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The [[w:Associated Press|Associated Press]] had run a story on new country projects that made mention of Grand Duke Travis and Westarctica. Unfortunately, his supervisors at his day job in the Navy didn't find the concept of Westarctica as fascinating as their civilian contemporaies. He was given a choice: either dump Westarctica, or lose his security clearance and thus his job. So in January 2006, Travis contacted his closest friend in the Westarctican government, Philip Karns, the Duke of Ravencroft, and Minister of Information, to ask if he would be willing to take over the reins of government. | The [[w:Associated Press|Associated Press]] had run a story on new country projects that made mention of Grand Duke Travis and Westarctica. Unfortunately, his supervisors at his day job in the Navy didn't find the concept of Westarctica as fascinating as their civilian contemporaies. He was given a choice: either dump Westarctica, or lose his security clearance and thus his job. So in January 2006, Travis contacted his closest friend in the Westarctican government, Philip Karns, the Duke of Ravencroft, and Minister of Information, to ask if he would be willing to take over the reins of government. | ||
[[File: | [[File:Grand_Duke_Travis.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Grand Duke Travis was photographed by Gabriela Alvarez for the Associated Press, April 2015.]] | ||
=== The Reign of Two Grand Dukes (2006 - 2010) === | === The Reign of Two Grand Dukes (2006 - 2010) === | ||
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On 23 June 23 [[2008]], Travis received an impassioned e-mail from the Duke of Moulton-Berlin, Jon-Lawrence Langer, a fellow Pennsylvania native and longtime member of Westarctica. In the e-mail, he asked some very important questions, and made some profound statements about how the intrepid vision behind Westarctica had changed his life. After a chain of e-mails and phone calls back and forth, Travis and Jon-Lawrence were able to convince Grand Duke Philip to step down from the throne. His final words before abdication were tired, but honest: “''If they want it, the crown is theirs''”. | On 23 June 23 [[2008]], Travis received an impassioned e-mail from the Duke of Moulton-Berlin, Jon-Lawrence Langer, a fellow Pennsylvania native and longtime member of Westarctica. In the e-mail, he asked some very important questions, and made some profound statements about how the intrepid vision behind Westarctica had changed his life. After a chain of e-mails and phone calls back and forth, Travis and Jon-Lawrence were able to convince Grand Duke Philip to step down from the throne. His final words before abdication were tired, but honest: “''If they want it, the crown is theirs''”. | ||
[[File: | [[File:Jon-Lawrence.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Grand Duke Jon-Lawrence.]] | ||
Jon-Lawrence eagerly replied, “''I invite the challenge''”. And without further delay, the throne, crown, and full dictatorial power of Westarctica was peacefully passed from one citizen to another. In response, the new Grand Duke launched ''westarctica.org'', and proudly proclaimed the restoration of Westarctica's government and his ascension to the throne. After the new website was launched, the world was once again interested in the goings-on in Westarctica. Within the first six months of his ascension to the throne, Grand Duke Jon-Lawrence was faced with multiple attacks on Westarctica's sovereignty. All the individuals who had made claims to Marie Byrd Land while Philip was incommunicado suddenly rose to the surface and started questioning the status of our claim. The Grand Duke took a heavy-handed approach in dealing with the challengers, issuing ultimatums that left no wiggle room for negotiation. | Jon-Lawrence eagerly replied, “''I invite the challenge''”. And without further delay, the throne, crown, and full dictatorial power of Westarctica was peacefully passed from one citizen to another. In response, the new Grand Duke launched ''westarctica.org'', and proudly proclaimed the restoration of Westarctica's government and his ascension to the throne. After the new website was launched, the world was once again interested in the goings-on in Westarctica. Within the first six months of his ascension to the throne, Grand Duke Jon-Lawrence was faced with multiple attacks on Westarctica's sovereignty. All the individuals who had made claims to Marie Byrd Land while Philip was incommunicado suddenly rose to the surface and started questioning the status of our claim. The Grand Duke took a heavy-handed approach in dealing with the challengers, issuing ultimatums that left no wiggle room for negotiation. | ||
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=== The Founder Returns (2010 - 2014) === | === The Founder Returns (2010 - 2014) === | ||
[[File:TravisArticle.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Article featuring the Grand Duke | [[File:TravisArticle.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Article featuring the Grand Duke Travis.]] | ||
Throughout the month of May in the year [[2010]], Wolf was in constant contact with Travis in regard to Westarctican affairs. There was great concern that our nation had once again fallen into a spate of non-activity and was again relegated to the dustbin of world history. Wolf enthusiastically encouraged Travis to return to a position of leadership, and offered to be of service in any way necessary. He desperately wanted to fulfill the resolution to the conflicting claims that he had negotiated in previous years. Many of the claimants had become respected new country leaders in their own right, with the [[Grand Duchy of Flandrensis]] garnering even more press coverage than Westarctica. | Throughout the month of May in the year [[2010]], Wolf was in constant contact with Travis in regard to Westarctican affairs. There was great concern that our nation had once again fallen into a spate of non-activity and was again relegated to the dustbin of world history. Wolf enthusiastically encouraged Travis to return to a position of leadership, and offered to be of service in any way necessary. He desperately wanted to fulfill the resolution to the conflicting claims that he had negotiated in previous years. Many of the claimants had become respected new country leaders in their own right, with the [[Grand Duchy of Flandrensis]] garnering even more press coverage than Westarctica. | ||
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<center><gallery perrow="5" heights="100px" widths="100px"> | <center><gallery perrow="5" heights="100px" widths="100px"> | ||
File: | File:Flag_of_Westarctica.jpg|National Flag | ||
File: | File:Lesser_COA_Westarctica.jpg|Lesser Coat of Arms | ||
</gallery></center> | </gallery></center> | ||
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*[http://www.usns.info/coin-westarctica.html Grand Duchy of Westarctica on Unrecognised States Numismatic Society official website] | *[http://www.usns.info/coin-westarctica.html Grand Duchy of Westarctica on Unrecognised States Numismatic Society official website] | ||
[[Category:Monarchies]] [[Category:Micronations]] [[Category: Monarchy]] [[Category: Founded in 2001]] [[Category: North American micronations]] | [[Category:Monarchies]] [[Category:Micronations]] [[Category: Monarchy]] [[Category: Founded in 2001]] [[Category: North American micronations]] | ||
{{DEFAULTSORT:Westarctica}} | {{DEFAULTSORT:Westarctica}} |