Virgin arms as UN spectre haunts rural Utah

I am indebted this week for the subject matter of my letter home to Patrice St Germain, diligent correspondent of the St George Spectrum, a publication from rural Utah, which has passed me by until now. But, thanks to the eagle eye of the Washington Times, I will be keeping a Skibbereen Eagle-like watch on this august journal.

For, amidst the headlines "Old Cat Looking For New Home" and "Drought Might Surpass Records" was one over Patrice's byline that may presage a movement that could shake the foundations of our global order: "Virgin Council: No UN-free zone".

According to Patrice, the Council of Virgin (pop. 400) has deferred a decision to declare the town a "UN-free zone" but looks certain to do so on July 19th.

And nearby La Verkin (pop. 2,000) intends to get there first, on July 4th. La Verkin Mayor, Mr Dan Howard, hopes it will start a trend. "We've been pushed far enough, and long enough," Howard told the Salt Lake Tribune. "We're tired of marching to [the UN] 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."

Fighting talk. The proposed ordinance creates a "United Nations-free zone" that would ban aiding the organisation with town funds, displaying any UN symbols on town property and prohibit the "involuntary servitude" of any resident in UN peacekeeping activities.

Those who support the organisation would be required to post signs that say "United Nations work conducted here". This Virgin is no shrinking violet. Last year, championing the Second Amendment the town became the first in the US to require the head of every household to own a gun. "It's all about freedom," one supporter said.

The proverbial straw that broke the camel's back this time is the shocking story of the UN's treatment in 1996 of Daniel New's son Michael, described by the former when he attended both councils last week. Young New has become a cause celebre to the looney right because he refused, while serving as a medic with US forces deployed under UN mandate in Macedonia, to wear a UN cap badge or take orders from a Finnish general.

Not surprisingly, he was court-martialled and discharged from the army, a decision he has unsuccessfully appealed through the military courts for five years. He is now embarking on civil litigation.

Virgin's mayor, Mr Jay Lee, was sceptical at first. But he told Patrice that then he realised the UN controls two of the four things needed for a one-world government. "The United Nations control finances and fuel," Mr Lee said. "All they need to control now is food and firearms."

Another council member, Mr Ernell Thayne, told the meeting of a time when he was in Guatemala when UN officials came into a small town to investigate human rights violations. "This can happen here," he warned.

Mr Fred Johnson thanked Mr New for coming to the meeting and told the council that there is a groundswell going on. "It's the only way to get our country back," he said. "You start on the local level and go up . . . We are actually in a war with the federal government."

Ms Megan Anderson said she had seen a lot of brainwashing in school. "I didn't know until now there is a problem with the UN but we are losing freedom," she said.

Ms Shaunna Johnson said that groups like the Grand Canyon Trust and the park service were working directly with the United Nations. "The UN controls the Virgin River and how land is managed," she said. "The Zion National Park plan intends on removing flood controls. If it does that, it is a threat to our community." Mr Lee said several council members have had problems with the park.

And La Verkin councilman Mr Al Snow shares concerns about a sinister alliance between the parks service and the UN. He told the Times that was why he had become involved in the anti-UN campaign.

"The UN is trying to get involved in too much of our lives. We live in the West and we see parks now where part of the fees that they earn goes to the UN, because it is biosphere (sic)," he claimed. "Eighty three per cent of our state's land is federal and they have made deals with the UN to do certain things and have not even considered the people who live here.

"I can see our country's sovereignty slowly slipping away," he said.

Forewarned is forearmed. psmyth@irish-times.ie