Section 2

A. The People

A.1. Personhood

Only human beings are “Persons” under this Charter.

While moral and ethical views on the origins of life differ, this Charter is concerned solely with legal definitions and enforceable Rights. Before birth, no individual can claim or exercise the legal Rights reserved for Persons—such as the Rights to free expression, religious exercise, or habeas corpus. Therefore, under this Charter, legal Personhood begins at birth. Legally, prior to birth, bodily autonomy belongs to the mother.

The People of the United States are all the Persons in its territory and subject to its laws, as are those Persons in the sovereign territories of recognized Native Nations. The People include both Citizens and Noncitizens alike.

A.2. Citizenship

Citizens are the Sovereigns of the United States.. Anyone born or naturalized in the U.S., and under its laws, is a Citizen of the U.S. and their home State or Territory.

Members of federally recognized Tribes are also presumed to be Citizens of the United States unless they explicitly renounce that Citizenship. They can be dual Citizens of their Tribe and of the United States.

A child born outside the United States to at least one Citizen parent is a Citizen at birth.

A.3. Naturalization

Every free country should have a fair and clear way for people to become Citizens. Congress must establish and maintain a simple and fair process for Noncitizens to become Citizens.

B. Rights

B.1. Threefold Rights

This Charter recognizes three categories of Rights: Natural Rights, Civil Rights, and Civic Rights.

Natural Rights are the basic freedoms that every human being has simply by being alive. No government grants these Rights, and it is illegitimate for any government to deny them.

Civil Rights are legal protections that apply to all Persons under the law. Civil Rights give force to Natural Rights and guarantee fair and equal treatment under the law. They also protect Persons from abuse of power by the government.

Civic Rights are the exclusive Rights of Citizens.

a. Associations & Quasi-Governments

Individual Persons possess Civil Rights. Individual Citizens possess Civil Rights, Civic Rights, and Civic Powers. Associations—whether corporations, unions, nonprofits, churches, PACs, or any other collective entity—possess none of these Rights or Powers in their own name, though the individuals who make up their membership retain all Rights and Powers they hold as Persons or Citizens.

Any association that is capable of materially controlling employment, housing, credit, communications, transportation, data, or any essential market access is deemed quasi‑governmental. A quasi‑governmental association must comply with every constitutional limit that binds Government itself.

Any single member, shareholder, or employee of an association has standing to sue or defend on that association’s behalf.

B.2. Civil Rights

All Persons within the United States are guaranteed Civil Rights under this Charter. These Civil Rights give legal force to their Natural Rights. Those Rights include:

a. Right to Life.

Every Person has the Right to life and to be free from unlawful killing. This Right shall not be interpreted to override any other Right protected by this Charter, including the Right to Bodily Autonomy. Lawful exceptions may include voluntary killing or suffering death in military service, killing in self-defense, or a sentence imposed after a fair trial and due process.

b. Right to Bodily Autonomy.

Every Person controls their own body. Every Person has the Right to make personal decisions about their medical care, physical appearance, and self-identification. They are protected from abuse and can make reproductive choices.

State‑Intervention Standard. The government may intervene in personal decisions only when a Person is experiencing a mental crisis that renders them unable to make rational, self-directed choices. The mere fact that a decision is risky or may result in self-harm is not sufficient grounds for intervention, so long as the Person is capable of informed and rational judgment. Acts of protest, including hunger strikes or similar conduct, are expressions of autonomy and may not be interfered with. A Person’s decision to enter hospice care or make other permanent decisions about the course of their life shall be respected, provided they possess the capacity for rational self-determination.

Religious or Cultural Practices. Body modifications for religious or cultural reasons are protected when they do not cause permanent loss of physical function, capacity, or lasting trauma. Practices that permanently impair or remove bodily capacity, sexual pleasure, or autonomy are not protected, particularly when performed on minors. This Charter distinguishes between cultural expression and irreversible harm.

Minors. Parents or legal guardians may make decisions for minors, including cultural or symbolic practices, provided those decisions do not cause permanent harm or suppress the minor’s future autonomy. As minors grow, their expressed views shall be given increasing weight. By age sixteen, a minor is presumed competent to make personal decisions unless proven otherwise through a lawful process.

c. Freedom of Movement.

Every Person has the Right to travel freely within the country and to leave it. This Right may only be restricted following arrest or lawful conviction of a crime.

d. Protection from Enslavement or Involuntary Servitude.

Slavery and involuntary servitude are prohibited except as punishment for a crime, and even then may not violate the Rights to Life or Bodily Autonomy or produce commercial gain.

Incarcerated Labor Compensation.  Any value generated by incarcerated labor must be placed in a secure, interest‑bearing trust for the incarcerated Person, disbursed upon release or to a beneficiary upon death. If the prison includes a paid commissary, all income must be made available for use in that commissary during the Person’s incarceration. The Government may not profit.

e. Personal Security and Self‑Defense. 

Every Person has the Right to Personal security and lawful self‑defense.. This right includes the right to bear arms. Congress may make laws allowing for the suspension or regulation of this Right, but only in carefully and narrowly defined circumstances. Those circumstances cannot include religious or political beliefs. Such regulation must exist solely to protect the Natural Rights of others—particularly the Rights to Life and Bodily Autonomy—and must use the least restrictive means available, with its scope, application, and purpose clearly defined.

f. Equality of Rights.

Everyone is equal under the law. No Person may be treated unequally under the law based on sex, race, religion, beliefs, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other distinction not grounded in legitimate constitutional purpose. This Charter assumes laws should protect Rights, not take them away. No Right may be restricted unless the Charter authorizes the restriction.

g. Due Process. 

No Person may be deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process of law.

h. Habeas Corpus.

Every Person has the Right to challenge their detention before a judge. Anyone held by the government must be brought before a judge within seventy-two (72) hours. The Right to a lawyer begins at the time of detention. This Right may not be suspended.

i. No Bills of Attainder.

The Government may not enact a Bill of Attainder.

j. No Ex Post Facto Laws.

No Person may be prosecuted or punished for an act that was not a crime at the time it was committed.

k. Right to Domestic Sovereignty.

No Person shall be compelled to provide lodging, sustenance, or other domestic resources to any officer, agent, or member of the Government. Voluntary hospitality remains a protected expression of personal choice and may not be presumed, imposed, or coerced.

l. Right to Privacy and Property.

Every Person has the right to privacy and control over their body, home, digital and physical documents, communications, data, and property. Searches or seizures—whether physical or digital—require a judicial Warrant based on Probable Cause, explicitly describing the place, device, data category, or item to be examined or taken.

m. Emergency Action.

The government may act without a Warrant only briefly and only to prevent serious harm to another’s rights; actions must be strictly limited and promptly reviewed by a court within seventy-two (72) hours. Officials acting in good faith within Charter-consistent training are not automatically liable even if a court later finds the action unlawful.

n. In Rem Jurisdiction.

Legal action cannot be brought against property; in rem jurisdiction is invalid.

o. Forfeiture Restrictions and Victim Restitution.

The government cannot seize any property prior to conviction, except physical items necessary to conduct a good-faith prosecution, such as evidence including weapons, documents, or contaminated clothing. Seizure of any other assets may occur only after conviction and must be accompanied by a separate judicial hearing for each asset to establish a direct connection to the offense.

Property belonging to a person other than the convicted defendant may not be seized under any circumstance. If original ownership of stolen property can be clearly established, that property must be returned to its rightful owner. If not, any proceeds from the sale of seized assets must be distributed to the victims of the crime or donated to established victims' rights organizations. The cost of seizure, cataloging, or sale cannot be deducted from those proceeds. No jurisdiction, agency, or governmental body may retain or benefit from the sale or disposal of seized property.

p. Eminent Domain.

Eminent domain is limited to genuine public use, not commercial development. Compensation must be equal to the higher of the inflation-adjusted original cost or average local market value, as averaged by obtaining three appraisals—one chosen by the owner, one chosen by the Person or entity seeking to seize the property, and one chosen by the Court.

q. Use of Biometrics in Law-Enforcement.

Biometric data with a proven history, such as fingerprints and DNA, may be used as evidence. Other technologies—such as facial recognition or gait analysis—may not be used until and unless they are affirmatively proven in blind studies to be both accurate and non‑prejudicial.

r. Protection from Self‑Incrimination.

A person may not be compelled to speak or testify against themselves. This protection applies in all settings where the Government may compel testimony, including criminal, civil, administrative, and legislative proceedings. A Person is not required to state that they are invoking this Right, and no adverse inference may be drawn from their silence. Refusal to provide records following a subpoena is not automatically protected. Such activity is the normal gathering of evidence, but it requires the same warrant and probable cause as any other search or seizure.

s. Presumption of Innocence and Non-Liability.

A criminal or civil defendant is presumed to be not guilty or not liable unless proven otherwise in Court. The standard for conviction in a criminal trial is beyond a reasonable doubt, and the standard for liability in a civil trial is preponderance of the evidence.

No predictive algorithms may be used in law-enforcement.

t. Indictment by a Grand Jury.

No Person may be held for trial on any felony-level charge without the approval of a Grand Jury Indictment, except for active-duty military personnel during wartime, and only for service-related offenses. Grand juries must be randomly assembled, and an independent counsel must be appointed to refute the prosecution's claims before the grand jury. Nothing in this clause should be construed as requiring the possible defendant to be informed or present at this hearing, as it does not confer guilt; it only allows for indictment. The government must prove that a reasonable basis exists for believing a crime has been committed and the person to be indicted has committed it, either in whole or in part.

The transcript of the grand jury hearing, but not of the jury's deliberations, becomes immediately part of the public court transcript upon indictment, subject only to redactions as otherwise allowed in this charter.

u. Right to a Speedy Trial. 

The accused and the public both have the Right to a speedy trial. If there are delays, they must help the accused unless the court finds that the accused acted in bad faith. A trial is considered speedy if it starts within eighteen (18) months of arraignment. In complicated cases, more time may be given, but only if counsel explains to the judge, with clear proof, why it’s needed. Discovery should never take more than two (2) years.

v. Right to the Final Verdict of a Jury.

Every Person has the Right to an impartial jury and to a verdict that courts may not override on factual grounds. Juries are the sole judges of fact in both civil and criminal trials. Judicial review on appeal can only consider the application of law and procedure, not the jury's findings.

w. Protection from Double Jeopardy. 

No Person may be tried twice for the same crime.

x. Protection from Excessive Bail and Cruel or Unusual Punishments. 

Excessive bail or fines are forbidden. Punishments may not be cruel or unusual when measured against norms across the United States and other advanced nations.

y. Wrongful‑Conviction Review. 

When new evidence likely would have changed a verdict resulting in a conviction and incarceration, any official possessing it must notify the court. The court must review; if confidence in the verdict is undermined, the Person shall be released, the conviction vacated, and the record expunged unless the Government clearly justifies continued detention.

z. Freedom of Belief.

Every Person has the Right to believe what they choose and cannot be forced to act against those beliefs, except where doing so would infringe the Rights of another Person, and no pathway exists to allow action without harm. Every Person has the Right to change their beliefs.

aa. Religious Freedom.

The Government shall not establish any religion, nor prohibit the free exercise of religion within the bounds of law. Public officials may express personal faith, provided it does not reasonably imply official endorsement by the Government.

ab. Freedom of Speech and Expression.

Everyone has the Right to speak freely, including through art, religion, and politics. The government may not punish or censor expression—except in the narrow instances listed here:

Unprotected categories:

1. Speech intended and likely to incite imminent lawless action or panic;

2. Deliberate falsehoods causing demonstrable harm, including reckless disregard for truth in contexts where accuracy is legally required, including political speech during the ninety (90) day period before an election;

3. Lying under oath;

4. Deliberate misinformation about voting procedures, candidate eligibility, or official endorsements intended to mislead voters;

5. Commercial fraud, as defined by law.True threats, including statements meant to instill fear of violence or unlawful harm;

6. Harassment, which is defined as targeting a Person or group in a sustained manner intended to intimidate, silence, or cause emotional harm;

7. Financial or in-kind expression by groups or corporations, because the wealth inequality between two groups or between a group and an individual crowds out the other's voice. Verbal, whether spoken, transmitted, or written, remains permissible.

Obscenity. Offensive or obscene speech is protected. The sole exception is graphic sexual or violent content reasonably likely to be seen or heard by minors without parental consent. Reasonable limits to protect children are allowed, as long as they don't unduly burden adults.

Private Autonomy. Private individuals and groups cannot be compelled to host or support speech with which they disagree. In that spirit, but respecting the influence algorithms have on the rights of other individuals, algorithms used to distribute or prioritize publicly available information on private platforms may remain proprietary, but the general principles, inputs, and effects of their design must be made transparent to the public.

ac. Right of Access to the Digital Sphere.

The Government shall not restrict any Person’s access to the digital sphere for any reason. The digital sphere shall consist of, but is not limited to, access to the Internet, cellular telephone networks, satellite telephone networks, and comparable future technologies.

ad. Freedom of the Media.

The People have a Right to a free and independent media. The role of the media is to seek and report the facts and opinion; a “both sides” balance is not required. Government may not license, censor, retaliate against, or compel content, except narrowly for national security, protection of minors, or protection of others’ Rights, and may compel source disclosure only to avert a specific, imminent threat to life when no other means to discover the source reasonably exists.

This Right protects both professional journalists and independent media creators engaged in gathering and disseminating information to the public.

af. Freedom of Association.

Every Person has the Right to freely associate with others. No Person may face legal or civil penalties solely because of their associations.

ag. Freedom of Assembly.

Every Person has the Right to assemble peacefully in public spaces. No permit or license shall be required to exercise this Right, and the Government may not prohibit peaceful assembly in any location where the public is otherwise permitted to be. Safety and health regulations may apply, but must be narrowly defined and not used to suppress expression. Public safety may only justify restricting assembly where there is a demonstrable risk of imminent violence, not merely because others may be offended, disagree, or respond with hostility.

ah. Freedom to Protest or Petition.

Every Person has the Right to protest peacefully and to petition the government for change. 'Peacefully' means not initiating violence, but protesters may not be punished if someone else starts a conflict. Protesters may defend themselves if they are attacked, and may not be called 'violent' or required to answer charges of violence for doing so.

ai. Unenumerated Rights.

The absence of a Right in this list does not deny its existence unless expressly reserved for Citizens.

B.3. Civic Rights of Citizens

In addition to the civil Rights listed above that apply to all Persons, Citizens are also entitled to the following civic Rights.

a. Nationality.

All Citizens have the unqualified Right to claim the United States as their nationality.

b. Passport and Return.

The Government cannot deny a Citizen a passport or the Right to return to the United States, except under a lawful extradition process.

All extraditions must meet the following requirements:

· A valid treaty in force at the time of the alleged offense;

· A formal written request from the foreign Government;

· Probable cause evidence acceptable under United States law;

· Judicial review of the evidence, treaty language, and written request; and

· Final approval and certification by the Secretary of State.

No Citizen can be deported for any reason, except as constitutionally allowed for extradition. A Citizen has the Right to leave or return to the United States.

c. Residency.

All Citizens have the unqualified Right to live in the United States.

d. Restoration.

Citizens may petition the Federal District Court for the area where they currently reside to restore Rights suspended due to a federal conviction or adjudication, but only after completing all terms of incarceration and post-release supervision, and after at least eight (8) years have passed since the final conviction or adjudication.

D. Civic Powers and Duties

D.1. Differentiation of Civic Rights and Civic Powers

In a democratic system, governance relies on the participation of the governed. In addition to their Civil and Civic Rights, Citizens enjoy the Civic Power to shape and direct the government, but only if they share the burdens required to make the government function.

Civic Powers represent authority over government earned through civic responsibility. Civic Rights represent personal freedoms that belong to all Citizens regardless of civic participation.

D.2. Enumeration of Civic Powers

Citizens have the following powers, provided they have not been suspended under this Charter.

a. Hold Federal Office.

Citizens have the Right to seek and hold Federal office, subject to the qualifications established by this Charter. No Federal office, whether elected or appointed, may impose a religious test of any kind as a condition of eligibility.

b. Voting,

Citizens who have reached the age of eighteen may vote in Federal elections and referendums. The States shall administer voter registration and may establish procedural rules, provided those rules are consistent with this Charter and do not burden or restrict the exercise of voting Rights.

c. Peaceful Reformation of Government.

Citizens, collectively, have the Civic Right to revoke, reform, or reassign the delegation of Power to Government institutions in any manner they deem necessary, provided that three-fifths (3/5) of them act together to do so.

d. Loss of Civic Powers

A finding for Failure to Fulfill a Civic Duty or Failure to Fulfill Oath of Office will result in suspension of the powers to vote and hold federal office.

Conviction for Treason or Terrorism Against the United States will result in suspension of the power to vote and hold federal office. It will also include seizure of the Citizen’s passport when the Citizen is within U.S. jurisdiction.

Powers suspended following this Charter cannot be restored by statute.

D.2. Civic Duties

In a free Republic, the power to vote, hold office, and shape Government belongs to the Citizens. But with that power comes responsibility. Civic powers are linked to Civic Duties because self-government depends on participation, not just opinion.

Civic powers are extended to those who carry out the Civic Duties necessary to maintain democratic self-government, such as jury service and participation in public processes like redistricting. Access to Civic powers may be limited if Civic Duties are not fulfilled.

This connection protects the fairness and strength of the Republic. Those who help carry it are the ones most trusted to help guide it.

a. Grounds for Excusal from Civic Duty

Congress must establish reasonable rules and procedures for excusal from Civic Duties within one hundred eighty (180) days of ratification of this Charter. Those rules must take into account whether service poses a risk to dependents in the Citizen’s care, disability, illness, and other factors that would create a serious hardship on the Citizen. Simple inconvenience is not a hardship.

After that, in the year of each decennial census, Congress must review and, if necessary, update those rules and procedures for excusal by June 30. Then, Citizens will ratify them via referendum during the following national election. If the rules are not ratified, the previous rules will remain in effect, and Congress must make a fresh attempt the following year. Every subsequent attempt at revised rules is subject to ratification by the Citizens. This propose-and-vote process will repeat until new rules are ratified.

b. Retaining Civic Powers

To maintain Civic powers, every Citizen must:

• Serve on local and federal juries when summoned;

• Serve on federal boards, authorities, and commissions when selected, as provided for in this Charter;

• Serve as an election worker when randomly selected (no more than once every eight years).

Willful, repeated failure constitutes the Failure to Fulfill a Civic Duty as outlined in Article IV, subject to lawful penalties and suspension of Civic powers until duties are restored.

c. Protections and Compensation for Civic Duty

No employer may terminate or otherwise retaliate against a Citizen for taking time off to Fulfill a Civic Duty. Whenever possible, it is advisable for a Citizen to give notice of such a duty to an employer in advance. Still, merely failing to provide notice cannot, on its own, constitute grounds for termination or other adverse action against the Citizen.

A Citizen who is required to perform Civic Duty shall be paid no less than one-third the salary of a Representative. This amount shall be prorated based on the number of days, full or partial, during which the Citizen is required to report and fulfill their Civic Duty obligations. The time during which a Citizen is empaneled but released pending future dates or actions shall not be counted as active service. No statute may be written or enforced to withhold, reduce, or deny this just compensation.