San Jose, Calif. (June 9, 2016) – On Wednesday, the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors unanimously passed a surveillance technology ordinance that sets the stage to limit the acquisition and use of spy gear by law enforcement and other county agencies. It also highlights a strategy that can be used to take on federal surveillance…
LOS ANGELES (May 30, 2016) – Dedicated activists in Los Angeles forced the end to federal militarization of law enforcement on a hyper-local level, demonstrating the power of a bottom up approach when confronting federal power. After 18 months of pressure and activism, the Labor/Community Strategy Center reached an agreement with the Los Angeles Unified…
In a recent video, we reported that the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Glendale Police Department in Arizona made an agreement to help enforce unconstitutional federal gun control laws. In response, many shocked viewers wanted to learn who was responsible for this arrangement. The memorandum of understanding (MOA) between the ATF…
While the federal government always views its threats to cut off the flow of stolen money to the states as a kind of untrumpable trump card, a Colorado town has created a template for how to handle the federal government’s attempts at bribery and extortion. Castle Rock, a community of 55,000 people in central Colorado,…
While many state legislators have been reluctant to pull their states out of the Common Core educational standards, a growing number of New Yorkers are taking matters into their own hands. Parents and students, with support from some teachers, are opting out of testing in growing numbers. An Apr. 4 New York Post report covered this tend.…
PITTSBURGH, Pa. (Dec. 28, 2015) – Last Monday, the Pittsburgh city council voted to decriminalize marijuana within the city limits, a big step to effectively nullifying both state and federal law. According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, under the new ordinance, city police will no longer arrest people caught in possession of up to 30 grams…
BURLINGTON, Vt. – The Burlington police department unilaterally decided to sever ties with a U.S. Department of Defense program that allows law enforcement agencies to procure surplus military equipment, freeing the department from one significant form of federal influence and control. A Burlington TV station reported on the move, saying the department had obtained two…
The individuals in this small Idaho community didn't just rant and rave about the evils of federal oppression; they banded together and did something about it.
In “Under Those Sermon Subpoenas: ‘Disappeared’ Ballot Initiatives”, I explained that subpoenas issued to a number of Houston pastors in mid-October were part of a larger story with parallels to events here in Nebraska. The targeted pastors were part of a coalition of churches, pro-family Christian organizations, and groups which undertook a petition drive to […]
RENO, Nev. – Last week, the Reno city council voted to lift a moratorium on medical marijuana dispensaries, effectively nullifying the blanket federal prohibition on cannabis. Nevada recognized medical marijuana as a legal means of treatment in November 2000. Last year, a bill was signed into law to authorize up to 66 more medical marijuana…