City of King Declares State of "Emergency"

On February 5th, Stokes County, NC was hit pretty hard by a snow and ice storm. Downed trees and widespread power outages plagued the county, but Cliff and I were looking forward to a primitive, powerless, technologyless weekend. Much to our chagrin, our power was restored after just 5 short hours of gas log heat, and hand cranked emergency radio listening.

 This morning, the sun shone brightly. The ice and snow which once covered cold branches and power lines began to slink back into the ground in a shimmery display of ice crystals and light. The weather was relatively warm, and pleasant - especially considering 12 short hours before it had been a cold, rainy, icy, snowy mess.

So. Needless to say, when we got a call from Cliff's brother, Chad, about a state of "emergency" being declared right down the road, we were shocked.

"WHAT?! ....... In STOKES county?........"

Evidently Chad and his family were out at the local Mexican food joint for an afternoon lunch in the small town of King, NC. Chad noticed the waitress posting signs about a "curfew" and not being "allowed to sell alcohol" until further notice. He learned that the City of King had sent law enforcement officials to local restaurants and business owners to inform them that no one was allowed to be out of their residential homes between the hours of 12:00am-5:00am, effective immediately.

"Part of our conditioning [is] to accept what the government believes to be in our best interest over our own common sense and burden of personal responsibility."

Now, you have to understand that Cliff and I have watched and learned over the past year, and we have both become very concerned about the degradation of our liberties, and the unconstitutional encroachments upon our freedoms courtesy of a tyrannical government that is growing at an ALARMING rate. So, when we hear things like, "police enforced curfew", and when we see businesses suffering at the hands of a government which has overstepped its bounds - we go into ACTION MODE.

We grabbed our cameras, and hit the road. Not really sure what we were looking to accomplish exactly, we visited a couple of restaurants with a video camera and asked managers and patrons what their thoughts were on the declaration of an alleged 'emergency' in King, NC. Initially, our efforts resulted in little success. Folks were glad to talk to us and discuss the problem off camera, but we couldn't find anyone willing to go on the record. So, Cliff made the suggestion that we head down to the police station and get information straight from the horse's...um... mouth.

We spoke to a few officers (who declined to go on record) about the curfew, and they explained that the emergency proclamation had been put into effect and signed by the Mayor of King, Jack Warren. As such "unless a member of a law enforcement agency or the emergency management program, every person who is located within the City of King is to be inside a house dwelling from the hours of 12am to 5am".  The officer informed us that anyone caught traveling around or through the city during those hours would be subject to questioning and arrest (note: they generously allow individuals working during those hours to travel freely during curfew).

The justification you ask? Power outages and bad weather. Concerned about the possibility of looting and "misdemeanoring", the mayor felt the need to proclaim a state of emergency, as such powers are delegated to him by means of general statute 14-288.12. Any person violating any provision of said ordinance or enacted proclamation is guilty of a Class 3 misdemeanor.

As I looked around at the cloudless sky, and the surrounding area being illuminated by street lights - powered by FULLY FUNCTIONING ELECTRICITY - I asked the officer whether he thought those measures might be a little extreme? He responded that there were more residential areas with power outages, and since the entire county of Stokes had been proclaimed to be in a state of emergency, the mayor followed suit. So, what if the county jumps off a bridge? *taps finger to chin*

That said,  it's interesting to note that although the county is under a state of emergency, Jack Warren is the only one flexing his municipal muscle to enact ordinances in response to the "emergency". It's business as usual in the rest of the county. But in King, NC he has imposed:

• 12:00am-5:00am curfew
• No sale, consumption, transportation, or possession of alcoholic beverages during the state of emergency in the City of King
• No firearms, ammunition, or explosives to be sold, purchased, or carried.
• Restricted access to areas as deemed appropriate by law enforcement officers and/or city officials.

The citizens we spoke with tonight were very concerned. How can an elected official arbitrarily restrict travel? Close down businesses? Prevent an individual from carrying a firearm? I believe that this is part of our training. Part of our conditioning to accept what the government believes to be in our best interest over our own common sense and burden of personal responsibility.

 Do I need to go anywhere between the hours of 12:00am and 5:00am? Probably not. Could I just drive to the next town over to buy alcohol or ammunition? Yes. But what about the small businesses and restaurant owners who lose that revenue? And what if I was without electricity and needed to seek shelter during restricted curfew hours? And what about all those folks without electricity? How will they be informed that they can't leave their houses, and that they have to leave their gun at home?

So, you've got a petty curfew, and you can't buy a beer at the Mexican restaurant. 

So, what? 

Try to look beyond the barricades, and the 24 hour business having to be shut-down for a few hours. One day it could be an after-dark curfew enforced with UN officers showing up at your home to confiscate your guns, and the National Guard coming to immunize your children. I'm not fear mongering, people! Just trying to point out that we have been lured by the warmth and comfort of an ordinance enacted to keep us safe, and by the time you realize you're boiling - you're already cooked.

"Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both." 

- Benjamin Franklin

Comments

[Kendra]

Very well put together! This sucks! If it can happen there, it will happen everywhere. What can we do to raise *heck* about this?? People need to be outraged!! This "state of emergency" is total bull.

[Kendra]

I'm so aggravated... just one more thing... they say they are worried about trouble makers out and about, so they tell the law abiding citizens that they can't carry their weapons to protect themselves? What's up with that? Stupid. Stupid! Stupid!! I didn't realize that KING had turned into such a dangerous city that they'd have to SHUT IT DOWN to protect the citizens. BULL!!!

[Thom]

Socialism is here! I am old enough to remember when America was Great! The government looks for ever opportunity possible to "take care" of us and get involved in our lives. We are to inept to even take care of ourselves when it snows! Evidently, Mayor Jack Warren is no Thomas Jefferson. He has NEVER read ANY American history.

We deserve the the government we elect!

[t]

i got mugged b/c I didn't have my gun with me to defend myself. b/c of this "proclimation"

I should go to the court house and file charges against the mayor for wrongfull endagerment.

[Courtney]

I used to work as a writer for a newspaper and would have jumped all over this story had it presented itself when I was still writing for a living. I am so glad that you took the effort to check into this and hit the streets to get public response. I plan on being at the next city council meeting to question the mayor and others about this. Kudos to you for your concern and effort.

[Gary Giersdorf]

Love the writing Sara, and I totally agree with all these comments. King is just another example of our losing our rights a little bit more every day. New fan of the site, will definitely be reading your articles in the future. Good job!

[Scott Smith]

Hey boys and girls !
Be patient. Just a few more months 'til November when we will make it all BETTER !

[Fred]

I will spend no more money in King. I don't support communist governments.

[jacob sutherland]

When is this neanderthal up for reelection? I will gladly donate to his opponent and enlist pledges from my FaceBook political group to do the same. I suggest everybody here follows suit. My e-mail is jacobsutherland@jcscarpentry.com. If anybody here is a patriotic conservative and would like to come up with a plan to defeat this clown, feel free to friend me. Just look up jacob sutherland and look for my profile pic that is a black and yellow Sutherland Clan badge.

[Debbie]

The moral of the story is to always have all the weapons you think you might ever need, all the ammo you might ever need, and all the alcohol, food, medicine you might need in an emergency.

The truth is that during an emergency, power outage, disaster, whatever -- is the VERY TIME YOU NEED TO BE ARMED so you can protect yourself and your family, should it be necessary.

Personal responsibility!

As the Grouch and I always say, no one will know that we are carrying our weapon, unless the need arises to actually use it.

[Paul]

The mayor should be recalled from office. The people should petition for a recall referendum. Fight back NC! Show them who really runs the city.

[Penny]

City of King is a joke!

[Ernest Schicklegruber]

Place an open letter to the Mayor in the King newspaper. It should indicate that a large group of peaceful citizens who have no need for government tyrants will break the curfew on a certain date. Make the place someone's front yard. Grill hamburgers and hotdogs, drink beer and open carry after midnight. Don't get drunk. Be peaceful. Be free.

[Mr. Snort]

Crush em' Saradactyl! The whole process is a freakin' joke. Politicians crush private citizens. More hoops. More bull crap!

Give em' hell! GO RON PAUL!

[tolemo]

City of King or King of the City?!!!!!

[Puck Smith]

Nice piece. Keep up the good work.

[A. S. Brown]

Well done!

Now, to those of you who expect better of your elected officials.

It is now apparent that the mayor of King, N.C. has demonstrated that he does not have the temperament to manage minor emergencies such as storms, inclement weather, etc. and that his reaction will be to resort to the most draconian response he can muster. It is now, therefor, apparent that he is NOT FIT TO GOVERN. It is the duty of the citizens of KING to approach the Sheriff of the county to assume the duties of city governance while a recall petition is mounted to remove this unfit person from office in order to protect the citizens from his untoward responses to minor incidents.

If I were there I'd do it myself.

Good Luck!

[J. Hines]

Sounds as though Warren is confused. Perhaps he thinks he is King of Mayor, NC

[John and Dagny Galt]

The mayor should be forcefully and physically removed from office and ejected from town immediately.



Free people are free people until they disarm themselves and submit to enslavement.



Free people should ALWAYS refuse and challenge any and all efforts to subjugate, enslave, control, or impoverish them.



What part of no don't you understand?



What part of shall not infringe don't you comprehend?



Live Free While You Live And Til You Die!



Starving The Monkeys Continually And Forevermore,

John and Dagny Galt

Atlas Shrugged, Owners Manual For The Universe!(tm)





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[John and Dagny Galt]

Oh, and congratulations on making the Lew Rockwell Blog!

http://www.lewrockwell.com/blog/lewrw/archives/49952.html

Start Starving The Monkeys Today,
John and Dagny Galt
Atlas Shrugged, Owners Manual For The Universe!(tm)

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[Pimpernel]

You can look forward to Nov., but it won't do any good, whether or not the mayor is voted out. It's not Republicans vs. Democrats any more (if it ever was).

The real paradigm is government vs. the people. Raise the black flag!

[Jack]

It doesn't have to be this way.

1. Do your homework
2. Organize
3. Repeal the tyrannical portions of the City Statute
4. Recall the Mayor

Do it effectively and for the sole purpose of slapping down anything and anyone who would initiate oppression against individual freedoms.

[David]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recall_election

Good luck.

[Anon]

They "lock down" the children in the schools, and then "If you want to see your children again, turn in your guns and get on the bus".

[Cory]

Hahaha. Everybody is armed outside of Mecklenburg county.

This mayor is a moron.