Congress can grant any American permission to be a pirate. A.J. Jacobs found out what happens when you apply.
I explained that every American had the right to seek approval to “detain and seize any seafaring vessels considered to be operated by enemies of the United States.”“Are you going to the Taiwan Strait?” Khanna asked, incredulous.“Yeah, if you want me to.”“Wow,” he said.I couldn’t tell if it was a Wow, this is cool, or a Wow, this is what I have to put up with to raise money. “It has to be voted on by the whole Congress?”“I think so.”
