A Government Absolutely Untrusted : PLATFORM

In Simi Valley, a loose network calling themselves “state citizens” believes that local rights supersede federal control. Since the network is so informal, there is no accurate way to gauge its size. But not all who mistrust government consider themselves part of any network. ROBIN GREENE talked with people in Simi Valley and nearby Fillmore who identified themselves as politically opposed to some or all functions of the federal government.

CHAD ALLRED

Salesperson, Hilldale Sport Sales,

Fillmore

I would change the employees in government, first of all. They have the worst attitudes. Anywhere I go, I don’t care if it is the Department of Motor Vehicles, if it’s the post office, those people should have good attitudes toward us. It’s good business.

I think politicians need to be honest with people and quit covering up everything. Like in Waco, Tex., the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms had no business doing what it did (in the standoff with the Branch Davidians). I’m not saying to hit on (the federal building in Oklahoma) was right, either. I feel very sorry for all the innocent little kids that died and I don’t know the story behind it. But I’m sure (the attack in Oklahoma) had something to do with Waco.

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DREW VAN HOVEN

Moved from Simi Valley to Topaz Lake, Nev., five years ago

I have a business of my own. Small business people are so grossly and ridic ulously over-regulated. One of the reasons I left California was the way things were going, they were trying to control the individual in the name of so-called crime control.

I don’t think it’s at the point yet where armed revolution is necessary but there are a lot of people I know who are scared that it is going to be necessary if things continue as they have been.

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GLENN ALLEN

Auto mechanic, Simi Valley

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There are certain things they should change. Like taxing. I think they should go to an overall sales tax as opposed to income tax. Abolish the IRS and the Federal Reserve.

The other thing that I don’t like is the way the elections happen. You vote and still the (electoral college) decides. I didn’t vote for Clinton. And still, all the electors said Clinton was it. I don’t know one person who voted for Clinton. Why is he President?

I don’t feel they should make us register our guns. If you ever saw the movie “Red Dog,” they had the list of who bought the guns and they went and took them from them. That’s the way our government is trying to do it. So now that everybody’s got their AK-47s registered, they’re going to go take them.

I’m definitely against bombing all those people. It’s too extreme. Those guys should get the death penalty.

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JUDY COTTER

Salesperson, Simi Valley

The government gets more of my paycheck than I do, by the time all the taxes are taken out.

I’d like to see a limitation on the number of legislators who are attorneys. I would like to see laws written in a language that everyone in the country could understand instead of these overblown phrases. The original (Bill of Rights) was pretty easy and everybody knows what they are.

I think we need to dismantle the incredible bureaucracy. I’m not advocating a wild revolt. I’m just saying that we have to reorganize the way we spend money.

It’s stupid to take tax money from California and send it to Washington, D.C., where it has to be processed and so that Washington can send it back to Sacramento so Sacramento can disburse it. Wouldn’t it be just as easy for us to do it here?

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CHRIS BILLER

Owner, Greta’s Guns, Simi Valley

I don’t hate the government. It works very well when it comes to the military, investigative agencies, the Defense Department, the State Department.

But the states should be independent from the federal government when it comes to welfare. I don’t believe people in Washington can tell people in California, or people in Illinois, how to run the welfare system.

Government is complicated, dehumanizing, there’s no sense of reality. Not that I think they should destroy it. This is our country. Let’s simplify it.

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MARK PENIKAS

Former police officer, California Youth Authority, Simi Valley

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They’re going after guns, but guns are not the problem. Why should it take three strikes to put somebody away for good? Why not do it on the first strike?

I think the federal and state governments, in an effort to be politically correct with the interest groups, have lost touch with what needs to be done. They need to take the common-sense approach, not the politically correct one.