Reflection 4: #calexit—Life in the Independent Republic of California
For many, an independent nation of California has long been
a dream. That dream inched a little closer to reality with the election of
Donald Trump in 2016. Trump’s consistently antagonistic relationship with our
state helped spur the “Yes
California Independence Campaign,” commonly also known as “#calexit.”
Though organizers eventually halted the initiative prior to the 2018 election,
it was the first organized effort for the state to secede from the United
States. How would you feel about California leaving the Union to become an
independent nation? Can you envision switching your citizenship from American
to Californian? What would we gain (and what would we lose) if a Republic
of California came to be? Likewise, how would you feel about living in the
state of Santa Clara or Riverside or Humboldt? Which counties (and cities) would
be winners and losers if counties became Californian states? Though it is not
likely to happen anytime soon, if ever, speculate what life would be like as a
citizen of the Republic of California?
Cite at least two of the following in your reflection:
- "What if California Seceded from the United States?" (CNN)
- "Is California a Nation-State?" (New York Times)
- "What if California Seceded from the US?" (BBC News)
- "Should California Secede and Become an Independent Nation?" (San Francisco Chronicle)
- "An independent California Isn't That Wacky of an Idea" (Salon.com)
Requirements:
- ≈ 375 words (2 pages)
- MLA Style plus Works Cited
Submission Window: Fri 4.21-Tue 4.25 (via Canvas)