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Virgin,
Utah No UN Welcome
Every
Household Will Own A Firearm
Tuesday,
June 26, 2001
BY
THOMAS BURR
(c) 2001, THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE
Most city councils have enough to do keeping the
streets clean and safe. Not La Verkin and Virgin. The rural southern Utah
towns have taken on the United Nations.
The international organization has not exactly overrun
them, but the two town councils are considering ordinances that would
erase all traces of the United Nations in their communities, citing
concerns the body is usurping the sovereignty of the United States.
"We've been pushed far enough, and long
enough," La Verkin Mayor Dan Howard said Monday. "We're tired of
marching to [the U.N.] agenda. Maybe now we can start to march on our own
agenda. Maybe La Verkin is the crucible to get the rest of the cities and
the national government to listen."
Prompting the anti-U.N. ordinance was the case of
Michael New, an Army medic from Texas who was court-martialed in 1996 for
refusing to wear a U.N. beret and insignia for peacekeeping duty in
Macedonia. New's father, Daniel New, met with both town councils last week
to discuss the proposed ordinance.
The proposed ordinance creates a "United
Nations-free zone" that would ban aiding the organization with town
funds, displaying any U.N. symbols on town property and prohibit the
"involuntary servitude" of any resident in U.N. peacekeeping
activities.
Those who support the organization would be required to
post signs that say, "United Nations work conducted here."
This is not the first time the towns, about 25 miles
northeast of St. George, have courted controversy.
A year ago, the Virgin
Town Council passed a law requiring all households to own a gun. Last
week, La Verkin passed a resolution supporting the Second Amendment right
to bear arms. The towns have also passed legislation supporting free use
of public lands and opposing federal control.
U.N. spokesman Farhan Haq said Monday that while his
office often receives criticism, this is the first time he has heard of a
U.N.-free zone. However, the organization had no comment on the issue.
"The U.N. doesn't involve itself in the internal
affairs of its member states," Haq said.
Likewise, U.S. State Department spokeswoman Susan
Pittman said this was also a first for her but said the Utah towns are
perfectly free to criticize the U.N.
La Verkin Mayor Howard acknowledged the move was
largely symbolic. But that will not stop La Verkin from making a big
splash out of it. The City Council has scheduled a special Fourth of July
meeting in which it is expected to adopt the ordinance, making it the
first such city in the nation to do so, according to Howard.
Meanwhile, Virgin officials are proceeding more
cautiously.
Virgin Mayor Jay Lee calls the ordinance "real
interesting," but is unsure his council will pass it at its next
meeting July 19.
At least one council member opposes the U.N. measure.
"It's just another radical thing that we don't need," Ken
Cornelius said.
La Verkin Councilman Al Snow, who helped draft the
ordinance, says the city is only trying to shape the debate about the
United Nations and make a statement to the federal government: The United
Nations should not control U.S. foreign policy.
Said Snow: "The Constitution is the supreme law of
the land and not some [U.N.] treaty that tries to supersede it."
tburr@sltrib.com |
