Some Sovereign Citizens are convinced that the U.S. government uses its citizens as collateral, setting up corporate trusts in citizens’ names which it funds with vast sums of money. The purpose of this, they allege, is so that the government can bring all citizens under its control.
This theory claims that the U.S. government sets up a corporate entity in a person’s name when they are born, creating two separate identities. The corporate identities – so-called ‘strawmen’ – allegedly coexist alongside people’s ‘flesh and blood’ personas. Sovereigns assume it is only this corporate identity which is subject to government legislation. It is typically believed that this strawman can be identified through the government’s use of capital letters on legal documentation: when names are written in uppercase letters (JOHN DOE) on birth certificates, tax documents or car registration, this supposedly indicates an individual’s strawman – or corporate identity – is addressed.
Sovereigns believe that people can revoke or opt out of their contractual relationship with the government by employing certain tactics. They may, for example, sign documents using variations of their names, use punctuation, different spelling, or use red ink. Other strategies include avoiding the use of ZIP-codes or addresses, carrying custom-made driver’ licenses and car license plates. To their belief these tactics acquit them from the obligation to abide with U.S. federal and state laws, and the tax system.
