Annexation and the Constitution
I would like to respond to the March 22 article concerning forced annexation. It is no surprise that city and state politicians and officials defend force as a method of annexations considering city mayors and councilmen and officials receive salaries based upon population, and the League of Municipalities receives its funds from the cities based upon population as well. The league in turn uses tax dollars to support its politicians in Raleigh and fight average citizens who try to defend their property rights.For the mayor and city manager to defend brute force for annexations is juvenile. Slavery, the Jacksonian Indian Removal Act and segregation were once legal in this state as well, and legalization did not make these things right. To claim adherence to the spirit and letter of our nation’s Constitution and to espouse democracy while denying anyone the right to vote is hypocritical and ultimately disastrous for everyone. If you favor forced annexations, please remember that these archaic and oppressive laws give local and state government the power that could be used against you as well.This is taxation without representation. Read the state Constitution.
Sec. 12. Right of assembly and petition:
“The people have a right to assemble together to consult for their common good, to instruct their representatives, and to apply to the General Assembly for redress of grievances; but secret political societies are dangerous to the liberties of a free people and shall not be tolerated.” The NCLM is a 100 percent tax-funded lobbying organization that is a “secret society” that controls our state legislators.Sec. 8. Representation and taxation:
“The people of this State shall not be taxed or made subject to the payment of any impost or duty without the consent of themselves or their representatives in the General Assembly, freely given.” Our consent is not freely given; our property and our money are taken by force. Is this what North Carolina stands for? Other states stand for more. I suppose everyone has to ask themselves what they stand for ó and will stand still for ó in this debate. ó Keith Bost
Sapona