Preamble
We the people of The Union of Superhumans, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure national tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Charter for separation from the United States of America an recognition as a sovereign nation.
INTRODUCTION
This document, presented on the seventh day of November of nineteen hundred and fifty six establishes the sovereignty of the nation of super-powered Americans, forever to be known as The Union of Superhumans (for legal purposes and "Supers" in casual usage) and grants this new nation tribal lands, and the rights, protections, and responsibilities befitting this new nation.
Definition of Nation
A nation is defined as a group of people who share a common history, ancestry, or customs and culture.
Nation as Applied to Supers
The definition of nation applies also to those who share a common set of genetic traits distant from those of the vast majority. These genetic abnormalities, by virtue of their physical and mental parallels constitute a both a family, a clan, and a nation. Although these national elements may not know of the existence of the nation. The commonalities presuppose membership.
Definition and Description of Supers
Supers are those American who, through some medical, scientific, or accidental or intentional manifestation display supernormal physical or mental traits. These traits may include but are not limited to significantly enhanced strength, mind reading, agility, strategic thinking, and manipulation of electrical energy.
Normals
Normals are defined as human beings who, while healthy, do not possess and cannot possess these enhanced abilities.
Manifestation
Manifestation may occur based on scientific experimentation either intentionally or as a byproduct/side effect. Manifestation may occur naturally, or through a combination of the two. For a description of detection methods, see Section 5 Rights and Responsibilities.
Grant and Recognition of National Sovereignty
This document establishes and affirms the commitment of the federal government of the United States to the recognition and protection of The Union of Superhumans. Therefore, The Union of Superhumans shall be protected under the auspices of the 10th Amendment to The United States Constitution.
Grant of Real Estate/Tribal Lands
This document assigns 16 square acres per state, as defined in current geological and political survey maps, to The Union of Superhumans to use as they see fit for the living and business interested of their nationals. These 16 square acre parcels are transferable from one state to another, thus New York may have two parcels assigned and Vermont have none, however, at no time shall there exist more than two parcels in any given state barring special permission from that state government and the presiding federal government.
This document also recognizes the claim of ownership of 10 square miles of the Marie Byrd Land territory of Antarctica for the establishment of an out of continental presence, sanctuary, and research station. This parcel will be leased from the greater United Nations body with all infrastructure and bureaucratic costs absorbed by the United States of America until such time as The Union of Superhumans assumes territorial stewardship or said parcel.
Right and Responsibilities
It shall be the duty and responsibility of The Union of Superheroes to establish an examination criteria and application procedure for all citizens seeking acceptance into The Union of Superhumans within six months of the ratification of this document. (see addendum). Acceptance into The Union of Superhumans immediately relinquishes citizenship to The United States of America and transfer that citizenship to The Union of Superhumans.
Dual citizenships will not be permitted under this Charter document.
Criteria for recruitment shall be the demonstration of described enhanced abilities. Should such a demonstration occur, said person is automatically assumed to be a member of The Union of Superhumans and afforded all of the rights and privileges therefore. Further, said persons demonstrating enhanced abilities immediately relinquish their claims of citizenship within The United States of America, including forfeiture of all lands, possessions, annuitized bequests, trusts, and inheritances. Persons will also surrender any state or federally issued identification, Social Security Number, or other government program trigger.
Recruitment
The Union of Superhumans will take responsibility for identifying and apprehending Supers who manifest by both passive and active measures. Surveillance of news stories, television and other media, publicly available birth records, and other passive means. Active means includes furnishing of a special telephone number to every elementary, junior high school, high school, and secondary education principle, president, or headmaster for the purposes of reporting described manifestation. All principles, presidents, and headmasters of accredited and non-accredited, specialized, trade, vocational, alternative, primary and secondary school are required by law to report any incidents, records, descriptions, and student information to The Union of Superhumans within 24 hours of verified manifestation. (See also, Penalties for Failing to Report Manifestation)
The Union of Superhumans accepts full responsibility for the education, physical, mental, and social development of its nationals. Training methods will be considered proprietary and the rubric of said training will not be a matter of public record.
All Supers will be entitled to healthy caloric intact sufficient to meet their unique biological needs. All Supers will be housed within the tribal lands allocated within this document. All tribal lands will be developed to modern standards of efficiency, safety, and comfort.
Recognized Super Activities
The Union of Superhumans, as an independent sovereign nation, vows not to interfere with the law enforcement or military practices of the greater United States of America, or the states, municipalities, towns, or villages within unless so requested by the ranking law enforcement, emergency services, or military officer in the region.
The Union of Superhumans reserves the right to preserve the conditions of this charter with regard to the apprehension of rogue Supers, or Supers who have avoided detection, and such apprehension are not within the jurisdiction of the federal, state, or local law enforcement or military authorities.
The Union of Superhumans reserves the right to expand beyond the boundaries of this charter during conditions of "catastrophic urgency". Catastrophic urgency is defined as the period when the federal, state, or local government of the United States has failed to protect the Normal citizens either from environmental, military, or criminal catastrophe.
Right to Self-Defense
The Union of Superhumans retains the right to self-defense both legal and physical, from outside forces affiliated with the federal, state, or local governments of The United States of America, or any other sovereign state on Earth, or of extraterrestrial origin. The Union of Superhumans will, if provoked in such a manner, respond with the necessary force to eliminate the threat of hostilities by the attacking entity for the foreseeable future. The Union of Superhumans would also pursue monetary reparations to recoup the cost of such a conflict.
Initial Financing
The United States of America aggress to finance the first ten years of The Union of Superhumans infrastructure development and regulatory plan through a grant of one million dollars, per annum, for a period of ten years following the ratification of this charter. Accountability for these funds will be made available for one day per year, at the sole discretion of The Union of Superhumans with announcements of availability made no less than ten calendar days in advance.
Adherence to Federal Statutes
This document grants any nationals bearing the identity credentials supplied by The Union of Superhumans to travel freely within the continental United States and Alaska and all territories under the umbrella of the US Protectorate barring local restrictions. This document agrees to the recognition of The Union of Superhumans issued passport as a recognized legal document with all the protections and privileges that is implies.
This document grants The Union of Superhumans the right to travel freely within the airspace of the United States of America, and that The Union of Superhumans will at all times maintain communication with the Federal Aviation Administration and any state and local regulatory agencies necessary. All pilots with credentials supplied by The Union of Superhumans will be trained and certified only by FAA recognized and bonded trainers under the employ of the United States government, or licensed subsidiary thereof until such time as similarly certified trainers of The Union of Superhumans are acceptably credentialed. The Union of Superhumans will also maintain umbrella air traffic insurance to ensure that should a catastrophe occur, there is redress between representatives of The Union of Superhumans and affected residents of The United States.
This document signifies that the credentials supplied by The Union of Superhumans to its nationals are considered binding and legal identification suitable for all uses both public and private, and that, when requested by friendly or unfriendly foreign entities, the United States will certify the identity of the national or nationals in question.
Diplomatic Immunity
Nationals of The Union of Superhumans enjoy diplomatic immunity when outside their recognized territorial boundaries.
Declaration of Corporate Citizenship
This document establishes The Union of Superhumans as a nation and a recognized corporation due to the unique industry that the nation possesses. This establishes that the corporation must adhere to federally levied taxes and fees, but the status as nation precludes the payment of taxes, fees, or penalties to states of municipalities with the exception of sales fuels, or room/meals taxes when applicable.
The Union of Superhumans reserves the right to profit from the sale, lease, or other monetary exchange for its likeness in print, 3-dimensional sculpture, broadcast in radio or other medium, film, or personal appearance. Copyright for all likenesses are acknowledged as property of the nation. However, as a courtesy, The Union of Superhumans will file copyright claims with the United States Government as a measure of protection against usurpation by outside entertainment, toy, or comic producing corporate entities. This document acknowledges that the intellectual property of The Union of Superhumans is wholly owned by the nation, and that all developments past, present and in perpetuity will continue to be owned by the nation, its descendants, or identified future beneficiaries.
The Union of Superhumans reserves the right to employ foreign third party contractors, or vendors, at payment rates negotiated outside the purview of wage, safety, or regulatory conditions present within individual states and municipalities of The United States of America. The Union of Superhumans is bound by the employment regulations established at the federal level for all third party vendors and contractors under employ. The Union of Superhumans will not employ third party vendors or contractors listed as unfriendly entities by the State Department of the United States of America.
The Union of Superhumans agrees to divest all profits from the sale of likenesses to the nationals of The Union of Superhumans. Additionally, all nationals within The Union of Superhumans will be paid the current federal minimum wage pegged to the anticipated 1958 amount, and pegged to the legislated federal amounts forthwith.
This document recognizes that all nationals within The Union of Superhumans are considered to be corporate officers for purposes of establishing tax regulations, insurance provisions, and profit sharing.
Signatories
November 7th 1956
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Alex Nova
Frida Freedom