"State of Jefferson" Movement Stirs Anew
Late yesterday afternoon, members of the Oregon Bus Project announced that they would be reviving plans to create the State of Jefferson.
The new state would include Oregon counties of Curry, Josephine, Jackson, and Klamath and join with Northern California counties of Del Norte, Siskiyou and Modoc. Back in 1941, the plan was announced by Gil Gable, the mayor of Port Orford, Oregon. WikiPedia:
On November 27, 1941, a group of young men gained national media attention when, brandishing hunting rifles for dramatic effect, they stopped traffic on U.S. Highway 99 south of Yreka, and handed out copies of a Proclamation of Independence, stating that the state of Jefferson was in "patriotic rebellion against the States of California and Oregon" and would continue to "secede every Thursday until further notice."
In solidarity with those long-ago young men, the Oregon Bus Project has announced that on every third Thursday, they'll also be seceding from Oregon and California. Now known as the Jefferson Bus Project, organizers insist that they won't be carrying hunting rifles - but cocktails will be served.
Organizers have yet to name a new capitol, and it's unclear whether the state would be officially designated as either red or blue.
Continue reading "Jefferson State Movement Stirs Anew"
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April 01, 2005
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Apr 1, '05
"...but cocktails will be served."
Even if it weren't April 1, anyone who has been on the Bus (and in my case, desperately needed coffee on an early morning ride to Salem) would know this post is a hoax since food and drink aren't allowed.
Apr 1, '05
Big points for whoever comes up with the best state song, state motto, and state animal for the "State of Jefferson."
12:15 p.m.
Apr 1, '05
Eric, I do believe they're serving drinks though at the secession meetings on Third Thursdays. Oddly, info about the State of Jefferson campaign isn't up yet at secretplan.org but I'm sure it will be soon.
Apr 1, '05
YUCK! his tounge is all over the monitor! Anyway, this is a great Idea, and it should be pushed for. Those guys do not get the representation of either state. On the other hand, if we got rid of southern oregon there would be 2 more republican senators in the white house. That would be a sad situation for all of that nuclear crazyness that is allready happening there. They do not need any help.
For interesting reading you should check out the oregonians 2003 special, the 9 States of Oregon
-eric Revolutionary
Apr 1, '05
Most civic leaders don't get stuff named for them until after they die.
Already there is a Mt. Jefferson, a Jefferson Public Radio (with its show the Jefferson Exchange), a large number of Jefferson Streets and Avenues, a classic tv show called "The Jeffersons", and now maybe a State of Jefferson.
This guy really is ahead of his time.
12:52 p.m.
Apr 1, '05
I want to know which rat wink told you about our plan. I know it was you YOCOM.
1:14 p.m.
Apr 1, '05
Yo Chub, calm down!
Apr 1, '05
BUTTERLESS!!!
Apr 1, '05
BUTTERLESS!!!
2:49 p.m.
Apr 1, '05
Godfather allusions are funny. J.E.S.
Apr 1, '05
State Animal: The Fat Jeef
Apr 3, '05
Kudos: To your investigative reporter. We have prided ourselves on maintaining the secrecy of our grand plans (hence, as hinted above in Knight Templar code -- secretplan.org), but your incisive sleuthing poked an airhole of truth past the veneer of obfuscation and silliness and altruism through to the gushy center of stratagem and self-aggrandizing conspiracy. As my thin-mustachioed spiritual cohorts used to say at the conclusion of Scooby Doo epsidoes..."You pesky kids ruined my plans!"
Historical Note: The campaign for the State of Jefferson gained real steam in 1941, until the attack on Pearl Harbor stole the minds and energy of the American press and the people. (For a nonhumorous recent example of the "attention-switch" phenomenon, look no further than this weekend, when the tragedy of the Pope took the attention off of the Schiavo tragedy. Another example was when the Olympics in 1988 took attention off L.A. Dodger great Orel Hershiser's 59-scoreless innings streak) But with some energy, we could reinvigorate the State of Jefferson campaign.
Red Jefferson?: And yes, given the Constitutional Requirement of the minimum number of Senators per State, combined with the traditional "red" voting patterns of Southern Oregon (with Ashland as a Blue oasis) would risk an increase of the Republican majority in the U.S. Senate. Three thoughts on that:
(1) It would/could lend credence to the "Not left, not right, but forward" credo that I love so much.
(2) We don't know what sort of tectonic shift might happen with the establishment of the State of Jefferson, we also don't what sort of wacky electin system we might use -- perhaps we'd use some sort of Green-instant-runoff/Ringo-nonpartisan/Keisling-open-primary/New-York-Fusion-style voting that would confuse traditional party-ists.
(3) Whatever the result, a small price to pay for a "vanity State" don't you think?
Best, Jefferson Smith
2:39 p.m.
Apr 3, '05
but your incisive sleuthing poked an airhole of truth
<h2>Just who are you calling an airhole?</h2>