A petition posted on the White House web site calling for the secession of Pennsylvania from the United State has garnered more than 7,100 signatures.
Among them, at least 16 people from the Central Susquehanna Valley.
The hotbed of secession fever? Selinsgrove, home to three people -- identified only by their first names and initial of their last names on the petition, Kevin F., Kim G. and Nate R.
Elsewhere, there were two signatories from Herndon and Mifflinburg, along with petitioners from Sunbury, Northumberland milton, Winfield, Danville, McClure and Lewisburg.
Not all signatories include a hometown and many of those who signed the petition asking the Pennsylvania be allowed to secede from the union describe themselves as residents of other states. The petition does not explain why people in other states want the Commonwealth to be removed from the U.S.
The White House website explains of the review process for petitions that get 25,000 signatures in a 30 day period: "If a petition meets the signature threshold, it will be reviewed by the Administration and we will issue a response."
Secession petitions have been created for more than dozen states.
Counter-petitions have also been created. One -- with 1,000 signatures -- calls for the deportation of anyone who signed a secession petition. Another -- 1,100 signatures -- demands that all secessionists be stripped of their citizenship.
The online petition is at:https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/peacefully-grant-state-pennsylvania-withdraw-united-states-america-and-create-its-own-new-government/0d7vMsmb
The counter petition is at: https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/strip-citizenship-everyone-who-signed-petition-secede-and-exile-them/ZbMjcwPf
