Utah town declares independence from United Nations

By The Associated Press,
freedomforum.org staff

07.06.01

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La Verkin, Utah, City Councilman Al Snow, left, autographs a draft copy of the town's new anti-U.N. ordinance for resident Bob Kelly, right, after the council voted for the ordinance on July 4.

SALT LAKE CITY — The tiny Utah town of La Verkin doesn't want any part of the United Nations. The town celebrated Independence Day by declaring itself a United Nations-free zone.

While supporters say the ordinance endorses freedom, some civil libertarians say it impinges on the First Amendment rights of residents.

Sensing a threat from the world organization, the La Verkin City Council held a special session on July 4 to approve an anti-U.N. ordinance by a vote of 3-2.

Many of the law's supporters fear their land is in jeopardy from the United Nations. The 3,400 folks in this southwestern Utah town 22 miles from Zion National Park are keenly protective of their property, always looking out for federal — or in this case, international — interference.

The law prohibits the city from spending money to support the United Nations or putting U.N. insignia on city property.

Individual residents are still allowed to support the United Nations, The Salt Lake Tribune reports, but are required to file annual reports to the city and post signs that read, "United Nations work conducted here."

Carol Gnade, the executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union's Utah chapter, says the law violates residents' freedom of speech and association. Gnade calls the sign requirement "preposterous" and likens it to the identification Jews were forced to wear under the Nazis, according to the Tribune.

"That certainly is an invasion of privacy," Gnade told the Tribune.

Two-thirds of Utah is owned by the federal government, and those who favor the ordinance say U.N. environmental policies could sway how the feds use that land.

That's what prompted Councilman Al Snow to propose the ordinance. And he's not afraid of those who might question the wisdom of the move.

"Oh, I imagine that every time you stand up for freedom, you're a radical, aren't you? But this isn't radical. When you stand up for freedom, God is there with you. And that's what it's all about," Snow said. He added that he is doing this for his grandchildren.

But Gnade says the law is misguided.

"If they're doing it for their grandchildren, they should teach them some tolerance," Gnade said.

Snow got the idea for the U.N. ban from Texan Daniel New. New is the father of former Army medic Michael New, who was court-martialed in 1996 after refusing to wear a U.N. beret and insignia for peacekeeping duty in Macedonia.

New also gave the town a draft of the ordinance which he is peddling across the West, said Councilman Kelly Wilson.

"Some believe, and it's apparently true, that the U.N. is supporting the global environmental movement. That's absolutely wrong, tying up the public land. I think it's a big issue all over the West," said Wilson, who voted against the ordinance, wanting instead to outline the town's anti-U.N. stance in a resolution rather than an ordinance.

"It's basically a statement opposing the U.N. and the United States' association with the U.N. I guess people are afraid the U.N. will take control of all the countries," Wilson said.

Rhonda Shore, spokeswoman for the State Department, said the United Nations makes only nonbinding resolutions about the environment, which individual governments are free to ignore. U.N. officials said they had no comment, though several said they had heard about La Verkin's ordinance.

Virgin, a town of 400 six miles east of La Verkin, plans to consider a similar anti-U.N. ordinance July 19. So far, that town is best known for its ordinance requiring residents to own guns.

Although La Verkin may now stand alone in its homegrown fight against U.N. oppression, there was an attempt in Montana this year to pass a resolution denouncing the organization.

Rep. Bob Davies, R-Bozeman, didn't get his resolution out of a legislative committee. It would have urged the United States to pull out of the United Nations, claiming the organization was encroaching on the U.S. Constitution.

Update

Utah attorney general: Town's anti-U.N. law is unconstitutional
Mark Shurtleff urges La Verkin City Council to repeal ordinance declaring town United Nations-free zone and either rewrite it or replace it with nonbinding resolution.  07.19.01