Letter: Remember what the Declaration is about

The Fourth of July is upon us again. Let's all focus on the easily forgotten significance of the great Declaration. Freedom of the individual and a republican form of government were the results of desperate colonists' efforts to divest themselves of the obnoxious, insufferable yoke of an oppressive British government.

Remember your history? Intolerable acts, quartering of troops in colonial homes, stamp and tea acts and general taxation without representation together with the inability of the British army to defend our people against the sadistic rapacity of eastern tribesmen. Then, too, several generations of young Americans had gained self reliance through self government, and their colonial militia defenses enabled America to be unique among all generations.

In 1789 our great Constitution with its Bill of Rights protected the rights of the individual person and states against federal tyranny.

Contrast that scene with today. Imagine the horror of the Founding Fathers were they to return from the grave to see an unrepentant, immoral president - one who hates the military, has given aid and comfort to our Vietnam enemies, and has recently participated in giving our defense secrets to communist China and North Korea. Worse perhaps is the unprecedented vicious use of executive orders to bypass our elected senators making mockery of the "advise and consent" prerogative of the Senate. They would wonder why no outrage at the likes of Madeline Allbright and Strobe Talbot, who unabashedly expressed the belief that our sovereignty should be replaced by U.N. domination! What about Clinton's invitation to Chinese communist military officers to tour our Fallon top gun naval installation?

Where are the Michael Nus who will resist the president's unlawful orders to wear U.N. uniforms and insignia and who will refuse to swear loyalty to the United Nations?

Finally, and above all, let us remember that our citizens are endowed by their Creator with unalienable rights and that Creator is the God of the Bible. Remember, it was our Founding Fathers' religious and moral views that have given birth to our freedoms.

ROBERT S. SHAW

Carson City