine how and where their
|
||
|
Children are educated, including home education.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Housing: Private Entities will control all housing.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Children's behavioral and protective services.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Children's camps, theaters, and other activity programs.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Adoption: Care of Children should never be allowed to fall into the
|
||
|
hands of Government. Adoption is a private Contract among biological
|
||
|
Parents, adoptive Parents, and a private adoption Entity, if any.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Libraries and museums: Private Entities will fund, build, and control
|
||
|
libraries and museums. The Government may not regulate what people can
|
||
|
read, what art they can see, or which version of history they believe.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Art: The Free Market will support the art that the marketplace
|
||
|
desires. This includes the areas of paintings, sculptures, ballets,
|
||
|
symphonies, theaters, cultural centers, art galleries, art centers,
|
||
|
movies, fiction books, and orchestras. In particular, it is forbidden
|
||
|
for the Government to censor art, before, during or after its
|
||
|
production.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Historic preservation and archaeology: Private Property does not
|
||
|
become public simply because it is interesting. Historic preservation
|
||
|
and archeological activities will be done by private Entities.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Airplanes, trains, and other public transportation and their
|
||
|
respective facilities such as airports.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Traffic control: The private Entities that own roads will be
|
||
|
responsible for making and enforcing their traffic laws. Only
|
||
|
penalties for trespassing and endangering lives already established in
|
||
|
the laws of Oceania will be used for their enforcement.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Insurance: Private Entities will run all insurance. This includes bank
|
||
|
insurance, pension fund insurance, Property insurance, import and
|
||
|
export insurance, liability insurance, disaster insurance, auto
|
||
|
insurance, professional insurance, life insurance, travel insurance,
|
||
|
medical insurance, disability insurance and unemployment insurance.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Food inspection: It is expected that restaurants and food retailers
|
||
|
will have liability insurance, and that insurance companies will set
|
||
|
rules for food safety and and perform the needed inspections..
|
||
|
|
||
|
Automobile and equipment safety inspections: As with food, liability
|
||
|
insurance vendors will be expected to set safety rules.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Consumer regulation: All safety regulations, consumer protection
|
||
|
regulations, and other Business regulations will be accomplished by
|
||
|
the Free Market. For example, 900-number phone services will be
|
||
|
regulated by private phone companies, not by government agencies.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Consumer protection services. Consumer affairs should be settled in
|
||
|
private or public Courts.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Building plans and Inspections will be done by agreements between
|
||
|
banks, lenders, property owners, and insurers.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Car washes.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Towing and car repair.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Emissions testing.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Hospitals: Oceanians may create and use any hospitals, hospices,
|
||
|
nursing homes, and outpatient centers they desire.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Drugs and other health care.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Veterinary services.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Mental health services: Mental illness is just that_illness. Private
|
||
|
hospitals may treat mental patients just as they treat other patients.
|
||
|
In particular, no hospital has the power to imprison a Person against
|
||
|
eir will unless that Person has been previously declared to be a Child
|
||
|
by a Court.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Cemeteries.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Coroners and other crime investigators.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Parks and recreational facilities.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Public service classes such as aerobics, martial arts, wrestling,
|
||
|
dance, billiards, pottery classes and yoga.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Rehabilitation centers.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Job training and placement services.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Escorts: Escorts for visiting dignitaries, public officials, funerals,
|
||
|
parades and other special events shall be done by private Entities.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Weather forecasting.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Amateur and Professional sports, including boxing,
|
||
|
|
||
|
Agriculture and forestry: The Government of Oceania will not pay
|
||
|
farmers to refrain from growing food, will not subsidize foresters by
|
||
|
building roads and giving away Land to be destroyed, and will not
|
||
|
control irrigation. Nor may the Government subsidize any group of
|
||
|
farmers including honey bee farmers.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Rationing: The Free Market will replace this traditional Government
|
||
|
function by allowing prices on goods to be set based on supply and
|
||
|
demand.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Cartels and monopolies such as utilities will not be created by the
|
||
|
Government, nor will it interfere with their private creation.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Economic planning including subsidies. While it is legal for a
|
||
|
Business to subsidize a product, the Government may never do so_even
|
||
|
for "strategic" items such as wool and mohair.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Scientific research.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Energy exploration and production. Access to energy will not be
|
||
|
controlled or prohibited by the Government.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Taxicabs.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Gaming: Government regulation of, running, or profiteering upon,
|
||
|
gaming is a violation of the Right to Property.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Charity: Government charities are compassion at gunpoint. Only private
|
||
|
charities, directly accountable to their voluntary contributors, will
|
||
|
exist in Oceania.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Tourism.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Employers may freely negotiate the following with their employees,
|
||
|
customers, or insurers.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Levels of stress in the work environment.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Definition and prosecution of sexual harassment.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Medical, dental, disability, unemployment, life, workers'
|
||
|
compensation, social security or pensions, and other insurance.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Medical testing, drug testing, and other employer qualification tests.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Smoking regulations.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Labor relations and Contract negotiations including negotiation of
|
||
|
severance payments.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Anti-discrimination or pro-discrimination rules.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Price and wage controls.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Facilities (including parking) for the handicapped.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Building facilities, such as doors, toilet facilities, and security
|
||
|
systems.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Occupational safety regulations.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Fire codes, electrical codes, and occupancy codes.
|
||
|
|
||
|
C.The following powers are given to Housing Developments. Of course,
|
||
|
individuals may also hire these services on the Free Market if their
|
||
|
Housing Development does not provide them or if they are not members of
|
||
|
one.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Hiring of election administrators.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Police and Fire protection. Fire and home insurance companies can set
|
||
|
safety rules and protection standards.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Disaster insurance.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Maintenance of infrastructure (power, water (including fluoridation),
|
||
|
roads, graffiti, animal control, etc.)
|
||
|
|
||
|
Community facilities such as swimming pools, golf courses, hockey
|
||
|
rinks, gymnasiums, baseball fields, football fields, and basketball
|
||
|
courts.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Zoning, rent control, and building codes.
|
||
|
|
||
|
D.The following powers are given to The People, to control by referendum:
|
||
|
|
||
|
Crimes: The people may establish by referendum the definitions and
|
||
|
punishments for crimes.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Common Law: The people may establish by referendum standard
|
||
|
definitions of terms used in private Contracts, implied obligations in
|
||
|
certain Contracts, implied liabilities and limitations of
|
||
|
corporations, and other standards not explicitly overridden in the
|
||
|
Contracts involved. Any Contract may override any of these standards
|
||
|
by supplying its own explicit definitions.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Resolutions: The people may make any recommendations they choose that
|
||
|
do not bear the force of law.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Pollution: Pollution Must be prosecuted by the Oceanian whose Land,
|
||
|
water, or air is damaged or whose Life and health are threatened by
|
||
|
it. Because of the often random nature of environmental hazards, the
|
||
|
people may vote by referendum on what levels of a particular toxin are
|
||
|
considered "harmful" for the purpose of Court decisions, and what the
|
||
|
damage amounts are. Such referendums do not restrict the ability of
|
||
|
actual harmed parties to sue for specific damages.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Endangered species: Limits on hunting, destroying the habitat of, or
|
||
|
otherwise harming designated species may be set by referendum. The
|
||
|
referendum will have to designate a voluntary fund to compensate
|
||
|
Oceanians hurt by this referendum and the referendum will not be
|
||
|
enforced in cases where there are insufficient funds in the designated
|
||
|
fund to pay the Oceanians hurt by the referendum. Juries will
|
||
|
determine the amount of compensation.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Abortion: The people may, by referendum, place restrictions on
|
||
|
abortions after three months gestation where the mother's life is not
|
||
|
endangered.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Symbols: The people determine by referendum the appearance of the
|
||
|
flag, passports, and other symbols of Oceania. These symbols and
|
||
|
observances are, of course, matters of personal expression. Oceanians
|
||
|
are free to celebrate as they choose, to display, burn, refuse to
|
||
|
display, or otherwise treat flags as they choose, and otherwise
|
||
|
express themselves freely. The name of Oceania, its flag, and its
|
||
|
passports will serve to identify it to the other nations of the world,
|
||
|
but Oceanians may use them or not as they choose. Using symbols of
|
||
|
Oceania fraudulently is prosecutable under Article Four, National
|
||
|
Security.
|
||
|
|
||
|
War: The people may, by referendum as specified in Article Four,
|
||
|
National Security, declare war. Referendums can be used to add or
|
||
|
remove countries from the Government's enemy list.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Recognition of new classes of Persons, and eligibility requirements
|
||
|
for passports and voting.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Modification of or dissolution of the Government.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Quarantine of Persons with infectious diseases.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Establish election precincts.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Regulation of Government agencies.
|
||
|
|
||
|
E.The following powers are reserved for Each Individual Oceanian:
|
||
|
|
||
|
Article One, A Partial Listing of Rights, details the Rights of each
|
||
|
Oceanian. We list here specific powers often usurped by Governments:
|
||
|
|
||
|
Life: Each Person can decide when and how to end eir Life.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Reproduction and birth control.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Drugs, vitamins and other health care.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Marriage: Each Oceanian can decide the terms of eir marriage Contract,
|
||
|
or whether ey wishes to create such a Contract.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Inheritance: Each Oceanian may decide who gets eir Property (including
|
||
|
eir body) when ey dies. In the event a Person dies without any
|
||
|
explicit instructions as to the disposition of eir Property, the
|
||
|
Person's Nearest Relative will be awarded inheritance. If there is no
|
||
|
living relative, anyone making a claim on such Property (such as
|
||
|
friends or favorite charities of the deceased) may petition a jury to
|
||
|
award inheritance. Neither the Government nor the jury, may ever be
|
||
|
awarded inheritance or any portion thereof unless explicitly granted
|
||
|
in a will.
|
||
|
|
||
|
F.The following powers are denied to the Government and given to No One:
|
||
|
|
||
|
Taxation: No one has the power to tax.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Embassies and the special powers they receive.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Evacuation: No one may Force an Oceanian to leave eir Property for eir
|
||
|
own "protection". If an Oceanian wants to live on unsafe Property,
|
||
|
that is eir choice.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Eminent domain: Each Oceanian's Property is completely eir own.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Torture.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Financial Controls: No one may be forbidden from taking money or other
|
||
|
valuables into or out of Oceania. No one may forcibly suspend trading
|
||
|
in stocks and bonds. No one may forbid ownership or control the value
|
||
|
of gold or other commodities. No one may forcibly freeze checking and
|
||
|
savings accounts of others.
|
||
|
|
||
|
It is hoped that non-Oceanian readers of this Constitution will realize
|
||
|
what a long list of powers that they have entrusted to their Government.
|
||
|
They should remember that absolute power corrupts absolutely.
|
||
|
|
||
|
|
||
|
ARTICLE THREE
|
||
|
Powers Specifically Forbidden to the Government
|
||
|
|
||
|
|
||
|
If a power is forbidden this means that not only is it illegal for the
|
||
|
Government to tax to fund this power, it is also illegal for the Government
|
||
|
to accept voluntary contributions to fund this power. A 95% vote is
|
||
|
necessary to remove an item from this list. A 66% vote is sufficient to add
|
||
|
an item.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Many of these restrictions are mentioned elsewhere in this Constitution.
|
||
|
They are repeated here for clarity and emphasis, because Governments
|
||
|
traditionally usurp these powers.
|
||
|
|
||
|
A.Taxation: It is forbidden for the Government to tax. User fees may be
|
||
|
required by the Justice System from losers in Court cases. No other user
|
||
|
fees may be required by the Government. The use of revenue stamps, sales
|
||
|
taxes, use taxes, excise taxes, inheritance taxes, vehicle and vehicle
|
||
|
rental taxes, estate taxes, gift taxes, income taxes, tariffs, License
|
||
|
fees, "sin" taxes, Property taxes, room taxes including comp room taxes,
|
||
|
taxes on illegal substances, self-employment taxes, unemployment taxes,
|
||
|
service taxes, taxes on health benefits, duties, energy taxes, "gas-
|
||
|
guzzler" taxes, Business or corporate taxes, food taxes, withholding
|
||
|
taxes, value added taxes, social security taxes, school taxes, airport
|
||
|
taxes, luxury taxes, capital gains taxes, inventory taxes, view taxes,
|
||
|
windfall profits taxes, unitary taxes, hospital taxes, wealth taxes,
|
||
|
departure taxes, capitations, franchise fees, going out of business
|
||
|
fees, public air space taxes, training taxes, interest taxes, birth
|
||
|
taxes, poll taxes, barge taxes, gas taxes, or registration fees by the
|
||
|
Government is forbidden, as well as any mandatory collection under any
|
||
|
other name.
|
||
|
|
||
|
To reduce the restrictions on the power of taxation in any way requires
|
||
|
a dissolution of the Government along with a change of the country's
|
||
|
name. This dissolution and renaming requires a 95% referendum vote.
|
||
|
|
||
|
We hope it is obvious that tariffs are considered a tax and
|
||
|
therefore illegal.
|
||
|
|
||
|
The reason that user fees may be requested by the Justice System
|
||
|
is to discourage frivolous cases. Justice is an Entitlement. If
|
||
|
it were free, people would use it more than services they had to
|
||
|
pay for, and the people's Liberty, as well as the efficient
|
||
|
administration of justice itself, would suffer.
|
||
|
|
||
|
B.Business: It is illegal for the Government to own, operate, subsidize,
|
||
|
donate money to, insure, or loan money to Businesses. This includes the
|
||
|
practice of a Government breaking a "monopoly" by launching a competing
|
||
|
Business.
|
||
|
|
||
|
This includes the selling of alcoholic beverages, running
|
||
|
lotteries, utility companies, delivering mail, running air
|
||
|
traffic control centers, educational companies, libraries, notary
|
||
|
publics, coroners, surveyors, orphans' homes, universities, and
|
||
|
charitable organizations.
|
||
|
|
||
|
C.Embassies: It is forbidden for the Government to run embassies or
|
||
|
appoint ambassadors.
|
||
|
|
||
|
It is not desired for the Government to get involved in foreign
|
||
|
entanglements nor for the Government to try to enforce its laws in
|
||
|
countries besides Oceania.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Embassies from other countries are accepted in Oceania but their
|
||
|
diplomats will not receive diplomatic immunity. Oceanians who
|
||
|
hold passports to enemy nations still retain all Rights of
|
||
|
Oceanians, even in time of war, and may not be detained or
|
||
|
confined. In particular, they have the Right to leave Oceania
|
||
|
without harassment if they choose to remain loyal to their
|
||
|
previous Government.
|
||
|
|
||
|
As to protecting Oceanians outside the country, this Constitution
|
||
|
encourages Oceanians to form and/or join private associations,
|
||
|
their purpose being the protection of Oceanians who are in
|
||
|
foreign countries.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Associations have the Right to engage in war with countries that
|
||
|
are not on the Government's official ally list.
|
||
|
|
||
|
D.Property: It is forbidden for the Government to own real Property, i.e.,
|
||
|
Land and buildings. Government leases of real Property may not exceed
|
||
|
ten years. Also, the Government may also not buy or lease any vehicles.
|
||
|
Government employees Must finance their own transportation. Government
|
||
|
employees Must finance their own housing.
|
||
|
|
||
|
E.Streets: It is forbidden for the Government to own streets or waterways.
|
||
|
|
||
|
F.Banking: It is forbidden for the Government to mint money or issue
|
||
|
stamps. It is forbidden for the Government to borrow money, even in
|
||
|
times of war. It may not assume the debts of any County, Locality, City,
|
||
|
or other corporation whatever. The Government may not lend money.
|
||
|
|
||
|
G.Schools: It is forbidden for the Government to run, fund, subsidize, or
|
||
|
regulate schools or universities.
|
||
|
|
||
|
To allow this would be in direct conflict with the Right to
|
||
|
Religion. Government-run schools and universities always
|
||
|
discriminate against one or more religions.
|
||
|
|
||
|
It is also forbidden to create any laws standardizing education or
|
||
|
defining what is or isn't an educational program. No laws may be created
|
||
|
stating the amount of time a student Must spend in any educational
|
||
|
program.
|
||
|
|
||
|
H.Welfare and Humanitarian Activities: It is forbidden for the Government
|
||
|
to have welfare programs including Social Security programs or any
|
||
|
redistribution or transfer schemes, or to give charity of any kind. It
|
||
|
is forbidden for the Government to give aid to other countries or to
|
||
|
help Oceanians or others after disasters. Likewise, it is forbidden for
|
||
|
the Government to run, fund, or subsidize hospitals or any other health
|
||
|
related programs. This includes institutions for the benefit of the
|
||
|
insane, blind, and deaf and dumb, and such other benevolent institutions
|
||
|
as the public may ask for. This includes helping Persons who, by reason
|
||
|
of age and infirmity, or misfortunes, may have claim upon the sympathy
|
||
|
and aid of society.
|
||
|
|
||
|
The one exception to this is that the Court of Oceania may hire private
|
||
|
mental hospitals for holding people who have been convicted of a crime
|
||
|
but are obviously insane and need more help than a jail can provide
|
||
|
them.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Finally, it is forbidden for the Government to receive aid from other
|
||
|
countries.
|
||
|
|
||
|
In particular, the Department of War Must never be used for
|
||
|
humanitarian activities. Private companies may Contract with
|
||
|
national reserve militias and mothballed militias to engage in
|
||
|
humanitarian activities as needed.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Charity at gunpoint is not charity. Only charity accomplished by
|
||
|
truly voluntary donations is good and moral.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Oceanians may not donate money to Government-run charities
|
||
|
because of the threat that such charities will eventually become
|
||
|
mandatory charities that Oceanians will be Forced to contribute
|
||
|
to.
|
||
|
|
||
|
I.Scientific Research: It is forbidden for the Government to run, fund, or
|
||
|
subsidize scientific research. This includes funding military research.
|
||
|
|
||
|
J.Police: It is forbidden for the Government to fund or subsidize police
|
||
|
with the exception of those servicing Government facilities.
|
||
|
|
||
|
K.Fire Protection: It is forbidden for the Government to fund or subsidize
|
||
|
fire departments with the exception of those servicing Government
|
||
|
facilities.
|
||
|
|
||
|
It is expected that Police and Fire protection agencies will be
|
||
|
mostly employed by insurance companies to protect their clients
|
||
|
and property with the goal of minimizing insurance claims.
|
||
|
Usually these insurance companies will be hired by Housing
|
||
|
Developments.
|
||
|
|
||
|
L.Garbage Disposal: It is forbidden for the Government to fund or
|
||
|
subsidize garbage disposal Entities with the exception of those
|
||
|
servicing Government facilities.
|
||
|
|
||
|
M.Public Transportation: It is forbidden for the Government to fund or
|
||
|
subsidize public transportation.
|
||
|
|
||
|
N.Emigration and Immigration: It is forbidden for the Government to refuse
|
||
|
entry into the country based on someone's place of birth or to otherwise
|
||
|
discriminate against Oceanians based on where they were born. Also,
|
||
|
people who wish to emigrate from Oceania will not be fined or penalized
|
||
|
in any way when they leave the country.
|
||
|
|
||
|
O.Insurance: It is forbidden for the Government to insure industries.
|
||
|
Examples would be insuring banks, pension funds, health of Oceanians,
|
||
|
and loans between individuals.
|
||
|
|
||
|
P.Eminent Domain: It is forbidden for the Government to give itself
|
||
|
eminent domain.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Q.Emergency Powers: The Right to a Writ of Habeas Corpus cannot be
|
||
|
suspended under any circumstances. The Government cannot pass a bill of
|
||
|
attainder, ex post facto law, pre facto law (law declaring all future
|
||
|
actions of a Person or Entity to be legal) or law impairing the
|
||
|
obligation of Contracts.
|
||
|
|
||
|
This was already covered in Article Two where it was shown that
|
||
|
the President has no Right to declare a state of emergency, but
|
||
|
considering the poor track record of Governments, it is detailed
|
||
|
again here.
|
||
|
|
||
|
The practice of passing laws declaring a Government office or
|
||
|
official to be guilty of no crimes retrospectively as well as
|
||
|
prospectively is particularly abhorred.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Violation of anything in this section is considered Treason and
|
||
|
is punished with the maximum penalties available by law.
|
||
|
|
||
|
R.Religion: It is forbidden for the Government to establish a national
|
||
|
religion or support any religion in any way or to deny the Right to
|
||
|
worship freely.
|
||
|
|
||
|
S.Records: It is forbidden for the Government to hold records on when
|
||
|
someone was born, or when ey died. This will be a job for the private
|
||
|
sector. Considering the importance of these records, it is suggested
|
||
|
that an individual store eir records with more than one private Entity.
|
||
|
It is illegal for the Government to conduct a census that asks anything
|
||
|
besides number of beings existing in a location, and it may not compel
|
||
|
even that information.
|
||
|
|
||
|
T.Art: It is forbidden for the Government to fund or subsidize art.
|
||
|
|
||
|
U.Prisons: Prisons are part of the Court system and are paid for and
|
||
|
controlled as are other Court Costs. The Court of Oceania may collect
|
||
|
voluntary donations and user fees as specified in Article Two for their
|
||
|
maintenance. It is strictly forbidden for any other agency of government
|
||
|
to create, run, or fund prisons, or to imprison or detain Oceanians.
|
||
|
All Prisons are private in Oceania and Courts Must have regular bidding
|
||
|
contests for the prison space they wish to use.
|
||
|
|
||
|
V.Multinational Organizations: The Government is forbidden to enter
|
||
|
treaties placing it under organizations which conflict with any of the
|
||
|
terms of this Constitution or Oceania's laws. Any treaty placing Oceania
|
||
|
within any multinational organization will become null and void upon any
|
||
|
action or agreement of said organization violating any terms of
|
||
|
Oceania's Constitution or laws.
|
||
|
|
||
|
See Article Four, National Security, for one exception to this
|
||
|
restriction.
|
||
|
|
||
|
W.Kidnapping: The Government is forbidden to kidnap Persons in other
|
||
|
countries not on its declared enemies list.
|
||
|
|
||
|
X.Rationing: The Government is prohibited from taking control of items
|
||
|
away from Oceanians and then rationing the use of such items. Having
|
||
|
agencies such as water police is particularly abhorred.
|
||
|
|
||
|
|
||
|
ARTICLE FOUR
|
||
|
National Security
|
||
|
|
||
|
|
||
|
This article requires an 80% vote to reduce restrictions and an 80% vote to
|
||
|
add restrictions. Once Oceania has been in existence for 20 years or has
|
||
|
reached a population of 500,000 voters this article will require only a 66%
|
||
|
vote to reduce restrictions.
|
||
|
|
||
|
A.A Declaration of War may be effected in one of three ways:
|
||
|
|
||
|
The President, Commander in chief, Air and Space Force Commander, Army
|
||
|
Commander, and Navy Commander declare war by majority vote immediately
|
||
|
after an attack on Oceania. If one or more of them is killed by the
|
||
|
attack or is otherwise unavailable within fifteen minutes, (th)eir
|
||
|
vote(s) will not be needed.
|
||
|
|
||
|
A declaration of war referendum is passed by a majority of the Voters
|
||
|
and signed by the President.
|
||
|
|
||
|
A declaration of war referendum is passed by more than two-thirds of
|
||
|
the Voters.
|
||
|
|
||
|
In situation one, any of the four executives named may initiate
|
||
|
defensive attacks until there is time for the vote. In situations two
|
||
|
and three, the people who collect the signatures necessary for the
|
||
|
referendum or the President emself, if ey initiates the referendum, can
|
||
|
demand the referendum be held within seven days of this request. If it
|
||
|
is possible to hold the referendum even sooner, this Constitution allows
|
||
|
it to be held at an even earlier time.
|
||
|
|
||
|
B. Multinational Organizations: Oceania may, by a vote of its people,
|
||
|
become a member of the United Nations no matter what policies the United
|
||
|
Nations engages in. A voluntary fund may be created to pay for
|
||
|
membership fees of the United Nations. This will enable Oceania to gain
|
||
|
recognition as a country and therefore reduce the chance of invasion by
|
||
|
opposing forces. Of course, Oceania may not engage in actions as a
|
||
|
member that violate this Constitution.
|
||
|
|
||
|
The following restrictions on Rights have been made in the interest of
|
||
|
National Security:
|
||
|
|
||
|
C. The Right to Self-Defense is restricted by not allowing Oceanians to
|
||
|
own, produce, import, or export Weapons of mass destruction. At the
|
||
|
time of the adoption of this Constitution, this includes nuclear
|
||
|
Weapons, large-scale chemical Weapons, and biological Weapons. It is
|
||
|
felt that since such Weapons could be used to destroy the entire country
|
||
|
with just one application, they are too dangerous to the Rights of other
|
||
|
Property owners in Oceania. All other Weapons that are available at this
|
||
|
time are not considered Weapons of mass destruction, including personal
|
||
|
chemical Weapons such as mace and tear gas.
|
||
|
|
||
|
The Government may grant Licenses for the Privilege of working
|
||
|
with Weapons of mass destruction. For example, it may want these
|
||
|
Weapons for its own use or may wish to sell them to its allies.
|
||
|
|
||
|
D. The Right to Free Trade is restricted by not allowing Oceanians to
|
||
|
import or export mind-altering drugs to or from nations where they are
|
||
|
illegal. Importing is restricted because it can be difficult to
|
||
|
determine if a ship is importing or exporting a product. A Privilege
|
||
|
License would be allowed to import a mind-altering drug that is
|
||
|
currently not being grown or otherwise produced in Oceania. This License
|
||
|
would be granted by the Commander in chief of Oceania.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Of course, this does not apply to vitamins, medicinal drugs, or other
|
||
|
healthful substances. Marijuana would be considered a mind altering
|
||
|
drug.
|
||
|
|
||
|
The manufacture of such drugs for use in our country will never
|
||
|
be interfered with by the Government. The only reason for the
|
||
|
restriction on trade is that other nations often use the drug
|
||
|
trade as an excuse for military action.
|
||
|
|
||
|
E. The Right to Free Trade is further restricted by not allowing
|
||
|
Oceanians to export Weapons to nations or Entities that are on Oceania's
|
||
|
forbidden list.
|
||
|
|
||
|
The Government may create different categories on this list for
|
||
|
different types of Weapons banned to different countries or
|
||
|
Entities. It is the duty of the Commander in Chief to make such a
|
||
|
list, which may be modified by referendum.
|
||
|
|
||
|
F. The Right to Travel into the country may be restricted during time of
|
||
|
war. Travel through easements may also be restricted during time of war.
|
||
|
The Right to leave Oceania may never be violated.
|
||
|
|
||
|
G. The Right to Own and Operate a Business is restricted for owners of
|
||
|
airplane or ship registering companies whose clients fly the flag of
|
||
|
Oceania. Such companies may be prosecuted by the Government for
|
||
|
fraudulent actions because by flying the flag of Oceania they can be
|
||
|
considered to represent the Government of Oceania. Of course, an
|
||
|
airplane or ship registering company which does not authorize its
|
||
|
clients to fly the flag of Oceania may not be prosecuted in such manner.
|
||
|
And, finally, an airplane or ship that flies the flag of Oceania without
|
||
|
authorization by a ship registering company can be prosecuted in like
|
||
|
manner.
|
||
|
|
||
|
The same restrictions apply to passport providers since their
|
||
|
passports will be considered to represent the country of Oceania.
|
||
|
|
||
|
|
||
|
ARTICLE FIVE
|
||
|
Abortion
|
||
|
|
||
|
|
||
|
This Constitution recognizes that abortion is a conflict of Rights between
|
||
|
the mother and potential Child. It hereby declares that all abortions
|
||
|
during the first three months of pregnancy are unrestricted. Even a
|
||
|
pregnant Child may ask for an immediate abortion with no restrictions.
|
||
|
|
||
|
After three months, the Government may place restrictions on abortion with
|
||
|
the exception of endangerment of the mother's Life. These restrictions may
|
||
|
only be enacted through referendum.
|
||
|
|
||
|
In the case of frozen eggs, sperm, embryos, and fetuses, the frozen beings
|
||
|
have the same Rights as if they were not frozen, i.e., they may not be
|
||
|
destroyed if their unfrozen counterpart may not be destroyed. If funding
|
||
|
for these items ceases, then either private parties may continue funding or
|
||
|
these tissues may be destroyed. Public notice about the termination of
|
||
|
funding Must be made two weeks in advance of the funding cutoff.
|
||
|
|
||
|
A doctor who knowingly performs an illegal abortion will get one quarter
|
||
|
the penalty that the mother gets because ey will be an accomplice to the
|
||
|
crime. Therefore if the mother was sentenced to one year in jail and fined
|
||
|
100 grams of gold, the doctor would be sentenced to three months and fined
|
||
|
25 grams of gold. None of this would be deducted from the mother's
|
||
|
punishment.
|
||
|
|
||
|
|
||
|
ARTICLE SIX
|
||
|
Government Budgets
|
||
|
|
||
|
|
||
|
To encourage donations, all agencies will publish a list of all donors and
|
||
|
the amount of their donations at least once a year. Of course, donors may
|
||
|
request that the amount of the donations and/or their names be kept
|
||
|
confidential. Agencies may also issue receipts that can be displayed by the
|
||
|
donor.
|
||
|
|
||
|
The following budgets will exist and Oceanians may pick the specific ones
|
||
|
that they would like to fund. Transferring money among these budgets except
|
||
|
as specified below is a fraud against the people, i.e., Treason.
|
||
|
|
||
|
The Executive Budget (a general fund for payment of President, Vice
|
||
|
President, and staff).
|
||
|
|
||
|
The Department of War Budget (a general fund for this agency that
|
||
|
funds three agencies below it besides itself).
|
||
|
|
||
|
The Air and Space Force Budget.
|
||
|
|
||
|
The Army Budget.
|
||
|
|
||
|
The Navy Budget.
|
||
|
|
||
|
The Anti-Law Department Budget.
|
||
|
|
||
|
The following budgets should be mainly funded by user fees paid for by the
|
||
|
losers in Court decisions:
|
||
|
|
||
|
The Supreme Court Budget is a specific fund for this agency on the
|
||
|
Supreme Court level. Costs of maintaining juries, judges, secretaries,
|
||
|
etc., are included in this budget.
|
||
|
|
||
|
The County Court Budget has a specific fund for each County Court.
|
||
|
Costs of maintaining juries, judges, secretaries, etc., are included
|
||
|
in this budget.
|
||
|
|
||
|
The Local Court Budget has a specific fund for each local Court. Costs
|
||
|
of maintaining juries, judges, secretaries, etc., are included in this
|
||
|
budget.
|
||
|
|
||
|
The Local Grand Jury Budget has a specific fund for each local jury.
|
||
|
|
||
|
All these agencies may create subsidiary budgets for specific projects. Any
|
||
|
money left in the budget of a canceled project Must be refunded. Leftover
|
||
|
anonymous donations may be kept by the agency creating the defunct project.
|
||
|
|
||
|
|
||
|
ARTICLE SEVEN
|
||
|
Housing Developments
|
||
|
|
||
|
|
||
|
Throughout history, Governments have imposed harmful monopolies on their
|
||
|
citizens by deciding which "natural" monopoly will be used by the residents
|
||
|
of a particular community. This article is meant to end the Government's
|
||
|
ability to do this.
|
||
|
|
||
|
A Housing Development is the most powerful government-like structure in
|
||
|
Oceania although it is not part of the Government of Oceania. Decisions
|
||
|
made by the Housing Development can be by any method decided by the
|
||
|
original founders of the Housing Development, i.e., the people who
|
||
|
originally owned the land.
|
||
|
|
||
|
It is recommended that Land developers create a Housing Development, with
|
||
|
its rules enforced by deed restrictions, private covenants with neighbors,
|
||
|
or other private means, to manage the infrastructure of an area. Housing
|
||
|
Developments may enact zoning laws, building codes, clothing standards, and
|
||
|
other regulations. It may charge fees for police, fire, election,
|
||
|
sanitation, and other services. It may provide infrastructure such as water
|
||
|
(including treatment and fluoridation), drainage, sewers, gas lines,
|
||
|
communications, power, television, graffiti control, animal control,
|
||
|
disaster insurance, roads, and railroad lines. It may provide community
|
||
|
facilities such as swimming pools, golf courses, hockey rinks, gymnasiums,
|
||
|
baseball fields, football fields, and basketball courts.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Any services not provided by the Housing Development nor prohibited by it
|
||
|
will be the responsibility of any individuals who want the service.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Residents moving into Land that is part of a Housing Development, and Land
|
||
|
buyers buying pieces of such Land, Must be shown the deed restrictions and
|
||
|
regulations of the Housing Development before they make their buying
|
||
|
decision. Failure of the seller to disclose such regulations is Fraud.
|
||
|
|
||
|
While all of the above is a matter of Contract and mutual consent, the
|
||
|
reason that a Housing Development is considered part of the Government is
|
||
|
that Children born into the Housing Development are subject to its
|
||
|
regulations without their consent. When such Children become Adults, they
|
||
|
are still subject to the regulations of their Housing Development (but are,
|
||
|
of course, free to move).
|
||
|
|
||
|
If a Housing Development grows beyond 5,000 Persons, it Must be divided
|
||
|
into smaller ones within one year. We are concerned that a Person in a
|
||
|
larger Housing Development would have too little influence on eir
|
||
|
Government. Nothing prevents two or more Housing Developments from sharing
|
||
|
their laws, their resources, and otherwise behaving as one. The restriction
|
||
|
simply ensures that it would not take so many Persons to secede from such
|
||
|
an arrangement that it would be a virtual impossibility. It is also
|
||
|
strongly recommended that Contracts for the services above not last for
|
||
|
more than ten years so that the residents will have more control over their
|
||
|
infrastructure.
|
||
|
|
||
|
In a situation that effects more than one Housing Development, such as
|
||
|
moving the created land that more than one Housing Development is on, all
|
||
|
the Housing Developments must agree with the decision or no action may be
|
||
|
taken. There is no eminent domain in Oceania.
|
||
|
|
||
|
|
||
|
ARTICLE EIGHT
|
||
|
Secession, Addition, Reorganization
|
||
|
|
||
|
|
||
|
A County or local Government may secede from Oceania upon a 75% or greater
|
||
|
vote in favor of secession.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Secession means either breaking away from a County Government, or a local
|
||
|
Government, or the national Government, or any combination of these three
|
||
|
levels of Government. Parts of Oceania that secede from the national
|
||
|
Government would have to physically break away from Oceania and move
|
||
|
outside of its twelve mile territorial limit. The secessionists would have
|
||
|
to pay for the cost of doing this.
|
||
|
|
||
|
A majority vote would be needed to add Land to Oceania. This is the
|
||
|
necessary vote percentage needed by both the population joining Oceania and
|
||
|
by a general vote conducted in Oceania. Creating Land within the twelve-
|
||
|
mile territorial limit given by current international law does not require
|
||
|
a vote.
|
||
|
|
||
|
A County or local Government may be reorganized into two or more
|
||
|
territories upon a 75% or greater vote. If more than one County or local
|
||
|
Government is involved in the reorganization because the new territory
|
||
|
would span the borders of more than one County or local area, then a vote
|
||
|
would have to be taken in all the relevant counties and/or local areas.
|
||
|
Each County and/or local area would need a 75% or greater vote.
|
||
|
|
||
|
|
||
|
ARTICLE NINE
|
||
|
Ratification and Amendment
|
||
|
|
||
|
|
||
|
This Constitution may only be ratified by unanimous consent of the original
|
||
|
Land Owners of Oceania.
|
||
|
|
||
|
It may be changed by a 80% vote of all Voters except where otherwise noted
|
||
|
in the Constitution.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Such amendments shall be added to the end of the Constitution although
|
||
|
footnotes may be added to printed copies of the Constitution for easier
|
||
|
reference of these amendments.
|
||
|
|
||
|
|
||
|
ARTICLE TEN
|
||
|
Suggestions
|
||
|
|
||
|
|
||
|
The following suggestions have no Force of law:
|
||
|
|
||
|
A.Adding Land to Oceania: It is suggested that when Land is added to
|
||
|
Oceania, a 10% donation of its appraised value be made to the Department
|
||
|
of War. This will help the Government defend that Land.
|
||
|
|
||
|
B.Drug Testing: It is suggested that instead of testing someone for drugs,
|
||
|
a Person should be tested via a physical or mental task to see if ey is
|
||
|
capable of performing eir job.
|
||
|
|
||
|
C.Endangered Species: The best way to protect endangered species is to
|
||
|
have private groups buy the Land where the endangered species live.
|
||
|
|
||
|
D.Animal Plaintiff: Since the state is unable to be the Plaintiff except
|
||
|
in cases of Treason, it is suggested that animal Right's groups be the
|
||
|
Plaintiffs in animal Rights' cases.
|
||
|
|
||
|
E.Armed Forces: It is suggested that the armed forces challenge each other
|
||
|
in games of skill. There should be armed forces football teams, boxing
|
||
|
teams, and chess teams. They should be given a chance to prove
|
||
|
themselves on areas besides the battlefield and to become financially
|
||
|
self-sufficient.
|
||
|
|
||
|
F.Fire and Police Departments: It is suggested that fire and police
|
||
|
departments be combined to save money and personnel.
|
||
|
|
||
|
G.National Language: It is suggested that all Government documents be in
|
||
|
one language and that this language be English. This will reduce the
|
||
|
cost of running the Government. Private groups could, of course,
|
||
|
reproduce Government documents in other languages as the market demands.
|
||
|
|