John Washington III Asks Who Gave Government the Right to Speak for Him and His Family Without His Consent

John Washington III is asking a foundational question about consent. John Washington III wrote, "WHO GAVE YOU THE RIGHT TO SPEAK FOR ME AND MY FAMILY WITHOUT MY CONSENT?" and he framed the question for the United States government and every state government in America.

John Washington III pointed to the Declaration of Independence, which he noted says governments get their just powers from the consent of the governed. "SO WHEN DID I GIVE MY CONSENT?" he wrote. "WHEN DID MY FAMILY GIVE THEIRS?" He argued that if a group makes rules for themselves, that agreement speaks for that group, not for everyone else, and he compared the point to mafia families, whose codes cannot bind another household.

John Washington III said being born under a government does not mean he personally agreed to every decision it makes, and he said he and his children have constitutional rights. "GOVERNMENT MUST NOT CONFUSE LEGAL AUTHORITY WITH UNLIMITED CONTROL!" he wrote.

John Washington III closed by asking officials who claim to speak for him to show where he agreed, show how they are representing the people, and answer to the people whose lives their decisions affect. "THAT'S THE GROUND I'M STANDING ON!" he wrote.