Date: Thu, 10 Nov 94 01:02 EST
From: "Charles E. Petras" <[email protected]>
To: Financial Opportunities <[email protected]>


I just finished a book, I'll say that it was interesting, for lack of a
better word, in that it tought me how to form a country.  But, any way, its
called:

 Passport to Freedom - A Guide for World Citizens
 By Garry Davis, Pub. 1992 (ISBN 0-929765-07-9)

The back cover says in part

"In 1948, former Broadway actor and WWII B-17 bomber pilot Garry Davis
renounced his U.S. nationality as a personal action for world peace and
declared himself a World Citizen. ..."

What he has done is establish an organization, the World Service Authority,
and he sells World Passports, which are accepted by a number of countries on
a case by case basis.  His claim is that the sovereign status we have as
humans transends obsolete nation-state concept.

As his foundation in (international) law, he has been using the UN's
Declaration of Human Rights, apparently rather successfully in his travels.
As have several hundred thousand others, at least, according to his book.
Personally, I have quite a few problems with the UN's DHR, but its a very
interesting application of same.  Even some applications of same in
conjunction with the 9th Amendment.

He goes into the history of 'papers please!', which in itself is
interesting, becoming prevelant for private citizens around the time of our
Civil War [as an aside, the first marrage licenses were issued in Cook
County, Illinois, in 1868].

He is a proponent of a "new world order", but he says his is different, in
that it is founded by sovereign citizens of the world, as opposed to one
based on the military might of the ruling elite.

In any event, he says that any human can get one of these passports, plus a
number of other world documents, no strings attached.  Its an interesting
book, very thought provoking, but there is much to disagree with.

Davis says that the WSA World Citizen Passport is a good thing to have,
either as a primary travel document, or a backup, when you need to scram and
the authorities have your other papers.

Another quote:

  "Renouncing my citizenship was extremely frightening, I was cutting
myself out of the entire nation-state system. ...
  The next day I went to the Prefecture de Police to explain my new and
unique situation.  A kind looking woman behind a large desk gave me an
inquiring stare.
  'I renounced my U.S. nationality yesterday,' I said.  'Now I am
stateless.  I don't want to break French Laws.  What should I do?'  As I
spoke, her eyes grew wide.  After a pause, she bombarded me with questions:
Why did I do it? Who was I really? How could she be sure I was Gerry Davis?
After all, anyone could walk in and say that.  Where was the paper that
proved my identity?
  'I have no papers,' I managed, 'that's just the point.  I think being a
human being is more important than having papers.  And since I'm here in
France as a stranger, I'd like to know what I must do according to French
law.'
  'According to French law,' she replyed dispairingly, 'you do not exist.'"

For more information:

World Service Authority
1012 14th Street NW
Washington, DC  20005
TEL: 202.638.2662 FAX: 202.638.0638

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