Great.
Long live the Palm Republic baby.
We have two very distinguished
guests here that are going to say
something real quick to us.
Jimmy, do you want to introduce me?
Absolutely. I mean it's my pleasure to
introduce the most famous legislator
for District 112 Mr Joe Bustos.
He forgot to mention
I'm the only legislator
for District one, period.
That's true. And the word that that's true.
I just want to say that
I'm I'm glad to be here.
And it's it's great to see that people
still have a good sense of humor.
They can have fun.
They can take things seriously
but still have fun.
And I can tell you in Columbia when I
tell them that I represent Isle of Palms,
Sullivan's Island,
and about half of Mount Pleasant.
I always follow up with saying.
And how hard can that be?
So it's my pleasure to be here
with you tonight and I I look
forward to the evening's events.
There you go.
Thank you, Joe. One of my most favorite
mayors of the low country is the one
the only John check linberg. Let's
have a big hand.
So maybe I have to wait for just a moment
until the signing is done because I've
come to present my credentials as the
ambassador from the state of Charleston.
You're in the foreign policy now, right?
So I do want to share with you two things
and this is just a personal thing for me,
but under the circumstances
I thought I would share it.
I am the 10th Generation direct descendant
of Phillip Livingston who was a signer
of the Declaration of Independence.
People say Yankee,
though I'm so sorry about that I got.
I got a little Yankee blood in me, but.
Now wasn't around in the
state legislature, y'all.
But in seven 1974 the state
legislature passed something
called the home Rule at
Home Rule Act. So Joe, remind all your
colleagues in Columbia when you go
back up there next year about the
Home Rule Act. I think they forgot
all about it. Thank you John. Mr Blair
Ohan would you take over please Sir?
All that covers the oceans
where one fathom or less.
Thank you both and I appreciate that.
Like that?
Remember.
Fried pickle barrel.
I love that some folks have
asked why are we doing this
today and I thought we would
share something with you real
quick about that.
It is. It is Friday the 13th.
Friday the 13th and the reason we
have picked today is because it's
all about the history of tyranny.
We are not the first people to
suffer at the hands of tyrants,
but if we stand together
against abuses of power,
maybe we will be the last here
for the Republic.
On Friday the 13th.
In 1307 the King of France,
along with the Pope of the Catholic Church,
arrested and subsequently killed all of
the Knights Templars throughout Europe.
The reasons why these tyrants
unjustly attacked and extinguished
this order of noble Knights is
the subject of much speculation.
Lies were created by the king
and the Pope about the Templars.
Actions in an attempt to hide the
simple truth that the Templar success
challenged these medieval politicians.
The success of the Isle of Palms challenges
the power of our state politicians.
They demand that we bend to their
will and forsake our constitutionally
guaranteed right of home rule.
They illegally removed our emergency
lane to demonstrate their power and pass
statutes that violate our Constitution.
They perpetrated lies about our
actions to justify their sanctions.
Yes, history will repeat itself until the
people rise up against tyranny and shine.
Light on the abuse of power
by those that rule.
Car fever car and fever.
We will remember the day that
tyrants killed the Knights Templar
with our own day of independence
from the tyranny of the rulers
of the state of South Carolina.
That turned their backs on our
Constitution and the rule of law
for their own selfish motives
of retaining their power over
the peoples of South Carolina.
So that that's why we're here today,
guys, we're now going to read
the Declaration of Independence.
Jimmy, if you'll hold the mic for me.
All right? The Declaration of
Independence of the Palm Republic.
The unanimous declaration of the undersigned,
as leaders, visionaries,
and rapscallions of the Isle of Palms.
South Carolina, within these United States.
When, in the course of human events
it becomes necessary for one people
to dissolve the political bonds which
have connected them with another.
And to assume among the powers of the Earth
and seas is separate and equal station to
which the laws of nature entitle them.
A decent respect for the opinions of
mankind requires that we shall declare
the causes which impel us to separation.
We hold these truths to be self evident.
That all persons are created equal
that they are endowed by their creator
with certain unalienable rights,
that among these are life,
liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
To secure these rights,
governments are instituted among us,
deriving their just powers from
the consent of the governed.
That whenever any form of government
becomes destructive to these ends.
It is the right of the people to rise up,
abolish it and institute
new government. Whoo.
Trains indeed will dictate that
governments long established should not
be changed for light and transient causes.
But when a long train of
abuses and usurpations,
pursuing invariably the same object,
convinces the design to reduce
them under absolute defeatism.
It is their right and their duty
to throw off such government.
This is our just and sacred mission.
Such has been the patient
suffrage of the Isle of Palms.
Is now a necessity to alter the
form former system of government?
The history of the present
politicians and bureaucrats of
South Carolina is a history of
repeated injuries and usurpations.
All having in direct object the establishment
of an absolute tyranny over our island.
To prove this,
let the facts be submitted.
What? Hold on.
The state legislature having passed South
Carolina Statute 57 Dash 5 dash 845,
abolished the right of home rule from only
four of 271 municipalities in the state,
including the Isle of Palms.
For the purpose of forcing these four
independent municipalities to provide
government services to all comers.
Without the ability to charge or
otherwise be reimbursed for those
services without the subjective intent,
consent of our Department
of Transportation overlord.
The result of which is to be
treated differently from the
remaining 267 municipalities.
This statute is unconstitutional on its face.
In direct violation of the 1973
amendment to the state constitution
and treats these four municipalities.
As servants of the ruling class.
Oh the State Department of
Transportation has reconfigured public
parking on an island thoroughfare
in violation of home rule.
State law and the state's own
codes and safety regulations.
These actions have put the public at
risk of serious harm and bodily injury.
This was done at the direction of the state,
state Senate Transportation Committee and
orchestrated by the chair of said committee.
All all was done for the sole purpose
of South Carolina state senators
pandering for off island votes to ensure
their self serving goal of reelection.
The South Carolina
Secretary of transportation.
Having graced our island with her
presence and believing she was
not treated with the dignity and
respect demanded of her high office.
Communicated to our mayor that she
was removing our only emergency
access lane to the mainland to punish
us for our indiscretions. Yeah.
This vengeful and on all lawful
act must not be allowed to stand.
Our connector, our connector
to the mainland, was restriped altering
traffic patterns in the middle of the
night without the consent of Isle of
Palms causing accidents on the connector
to double in the last 12 months.
These vengeful acts were taken by the
secretary with no expert opinion, no study,
and are in direct violation of the South
Carolina state law statutes, codes,
safety regulations and the common decency.
The ones fellow man. Clear.
These actions taken against our islands
are a direct attack on our right to home
rule as guaranteed by our Constitution.
The safety of our residents and
interferes with the safe and free
flow of traffic on our island.
These collective actions remove our
safe access to emergency services
and impose costs to our city and
infrastructure without renumeration.
Resulting in an unlawful tax on
our citizens all constituting
taxation without representation.
At every stage of these oppressions
we have petitioned for redress,
in the most humble terms.
To be answered with either silence or
open threats of further retribution for
seeking that our lawful voice be heard.
These self appointed Royals of the state.
Whose character is thus marked by every act,
by which defines a tyrant.
Are unfit for the offices they hold.
As they attempt to force citizens to
kneel to oppressive and unjust regulation
in direct violation of the Constitution,
they pledged to serve.
We therefore the representatives
of this straight island,
declare ourselves and all like minded
residents that we should and ought
to be free and independent peoples.
As such, we ought to be absolved from all
allegiance to the state of South Carolina.
And for the support of this declaration,
with a firm reliance on the protection
of the free flow of liquors.
We mutually pledge to each other
our right to enforce the laws of
this land and our sacred honor.
Yes, for the Republic. Republic.
We further declare that we have an abiding
love for our adjoining communities.
We encourage them to come enjoy the
beach that we have all been blessed.
But only after the South Carolina
Department of Transportation
complies with its own laws, codes,
regulations, and safety guidelines to
provide safe passage on our island.
Yeah.
Vietnam that the undersigned
came to shake off the shackles of
the tyranny of the South
Carolina state government, and to reclaim our
right to home rule through the use of
public demonstration and illumination
of the wrongs perpetrated on our
fellow residents of this great island.
Mr Attorney general.
Before we go too far, let's make
sure we give Mr. Joe Bustos and Mayor
John Zuckenberg a big hand.
Those those of you that have
previously supported us and have sent
your signature to me, y'all.
Come up on this side.
We're going to sign the
declaration if you're going to
take a copy of the declaration
and then take a shot of foreign
aid that was sent to us,
that would help recover. Before
we do this, can the great Malcolm
Burgess be the first one up?
Followed by Mr Bobby Ross.
Our capital is here.
Recently how's the weather?
Now I feel like I'm one of the.
Love you. What would you say?
So.
January. You never, ever know.
And where's? We have gas.
Are you in the Brig? Come on, Bob. Wow.
Whiskey for votes in Bishop. 200
yeah.