2016 Postmortem
Related: About this forumFrom His Home in Russia, #Calexit Leader Plots California Secession
On paper, the leader of the California secession movement lives in an apartment complex near San Diego’s Golden Hill neighborhood. But in reality, the Calexit campaign is being run by a 30-year-old who lives and works in a city on the edge of Siberia.
Louis Marinelli heads the secessionist group Yes California. Following the election of Donald Trump to the presidency, the organization has gone from an unknown fringe group to one discussed seriously in mainstream media.
What has not been discussed as prominently is Marinelli’s deep ties to Russia.
A former right-wing activist from Buffalo, New York, Marinelli first moved to Russia almost a decade ago. He studied at St. Petersburg State University, the alma mater of Russian President Vladimir Putin. He returned to the United States to campaign against LGBTQ rights as part of the National Organization for Marriage.
Marinelli then returned to Russia. He would marry a Russian citizen, and the couple moved to San Diego, where Marinelli launched a political career based on a platform of California secession.
“I immigrated to California, and I consider myself to be a Californian,” Marinelli says from his apartment in Yekaterinburg, a city of about 1.4 million just east of the Ural Mountains and about 1,000 miles from Moscow.
In an interview with The California Report, Marinelli confirms he’s living and working in Russia as a teacher.
More in link plus audio: http://ww2.kqed.org/news/2016/12/13/from-his-home-in-russia-calexit-leader-plots-california-secession/
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Madam45for2923
(7,178 posts)A former right-wing activist from Buffalo, New York, Marinelli first moved to Russia almost a decade ago. He studied at St. Petersburg State University, the alma mater of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
flamingdem
(39,916 posts)Easier for him to dominate the world, nice
Madam45for2923
(7,178 posts)Coyotl
(15,262 posts)
flamingdem
(39,916 posts)to Gasprom 
Madam45for2923
(7,178 posts)
Pachamama
(17,013 posts)
As a Californian I don't know what pisses me off more: That he is a former New Yorker or lives in Russia....
I am almost speechless...
Maven
(10,533 posts)and all of his former work against same-sex marriage, announced his support for marriage rights, and posted several articles critical of NOM after resigning.
Madam45for2923
(7,178 posts)The grassroots campaign shares Marinelli’s belief that a state has a right to self-determination, he claims.
His plans include a resource center that will educate Russian locals on Californian history and culture, foster trade relations, and encourage tourism. Marinelli clarified that the embassy will not conduct diplomatic affairs, but rather, serve as a promotional front for Yes California.
Marinelli envisions a network of Yes California hubs around the world someday.
"We want to establish connections with the people of these countries so that when the time comes, we have the ability to reach out and say, 'Californians just double-opted into independence. Will you now recognize that and therefore recognize our independence from the United States as a country?'" Marinelli said.
The Yes California campaign aims to put a measure on a 2018 ballot that, if passed, would bring California one step closer to legally seceding from the union.
http://www.businessinsider.com/california-secession-calexit-embassy-russia-2016-11
budkin
(6,849 posts)Won't support it in Texas or in California
Madam45for2923
(7,178 posts)Coyotl
(15,262 posts)NCTraveler
(30,481 posts)Running away is not a good plan, and will not help us in 2018 at all.
Madam45for2923
(7,178 posts)