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The more I see of Republic of Texas shenannigans, the more nauseated I
get. Now they're trying to take over all the banks in Texas! It was sort
of amusing when they claimed the state capitol and tried to oust the
governor. And I teased Judge Bunton about Rick McLaren's naming him the
official representative of the United States to identify and turn over
all U.S. property in Texas to the Republic. But now they're messing with
my money, and it ain't funny.
What to do? That's the question Judge Bunton asked himself just before
McLaren's "show cause" hearing Thursday on violating terms of his
release on bail. Showing me a stack of papers McLaren had sent him,
Judge Bunton said, "That's just today's. I get a stack like that every
day." Most of the papers were declarations of intent to renounce U.S.
citizenship.
I suggested the judge throw them all in jail. "Then we'd just have to
feed them," he said. He didn't throw McLaren in jail, but Congress may
wish he had when they start getting all that junk in their mailbox.
Because McLaren said he will "load them up" with papers like he's been
sending Bunton. And more besides, I am sure.
I liked the quote by a banker in Monday's «MDUL»Enterprise:«MDNM»
``This fellow appears to be a couple enchiladas short of a
combination plate,'' says John Heasley of Austin, general counsel of the
Texas Bankers Association.
I think he was talking about the Republic's treasurer, who took
offense. But that statement would apply to McLaren and the other
Republic "citizens" I talked to over at the courthouse.
For example: Don Varnell, some official whose title I don't recall, was
talking to another "citizen" about the "First Diplomatic Conference of
Transition of the Nation of Texas" that McLaren called for the federal
courtroom at the same time of his hearing Thursday. In all seriousness,
Varnell said that the flags of both nations (U.S. and Republic of Texas)
are supposed to fly at equal heights outside the building where a
diplomatic conference is held. "But they only have one flagpole," he
said.
He doesn't know it, but Court Security Officer Gary Ingram had already
told me no Republic of Texas "citizen" nor anyone else was taking our
flag down. My impression is they would have had a fight on their hands
if they had messed with Gary or any other law enforcement officer
helping out with security that day. In fact, Gary wouldn't even let any
of them into the courthouse before noon. And he was right. We didn't
need any extra onlookers with all the Brito family there during that big
drug trial.
Precinct 3 Commissioner Herman Tarin asked me Monday if Judge Bunton
had gone over to the Republic's side. No way! In fact, he told McLaren
emphatically he wants nothing to do with them, and they are not to call
any more meetings for the courthouse. If McLaren "loads up" Congress
with papers, they may pass a law making it illegal to file such stuff.
Judge Bunton is limited in what he can do, but Congress is not.
I wouldn't be surprised to see Texas Attorney General Dan Morales take
some action to stop the craziness. I don't know what it would be, but
somebody has to do something. This has dragged on for 10 years just in
Jeff Davis County, and probably longer than that in San Antonio. A
reporter from there told me last week that the dethroned president. J.C.
VanKirk, started the movement, and "they are crazy."
We all know what happened in Montana when the Freemen kept breaking the
law and were finally cornered. That is what Judge Bunton was trying to
avoid. And McLaren has admitted that similar militias in Texas have been
organized as defense and security forces. Up to now, he says, the war he
declared on the U.S. is a paper war, but he indicated Thursday it could
escalate to violence if necessary. But if I were McLaren, I would do
everything in my power to avoid going back to Bunton's court.
"A man who remains stiff-necked after many rebukes will suddenly be
destroyed - without remedy." Proberts 29:1, NIV.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Peggy McCracken is an Enterprise writer and editor whose
column appears each Tuesday.
With due respect to the nation's numismatists, the proposal by U.S.
Rep. Michael Castle (R-Del.) needs to be rung up as ``no sale.''
Castle is proposing a change for the face of the 25-cent piece. He
wants 50 new designs for the quarter to be introduced at the rate of
five a year for 10 years, the designs to honor each of the states in
order of statehood (odd, don't you think, that Delaware would come
first?)
Instead of George Washington, we would be treated to an array of
coinage that ``will not just make history but help teach our children
and all Americansbout federalism and our history,'' says Castle.
Ah, if it were only that simple. More likely, our children and all
Americans would be treated to endless bickering from every
special-interest or group of supposed victims in every state, or even
between states.
Let's just review some of the mischief possible. The Commonwealth of
Virginia is already well represented on the nation's money. But there is
a glaring omission - no coin or bill honors the greatest military leader
Virginia, perhaps the nation, has ever produced. Putting Robert E. Lee
on the quarter would probably be a hard sell, however.
What kind of fight are we likely to have in Texas? The Alamo? Seen it.
The Lone Star? Seen it, too. We'd like to see Tex Ritter, Mission
Control, Sam Houston or Spindletop, but people may have other ideas -
some of them pretty bizarre - like Larry Hagman or a longhorn skull.
Then there are the specious ideas, those designs people in one state
might suggest for another - Georgia crackers, Wisconsin cheese wedges,
California marijuana plants, Montana militiamen.
There's lots of great state symbolism out there. The Wyoming buffalo.
The South Carolina palmetto. The Louisiana pelican. The Alaska North
Star. The Vermont maple leaf.
Wish we could say that there would be instant agreement among the
states as to who, or what, should be chosen to symbolize each. But given
the current climate the quarter is best left alone. Let's keep President
George Washington.
The Marshall News Messenger
Copyright 1996 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may
not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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Dear Editor:
This is a rebuttal to the paragraphs in the July 12
Enterprise in regard to the Toyah school house.
The city of Toyah leased the school house from Pecos-Barstow-Toyah ISD
in the early part of 1990 to use it for the senior citizen meal program
and other community events. The lease was for 10 years for $1 a year.
The city paid the $10 at that time. The lease stated the city would see
that the building was kept clean and used only under the laws that
prohibits the use of alcoholic beverages, etc. and that the ISD would
keep it repaired. The ISD did do repairs for a couple of years.
According to a tape recording and the minutes of the city council, Mr.
Sotelo came to the council meeting April 13, 1993 and. He "stated that
the Pecos-Barstow-Toyah ISD had already voted to sell the building to
the city of Toyah for $1. He further stated that they would fix the
roof... Motion was then made to buy the school building for $1... All
voted and the motion was passed."
City council meeting May 10, 1993 "Mayor stated she had been in touch
with Mr. Sotelo who informed her that the work on the roof would begin
in June."
I take offense to the statement printed in the paper, "It's sad that
Toyah caused this situation and cost to the tax payers, when we offered
them the building."
The roof is still not repaired! So who threw the first stone?
A tax payer in Reeves County,
Charlotte Waight
Toyah
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