to think the 'common law/freeman on the land' thing is a whole load of bollocks?

[qwertypop]

I've come across a few people over the last few years that take it very seriously and bang on at length about how the police and courts have no authority over them as they are self declared 'freemen'. Something to do with common law being the only true law in Britain, I think? And not having to wear bike helmets or pay for TV licenses or repay your debts also seem important to the ones I've had the dubious pleasure of meeting.

A couple I met at the weekend have taken the biscuit though and not registered their baby's birth because apparently this will mean said baby grows up to be a 'freeman' (she's actually a girl but the term appears to be freeman anyway). They believe quite firmly that to register her birth will mean that the law assumes her and her name (which is a fucking corker, of course) are one and the same and that only by NOT registering her birth can she be free to be a human being. Quite what this actually means is a mystery to me and tbh the mumbo jumbo they gave me by way of an answer leads me to suspect they don't really know either

I've tried to read up on it but all the info I can find is written in a style you'd expect of an paranoid, delusional, and possibly hallucinating chimpanzee let loose with a legal dictionary.

So AIBU to think this is bollocky woo of the most fucking ridiculous type? Or is someone going to come along and actually enlighten me as to wtf its all about, preferably in plain English with no pseudo-legalese?

I remember reading a question on a Freemen of the Land forum - I'm afraid I don't remember which one but it was memorable

The poster wanted to know how he could reject paying tax via his salary, avoid council tax, utilities etc. but still claim child benefi...

haha Rusty, that reminds me of the great Young Ones episode when Rik thinks someone has stolen his purse and wants Vyvyane to call the police ' But I thought all property was theft?' 'Never mind that now!'

i think Cliff in the comments makes a salient point
'they are very self-important and condescending, and will frequently upload videos of them being beaten, arrested, or held in contempt and claiming they are evidence of winning against their conspiratorial foes.?'

wtaylor - many thanks for posting and thus bringing this fascinating thread to my attention.

You do realise you can be sent to prison for failure to pay council tax, yes?

hahah Irene, so naive, its all clear to me now. The only 'law' purporting to make you pay council tax is the Local Government Act 1992 (or something). But as this is a statute, it is the law of the High Priest of Baal and doesn't bind me as a freeman, I only obey common law you see. As I don't consent to being bound by statute/maritime law I shall simply cry 'man overboard' and win obvious victory over the numerous policemen who will gently escort me from the court.

This freeman stuff is ace and I am definitely going to try it with my gas bill, which is alarming. I certainly don't consent to pay any of that.

Oh Spero, thank you so much for that video!

Harsh but fair, I thought

I am a bad person. I started to laugh and then I thought no! police brutality!

So maybe I am just half a bad person.

The interesting thing is that in so many cases a freeman is not free, who is really???

There's a whole section on FOTL on the David Icke website.

Definitely legit

Thanks Spero, I get it now

Actually I have just been offered the chance to become a Freeman of the City of London. I was going to turn it down as it costs £30 and they told me all you get for it is a nice scroll and the right to drive sheep over London Bridge on Sundays. But if in fact it saves me from having to pay any taxes for the rest of my life then it's a bit of a bargain.

Clearly, I am a very bad person Spero - I laughed like a drain!

You would have to have a heart of stone NOT to laugh at his scream when he goes down.

Harking back to the kind of personality that might be drawn to declaring themselves a Freeman, I can't help but be reminded of Radovan Karadzic and Saddam Hussein furiously denying the authority of the courts that were trying them....to no avail, obviously.

In my head I keep making a link between the idea that all law is naval law (ahoy me hearties!) and the Scientologist Sea Org - another perturbing ideology...

FOTL is Pound Shop $cientology...

I was doing so well, now I have to go back on the chamomile tea.

It is people who want to prove how clever they are that fall for this claptrap. The ultimate source of 'a man in the pub' and 'according to the internet' proves all powerful to those who want to feel superior to the masses.

btw King John of the Magna Carta was actually a vassal of the Pope at one point, he was a bit of an epic fail when it came to being a king, but a lot of significant legal reforms owe their existence to him. In pursuit of money he really overhauled the admin. Interestingly enough, a lot of places were founded during his reign as he charged for the privilege of calling a place a city, but if anyone could raise the funds they could do what they liked. He founded Hull and Liverpool and Leeds dates back to his reign. So much for the Magna Carta, mainly concerned with stuff like the marriage of widows and the protection of the rights of the barons.

For those interested, the link to the Magna Carta articles on the British Library website is here and the English translation is here Apparently we can't be forced to build bridges over rivers (unless there is a customary requirement). I'm quite relieved.

Mind you, I expect that to certain freeman clause 54 would be an important statement that set a good precedent No one shall be arrested or imprisoned on the appeal of a woman for the death of any person except her husband or, woman - know your place!

Oh I howled with laughter the first time I saw the taser video. And the second time. And possibly some more after that I'm clearly a horrible person!

A short report of another Freeman success

Go on the international skeptics forum, conspiracy theories board, and fine their freeman stuff - provides hours of fun! Videos (UK freeman argues with traffic police until they smash his car window, then he drives off and is persued in a blue light chase, and is finally arrested in dramatic style offscreen), and a goldmine of fabulous quotes.

When you combine fundie christianity with freeman philosophy, you get:

Documents his supporters distributed say they consider the birth certificate is a "mark of the beast," for "joining a pagan surname...to the God-given Christian name.

This is comedy gold. My favourite freeman idea yet:

How can they deny me a defence which was provided for in an 800 year old Treaty? Many wrongly assume that MC1215 is a statute. It is not. It was written 50 years before we even had a parliament. For those that argue that it was not a Treaty between the King and the People, rather it was a Treaty between the King and the Barons, fair enough. For that reason I have revoked my allegiance to the monarch and sworn it instead to the Barons Committee

Cannotstoplaughing

It's usually middle aged men that believe this kind of bollocks (and I speak as a middle aged man myself). It's like conspiracy theories, I think that some men start to feel powerless as they get older, and investing in this kind of nonsense makes them feel special; not like the 'sheeple' (ie the rest of us), who are not privy to, or clever enough to understand, their new found knowledge.

I know someone who spouts this old FOTL guff.

He is a complete bellend who has had no problems claiming benefits. He refuses to take care of his child financially too. Children apparently can live on fresh air alone....

He has left that responsibility up to the mother only to berate her for registering her child's birth as he is now part of the 'system'.

Quite how he can claim to be otherwise himself is quite beyond me. He even went to live on a squatting commune and claimed top up benefits as a blacksmith.

Utter knob end.

He also loves to rave about illuminati, Denver Airport, Palestine, etc- you get the drift.

Very predictable sheep these conspiracy theorists.

Just don't fuck with eel traps on the River Ely LisaMed. You have been warned.....

Yup its a nonsense and it's also illegal not to register a birth.

It'd probably be the best thing for the child if you had a quiet word with the mother.

any questions at all email me. i may take some time to reply due to work & other commitments