Date: Thu, 04 Apr 2002 16:44:29 -0500
From: Ted White <tedwhite at compusnet.com>
To: WSFA members <WSFAlist at keithlynch.net>
Subject: [WSFA] Re: West Virginia
Reply-To: WSFA members <WSFAlist at keithlynch.net>

Steve Smith wrote:

> "Strong, Lee" wrote:
> >
> >         Yes, obscure history is very much fun!
>
> In my somewhat cynical opinion, the *only* kind of history that's any
> fun.
>
> Coupla more data points.  In 1982, Key West "seceded" from the US to
> form the Conch Republic (Motto:  "We seceded where others failed").  See
> http://www.keywestparadise.com/republic.html for details.  This was a
> "theatrical" response to a legitimate beef, and it worked.
> (Essentially, the US Government set up international border-type
> checkpoints on the bridge to Key West to look for drugs.  This was
> lethal to the tourist industry -- would *you* want to vacation in a
> place that took 8 hours to get in or out of, and run the risk of having
> your car disassembled?)
>
> New York City has talked about seceding a number of times, most recently
> in 1969.  Idea was to become a "free city", a la Singapore.  The idea
> quietly sank when somebody pointed out what would happen if NYC was cut
> off from funds coming in from the Federal and State governments ...

Presumably the *outgoing* funds to Fed and State gov't would also be cut, so
NYC would be at a net advantage, since it carries New York state on its
financial shoulders.

I lived in NYC in 1969 and don't recall that particular secession movement,
but, as a Brooklynite from 1962-70, I can tell you that there was a strong
movement for Brooklyn to seceed from New York City and regain its
independent city status.

--Ted White