Calexit President Marcus Ruiz Evans defined self-determination as “more sovereignty, gaining control of some range of issues a host government has taken control of over the people.”
Secession advocates from eight U.S. state movements spoke; Alaska, California, Florida, Hawaii, Louisiana, New Hampshire, Texas, and Vermont. Additionally, representatives of the multi-state movements New England Autonomy and Red State Secession were presented.
Summit speakers from independence groups outside the U.S. presented the case for Western Cape secession from South Africa, Biafra from Nigeria, Western Togoland from Ghana, and the Mthwakazi from Zimbabwe.
The number of groups represented shows seeking peaceful secession from central governments is an ongoing interest and trend both in America and worldwide as the number of independent countries continues to expand. The Summit was held in person at the CMAC TV studio in Fresno, California, and over Zoom, streamed live and recorded. The streamed raw video may be viewed here and will be later released in a produced format.
The Summit opened with Calexit explaining its purpose and describing how the UN, existing governments, and the media squelch independence considerations. The Summit provides a needed place to speak.
Professor Matt Qvortrup, author of “I Want To Break Free” and expert on the process of forming new countries, quoted, “First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then you win.” He said independence movements need a cultural thing to rally around. Dr. Qvortrup pointed out that following current law and agreement of the established government to hold a referendum is needed for most successful secessions, saying, “Breaking up is hard to do.”
Professor Ryan Griffiths, author of Secession and the Sovereignty Game, described how forming a new independent state generally requires approval of the “Sovereignty Club”, the existing sovereign nations in the UN. Dr. Griffiths explained the evaluation criteria strongly favor the wishes of the “Home State” being seceded from, making agreement from the Home State usually required to obtain valuable Club membership and acceptance by the international community.
Chairman of the Alaskan Independence Party, John Wayne Howe, reviewed how Alaskans formerly lived as free people in families and small tribes. When a chief wasn’t liked, one simply moved a few miles. John described how the U.S. changed Alaska into fiefdoms getting their power from the federal government rather than the people, then improperly converted it to a union state. John said the number one party plank is “independence for all individual Alaskans through any peaceful and lawful means.”
Ada Onowu spoke of the need for Biafra to separate from Nigeria, reporting their problems were created by the British combining three separate nations unrelated in culture or religion. The three were living apart peacefully before being declared one country. She said Biafra’s oil deposits—larger than Saudi Arabia’s—is the reason for oppressive control of the 73M now living as conquered people. Ada said, "We are seeking a peaceful exit from Nigeria. We are not declaring war, but if Nigeria chooses to fight us again, we shall defend ourselves.”
Calexit President Marcus Ruiz Evans said, “This is the best time to Calexit ever!” He reported that 32% of Californians want to leave following the election of Trump, saying, “Everybody here is scared and under threat, and they feel their rights are going to be taken away.” He reported that Calexit's interest exploded from Trump’s response to the Palisades fire. Marcus asked, “How many more times do you need to be terrified about what’s going to happen in the future as the result of an election before you recognize the system is no longer stable?”
Leader of the Cape Independence Party, Jack Miller, argued for Western Cape's secession from South Africa, pointing out that the Cape has never voted for the ruling ANC party in its 30 years. He said the Cape loses 75% of its taxes to the national government, and 68% of the Western Cape wants a referendum for independence. Jack reported extended torture killings of the Boer, the white Afrikaans farmers, suffering a murder rate 4X that of the Iraqi war zone while politicians of the racist and fascist ANC government are saying, “Kill the Boer!”
Keith Bessette of FLexit, who supports Florida secession, said U.S. states have the lawful and moral authority to leave on their own accord. Keith believes those opposed to secession today would have been on the side of King George in 1776 because it’s the same question and has the same answer. He said world history indicates all empires eventually collapse, and getting out earlier is better than waiting until the end. Keith said, “A forced union is a political absurdity” and “The key to liberty is decentralization.”
Spokesman of Hawaiian Sovereignty Poka Laenui J.D. summarized how the U.S. invaded and colonized the formerly independent nation. He said President Cleveland confessed in Congress that the U.S. committed an international crime by taking over. Mandated schools taught Hawaiians in English, telling children their heroes were now America’s. Poka said the U.S. committed the same kind of crime there as he saw it doing as a soldier in Vietnam. Poka calls for the return of Hawai’i as an independent peace nation.
The leader of Free Louisiana, Larkin Jackson, discussed why Louisiana must take its place as a sovereign nation, explaining how the Deep State cripples industry and wastes its tax money. He said the project has gathered supporters all across the state and they are calling for negotiations to exit the United States. Larkin said, “We have to reject this idea that centralized power is the answer” and “the momentum is real and can’t be stopped.”
President Ethan Glass of the New England Autonomy Movement discussed how they seek to strengthen state ties with interstate compacts, move to a regional tax system, pull away from reliance on the federal government, and prepare New England states should they choose independence.
Stephen Villee of New Hampshire Independence called for a settlement to secede and negotiate with the federal government. Stephen is an early mover in the Free State Project, a concentration of libertarians creating a better state government. He is the founder of Club 75 Alliance, encouraging those who wish to escape income taxes to move to NH and secede. He avoids talking about tyranny, saying this isn’t the best way to win over most people. Stephen wants an agreement to separate because “I don’t want to make an enemy of Washington D.C.”
Nicholas Boss with Red-State Secession advocated for peaceful political partition of the U.S. into red and blue countries, citing irreconcilable differences between the left and right wings. He said a house divided cannot stand and wants to separate peacefully so we all can live the way we want to.
Leader of the Texas Nationalist Movement and author of TEXIT, Daniel Miller, discussed how every independence movement contributes to all and why each needs to stand in support of the others. He said that supporting self-determination is not seeking conflict and division; it’s about the right of the people to choose their own government and recognizing that different people need different solutions. Daniel described why and how Texas should leave the union and said, “The will of the people to govern themselves cannot be forever denied.”
Edwin Dika from Western Togoland reported terrible oppression of his people forcefully combined with Ghana, arguing for independence. Edwin described how the French and English attacked formerly independent Togoland, and each grabbed half, then the western half was combined with the Gold Coast colony, creating Ghana. He reported the Ghana government responds to those demanding independence with arbitrary arrests, torture, imprisonment, and killing. Edwin said, “The people are highly educated and willing to govern themselves.”
Emily Peyton from Vermont discussed starting the Alliance Foundation to structure ourselves economically, repair the planet from so many affronts to nature, and live in peace. She said there is a great awakening of people that don’t want to belong to wrongdoing, that “we are all controlled by those who control our money”, and “it is more important to be free … than it is to belong.”
Additional speakers reported on the Mthwakazi seeking independence from Zimbabwe and the plight of the Batwa in Uganda.
Following the Summit talks, Calexit hosted a dinner party where attendees networked, discussed secession, and got to know one another. While their values and specific reasons for seeking independence from the central government range enormously, all agreed that the people have the right to determine their own form of government, and decentralization allows everyone to live apart as peaceful trading partners and friends.
