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This episode’s special guest are Dr. Harry Hobbs and Dr. Stephen Young.
Show Notes
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After hearing about President Trump issuing another executive order renaming something in our global geography, I learned a new term – morally grey. There is a piece on Medium, not specifically emergency management related, I wrote – but it does mention actions this president has taken which do adversely impact people, including me, and would be considered morally grey. And this one, I made free, no paywall to read it.
https://medium.com/@bartondunant/morally-grey-political-leaders-7f8e8ff13630?sharedUserId=bartondunant
And Barton Dunant just posted it’s governmental policy/legislative advocacy covering smart glasses, from an Emergency Management Threats and Hazards perspective: https://bartondunant.com/advocacy-1/f/our-em-related-recommendations-for-governing-smart-glasses
You can see other EM-related policy advocacy pieces of theirs at: https://bartondunant.com/advocacy-1
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In the interview with Dr. Hobbs and Dr. Young, I mentioned a Sovereign Citizen post I had already made on the CEMIR’s Substack. Here it is:
Podcast Video Interview with Authors
Sep 4, 2026
[email protected] [email protected]
Dr. Harry Hobbs’ ORC-ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9903-6908
Dr. Stephen Young’s ORC-ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7453-5652
Discussion on global sovereign citizen trends highlighted operational administrative burdens and the necessity for institutional response strategies.
Global Rise and Nature of Sovereign Citizen Movement
* “Outlawed: Responding to the Global Rise of Sovereign Citizens and Legal Conspiracies” launches November 5, 2026.
* The sovereign citizen movement is expanding globally, with activity identified in at least 35 countries.
* The movement utilizes “gurus” to disseminate pseudo-law arguments, spreading through decentralized networks.
* Ideology has broadened from initial white supremacist roots to general anti-government sentiments.
Administrative and Operational Impacts
* The primary operational threat is a “denial of service” via voluminous, non-meritorious paperwork.
* AI tools facilitate the creation of complex, “legal-sounding” documents that increase administrative burden.
* Local governments and courts bear the highest burden due to direct citizen interaction and transparency obligations.
* Operational impacts include court delays, diverted security resources, and increased staff overtime.
Misappropriation of Indigenous Sovereignty Claims
* Adherents in settler states frequently appropriate indigenous sovereignty claims to evade state regulation.
* The First Nations Medical Board represents an example of exploiting this status to escape medical oversight.
* State authorities are cautious in contesting these claims to avoid infringing on legitimate indigenous rights.
Mitigation and Institutional Responses
* Courts utilize powers to reject vexatious matters and require resubmission of documents lacking pseudo-law rhetoric.
* Local councils are adopting ad hoc process adjustments to handle administrative volume.
* Public information officers and staff are receiving de-escalation training to maintain order without inciting agitation.
Also from the authors: https://www.bloomsbury.com/us/pseudolaw-and-sovereign-citizens-9781509978915/
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