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The Conch Republic was established by secession of the
Florida Keys from the United States of America, on April
23rd, 1982 in response to a United States Border Patrol
Blockade setup on highway U.S.1 at Florida City just to
the north of the Florida Keys. This heinous act effectively
isolated Keys Citizens from the U.S. mainland since the
blockade was on our only land artery to and from the mainland.
This roadblock portrayed Keys residents as non-U.S. citizens
who had to prove their citizenship in order to drive onto
the Florida mainland! Hardly an American thing to do!
We protested! A totally American thing to do! Key West
Mayor Dennis Wardlow along with a few other 'key' Conchs,
went to Federal court in Miami to seek an injunction
to stop the federal blockade, but to no avail. Upon
leaving the Federal Court House , on the court house
steps , Mayor Wardlow announced to the world, by way
of the assembled TV crews and reporters, that ; "Tomorrow
at noon the Florida Keys will secede from the Union!"
At noon, on the day of secession, at Mallory Square
in Key West Florida, Mayor Wardlow read the proclamation
of secession and proclaimed aloud that the Conch Republic
was an independent nation separate from the U.S. and
then symbolically began the Conch Republic's Civil Rebellion
by breaking a loaf of stale Cuban bread over the head
of a man dressed in a U.S. Navy uniform. After one minute
of rebellion, the now, Prime Minister Wardlow turned
to the Admiral in charge of the Navy Base at Key West,
and surrendered to the Union Forces, and demanded 1
Billion dollars in foreign aid and War Relief to rebuild
our nation after the long Federal siege!
Thus began our Conch Republic journey which still continues
today! We are both Conchs and we are Americans and we
are proud to be both. By act of Congress we hold dual
citizenship as Conchs and as Americans and will fight
for the right to be both!
Contrary to recent reports, the name "Conch Republic"
refers to "all"of the Florida Keys, or, that
geographic apportionment of land that falls within the
legally defined boundaries of Monroe County Florida,
northward to "Skeeter's Last Chance Saloon"
in Florida City , Dade County Florida, with Key West
as the Nation's Capitol and all territories north of
Key West being referred to as "The Northern Territories".
Be it known that these boundaries were established by
the U.S. Government when they set up "THE"
Border Patrol blockade in front of "Skeeter's Last
Chance Saloon", in April of 1982, thereby establishing
a new United States border!
To enforce the validity of our secession, the Monroe
County Commission, in 1994, by unanimous vote, did pass
a County Resolution recognizing Mayor Wardlow's actions,
on the 23rd of April in 1982, as by, of and for the
people of the Florida Keys. |
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