Here is a Sample of
an initiative for civil and spiritual rights guaranteed by the Constitution of
the United States of the Americas that might be started in your own community
by finding the Section and Code of whatever city and/or county ordinance that you
as a citizen feel is at odds with these guaranteed liberties and inserting the
relevant information by cutting and pasting your own local Codes into this
Initiative.
The Spiritual Right to Camp Initiative
Addition
to Existing language of Code Section 6.36.020:
Santa
Cruz Municipal Code
CAMPING
PERMITTED
If,
in order to practice your religion, you live outdoors or in a vehicle, you are
a
Spiritual
Camper, with constitutionally guaranteed, inalienable, God-given rights
which
take precedence over lower municipal state and federal laws. One need not
belong to a particular church recognized by the state or federal courts, nor to
a particular religion or organization, to qualify as a Spiritual Camper.
Article 3, Amendment I, of the U.S Constitution
states
that there shall be no laws made which prohibit the free exercise of religion.
Also,
the Constitution guarantees the right of the people to peaceable assembly,
which spiritual camping also is, and the right of the people to petition the
government for a redress of grievances. Article 6, Amendment IV of the
Constitution guarantees the right of the people to be secure in their persons,
houses, papers, and effects against unreasonable searches and seizures, which
means that police may not seize the property of or destroy the camps of,
spiritual campers.
Those
campers who are living outdoors as an expression of their religious and/or
ethical convictions, following such Masters as Abraham, Jesus, John the
Baptist, Buddha, Mohammed, Merlin, Krishna, and other more contemporary
spiritual, ethical, environmental teachers of conscience and ethics who
advocate simple living in a tent or vehicle or simply the voice of their own
conscience, in order to practice self-actualization or happiness as a lifestyle
rather than the pursuit thereof, shall be immune from and nor subject to
municipal, state, or federal laws banning camping, as such laws are a violation
of said Constitutional and God-Given rights. Continued violation of these
rights by police and law enforcement, merchants and house dwellers, will be
subject to redress of grievances for violation of religious/ethical rights to
freedom and peaceable assembly and to be secure in one’s person. Also, fines
against spiritual campers practicing voluntary poverty (as in a sadhu),
constitutes cruel and unusual punishment under the constitutional definition
and shall not be practiced therefore and shall be redressed immediately and in
perpetuity.
Spiritual
campers in vehicles and tents or in any other circumstance of shelter shall
respect city noise, vandalism, trash ordinances, and must ensure no fire danger
entails from cooking
at
a camp. Said campers shall be assisted in their efforts to find suitable spots
to practice their religion.
THEREFORE
THE FOLLOWING CAMPING IS PERMITTED:
Those
persons who camp in the city of Santa Cruz, CA, whether on public or private
property, who are spiritual campers exercising their constitutionally
guaranteed freedom of religion, peaceable assembly, and pursuit of happiness,
the goal of spiritual practice, shall be permitted:
a)
to
sleep at any time in any of the following places:
1)
outdoors
with or without bedding, tent, hammock, or other similar protection or
equipment.
2)
In,
on, or under protection from the weather
3)
In,
on, or under any parked vehicle, including an automobile, bus, truck, camper,
trailer, or recreational vehicle.
b)
Setting
up Bedding- 11 p.m. to 8:30 am, to establish or maintain outdoors or in, on, or
under any structure not intended for human occupancy, at any time between the
hours of 11 p.m. to 8:30 am,, a temporary or permanent place for sleeping, by
setting up any bedding, sleeping bag, blanket, mattress, tent, hammock, or
other sleeping equipment in such a manner as to be immediately usable for
sleeping purposes.
c)
Setting
up Campsite-anytime: To establish or maintain outdoors or in, on, or under any
structure not intended for human occupancy, at any time during the day or
night, a temporary or permanent place for cooking or sleeping, by setting up
bedding, sleeping bag, blanket, mattress, tent, hammock, or other sleeping
equipment or by setting up any cooking equipment, with the intent to remain in
that location overnight.
Violation by authorities, house dwellers,
and merchants of the rights of spiritual campers shall be subject to a fine.
Those persons who can prove their religious/spiritual/ethical constitutional
rights have been violated since enactment of illegal camping ban laws by the
city shall be able to file suit for restitution of damages from said
authorities, merchants, and house dwellers.
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