Christine Sarteschi: No sympathy for anti-government extremists

A movie titled “Sovereign,” starring Nick Offerman, Dennis Quaid and Jacob Tremblay, is in the planning stages. It is based on a real-world event involving two sovereign citizens, Jerry Kane and his 16-year-old son, Joseph. They shot and killed two West Memphis, Ark., police officers during a traffic stop.

Sovereign citizens are anti-government extremists who regard the United States government as being illegitimate. The FBI considers them one of the top threats to our government. Adherents to sovereign citizen ideology choose to operate outside all laws, federal, state, local, traffic, etc. They could correctly be identified as modern-day “outlaws.”

Among other things, sovereign citizens don’t register their vehicles, acquire valid driver’s licenses or have legitimate license plates. They don’t pay taxes. They terrorize our court system with meaningless filings. They choose not to listen to police officers, while choosing at times to kill them.

On May 10, 2010, the Kanes were pulled over by police because of their illegal license plate. When the two officers began to interact with the pair, they were presented with a fake ID and pseudo-legal paperwork — all typical of sovereign citizens. At some point, Joseph emerged from the vehicle and shot the officers with an assault rifle. Officer Brandon Paudert was shot 11 times. Officer Bill Evans was shot 14 times. Both died. Approximately 90 minutes later, two additional officers were wounded, and law enforcement killed both father and son perpetrators.

The film’s writer and director, Christian Swegal, said the film “at its core … is … about fathers and sons, masculinity and rigidity, and the need for empathy.”

The concern is with an empathic portrayal of violent extremists. Such a portrayal could generate new followers. Murderers should not be presented sympathetically or in any positive light.

This tragic shooting happened 13 years ago and still anti-government movements continue to grow both here and abroad. The globalization of information makes it exceptionally easy to spread meritless conspiratorial beliefs around the world.

Australian authorities report growing threats of violence by sovereign citizens toward public officials. Germany has seen a 40% increase in criminal offenses committed by Reichsbürgers (German sovereign citizens). A group of Reichsbürgers attempted the overthrow of the German government. Authorities seized a large number of weapons and ammunition during their “largest anti-terror raid ever.” The group is currently on trial.

The head of Germany’s domestic intelligence agency, Thomas Haldenwang, has sounded the alarm on rising anti-government extremism. He observed that the common link among these groups is their desire to reject and abolish democracy.

Sovereign citizens are staunchly anti-government. They are not concerned with the good of the nation or its citizens. They often denounce their citizenship. They have no concern for a common good.

Those planning this film must consider its impact upon the victim’s family. Thirteen years ago, Chief Bob Paudert responded and arrived at the crime scene. He found his son’s bullet-ridden, lifeless body. Since that moment, he has made it his mission to travel the country and educate law enforcement officials about the dangers of antigovernment groups. He had never heard of sovereign citizens before his son was murdered by them.

Likewise, most people who watch the film will not be familiar with sovereign citizens. Misinformation is rampant and increasingly people struggle to separate fact from fiction.

In either case, they may be seduced by the false idea of freedom from having to follow laws or pay taxes.

Filmmakers must take special care not to present violent extremists in a favorable or sympathetic light. Any positivity has the power to embolden the movement and attract new people.

Sovereign citizens are an obvious threat to governments both here and abroad. Cop killers and people who openly reject the rule of law should not be presented to the public within a dramatized fictionalization of romanticism, empathy or sympathy. We must reject violent extremists, condemn cop killers and portray them as what they are — cold-blooded murderers.