to be slightly terrified by people who think the Magna Carta is still sovereign and that the government is operating under maritime law?

[CutsOffCorners]

And that birth certificates are invalid and steal your identity as a free human

I keep being recommended a FB group that 3 of my possibly soon to be ex "friends" (people I went to school with and my ex partners sister) have joined and it's a whole new sort of batshittery

I just don't understand why anyone believes this? They're all on about not registering babies and swearing oaths to barons and standing under common law and it's just SO MUCH BOLLOCKS that I'm genuinely baffled as to why thousands of people are taking it seriously. It's quite scary seeing how taken in they all are.

Why do weirdos always torment capital letters so... It’s Every other Word.

Freemen on the land are generally quite out there. One told me I wouldn't have to pay council tax if I wrote and told the council that I was no longer ms furrycatsagain but lady furrycatsagain. I have not tried this.
Also that no Freeman should pay for water. It did not go down well when I pointed out that free water was easily available in the canal/falling from the sky into a strategically placed bucket.

@ItsGoingTibiaK

One of the more prominent ones claimed a couple of months ago he had been to ‘common law court’ and secured an arrest warrant for Matt Hancock that would be served a few days later. Still waiting...

Ah, but that did happen. He's been replaced with a looky likey. Or he's been fitted with an ankle bracelet that gives him an electric shock whenever he tries to tell the truth. Hmmm, could actually be some truth to that one, would explain a lot!

@ReallySpicyCurry2

Oh I think this is what a friend of mine was going on about. Don't you have to send Boris Johnson a letter saying you own yourself or something? I didn't think I was a stupid person, but the whole thing confused me when she tried to explain.

I don't really care if the state want to own me, as long as they understand that I'm for life, not just for Christmas. I may be cute now, but as I get older I've a range of complex needs and they've got to accept that responsibility

This made me chuckle - thanks! 😆

Not terrifying. Just a depressing level of stupid and gullible.

@ItsGoingTibiaK

One of the more prominent ones claimed a couple of months ago he had been to ‘common law court’ and secured an arrest warrant for Matt Hancock that would be served a few days later. Still waiting...

Maybe that's the real reason he's self isolating.

Is this related to the sovereign citizen stuff that is a thing in the US?
There is definitely a weird conjunction of lentil weaving and right wing ideas going about, more so in the States, it's unsettling.

I think these people are batshit but they don't terrify me. If we were in America and had guns then I would be scared.

I do worry for their children though, if they are brought up with this level of batshittery then it is bound to damage them. If they homeschool then they don't have any access to alternative points of view.

I also worry that the anti-vax type conspiracies are becoming more common here. I've read some terrifying stories about freebirthers where the babies die or where they refuse to get medical attention for their kids when needed.

Wow I need to read about this later. I love shit like this (not to follow, but just fascinating by how bonkers some people are).

Michael O'Bernicia on Facebook is one of the most batshit. Apparently BoJo is getting arrested according to him.

Fucking hell. It does make it feel like the end times / collapse of civilisation.

But I guess really the internet means the nutters can flock same as any other group.

So on balance still not as scary as our current government 😬

He's been replaced with a looky likey. Or he's been fitted with an ankle bracelet that gives him an electric shock whenever he tries to tell the truth.

Aye, him and Paul McCartney.

"Someone's knocking on the door ..."

Well I certainly fell down a hole then.

This thread is resurrected by crazy people from time to time.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/2095211-to-think-the-common-law-freeman-on-the-land-thing-is-a-whole-load-of-bollocks

My late partner was in insurance and had to deal with these people. That thread was a brilliant resource.

There used to be billboards all over liverpool with freemen of the land stuff.

There was a baby thats life support that was switched off, his dad got involved with the freemen of the land and tried to pull that on the drs and courts that laws didnt apply to him and his family because they were freemen of the land.

@MrsPinkCock

www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-leeds-55057700

Quoting the magna carta didn’t work so well for her...

Scary thing is her and a bunch of others are planning on mass openings on the 30th of this month!!!

Also she crowd funded and last time I heard it was nearly 10k!

Who are Qanon though? Is it like the eyes wide shut Facebook group?

It's not new though is it? I remember my DDad laughing at the whole Freeman idealists thing with me, and he has been dead 20 years now.

What's new is that this time they seem bolder.

Sounds like my BIL 🤦‍♀️

They seem to be charging £4.50 for a few inconsequential print outs. Nice profit for them. Not to mention all the personal details ready for selling on.

I used to work in police custody and courts and other legal positions generally

It came up all the time. Like at least every other day in a vague reference but sometimes people would stake their whole defence in it. Arrive in police custody and expect to have a "Aha Gotcha!" Moment and leave without charges.

It never worked

It comes up frequently on Facebook selling sites. Post anything about parking fines, speeding tickets or TV licenses as it draws them out!

I’ve only read the first bit of website a PP linked. The bit where so long as you don’t harm others, you’re all good.
B...bu...but not paying for services does harm others. If we don’t pay Council tax, then the council cuts services (eg to adults with disabilities) which is harmful to them...not paying taxes absolutely does harm others, which means it’s “not allowed” by there own FOFL ideas.

They must be as thick as mince, that uttering a few magic words gets them out of all debts, civic responsibilities and obligations. It's like the bit like they're in Peter Pan and the children say 'i do believe in faires' enough times something magical wil happen. Their bullshit gets disproved in court time and time again, yet they still think the the world will bend to their whims with a few nonsense phrases.

The worrying thing is that while they may appear to be harmless loonies, a lot of vulnerable and/or desperate people get caught up in it.