My Story

I Wasn't Always Asking These Questions

Growing up on the west side of Detroit, I never imagined that one day I would be questioning the very systems I had been taught to respect.

Like most Americans, I grew up hearing words such as freedom, liberty, equality, rights, and justice. They were presented as the foundation of this country. We learned about them in school, repeated them in conversations, and accepted their meaning without always examining the documents from which they came.

But hearing about freedom and understanding how the law actually operates are two entirely different things.

I eventually began to recognize that distinction through my own experiences.

When the Questions Became Personal

My experiences with the legal system forced me to confront questions I could no longer ignore.

Who determines the rules that govern our lives? Where does government authority originate? What is the difference between what we are taught about the law and what the actual governing documents say?

And perhaps most importantly, how can someone understand their rights if they have never been taught how to examine the documents that define them?

Those questions changed the direction of my life.

I began looking beyond explanations and opinions. I wanted to examine the actual language of constitutions, statutes, court decisions, historical records, and government documents.

I discovered that understanding these materials required more than reading a few passages or accepting someone else's interpretation. It required examining definitions, identifying context, tracing sources, and being willing to challenge my own assumptions.

Sometimes the documents raised more questions than they answered.

That only made the investigation more important to me.

Why I Wrote LAWS

LAWS: Living Autonomous Without Sovereignty grew out of that investigation.

I wanted to examine the relationship between individuals and the institutions that exercise authority over their lives. I wanted to explore the documents, classifications, legal processes, and historical developments that most people encounter without ever being encouraged to investigate for themselves.

My purpose is not to tell readers that every conclusion I've reached must be accepted as truth.

My purpose is to challenge readers to investigate.

Because there is a difference between knowing what someone told you the law means and being able to locate the actual source, read it, and evaluate the claim for yourself.

Throughout this process, I've learned that questioning authority also requires questioning your own understanding. If an argument cannot be supported, it needs to be reconsidered. If a source contradicts a conclusion, that contradiction deserves attention.

The documents must matter more than the argument.

This Is Bigger Than My Story

My experiences brought me to these questions, but LAWS is not intended to be only about me.

It is about the systems we encounter from birth, the documents that follow us through life, the institutions that shape our understanding, and the questions that too often go unasked.

I want readers to think critically about those relationships, examine the evidence, and reach conclusions based on what they can actually establish.

You don't have to agree with me.

You don't have to accept my interpretations.

But I want you to ask yourself one question:

Do you know what you've been taught is true — or have you simply never been given a reason to question it?

My story explains why I started asking.

LAWS is where I invite you to investigate those questions for yourself.

Show the document. Ask the question.

— Kae Tusmoove