Several thousand people want Illinois to secede from the United States.

Some live here and wish to withdraw, while others live elsewhere and want to throw us out, but all told, 4,500 have signed a petition at www.WhiteHouse.gov for Illinois to leave the United States. The petition was started by a Pekin resident earlier this week.

Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan is unaware of any legal way for Illinois to secede, and she thinks it’s a dumb idea. “We have fought the Civil War. I don’t think that there is a legitimate interest in this state, let alone this country, to go through that again. We may have different opinions, we may have different beliefs, but it is my opinion and my belief that we are a stronger nation because of our diversity,” she said.

She says the petition appears to be motivated by those unhappy with last week’s election results.

The petition is at https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/peacefully-grant-state-illinois-withdraw-united-states-america-and-create-its-own-new-government/95d2JNCj

If the petition gets 25,000 signatures by Dec. 11, the White House promises a response. Similar petitions are under way in all 50 states.