June 15, 2004
In 1984, President Ronald Reagan boldly withdrew the United States from the United Nations Economic, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to the "glee of conservatives and despair of liberals," as long-time Reagan advisor Lyn Nofziger recalls in his 1992 book. Mr. Nofziger continues, "UNESCO is one of those international organizations that always had one hand dipped in Uncle Sam's pocket while the other was shaking a fist in his face. America's withdrawal was one of those little victories conservatives won during the Reagan years...."
Unfortunately, in 2003, Congress approved more than $60 million to undo President Reagan's work and began paying "dues" to rejoin UNESCO. The U.S. will continue to pay $60 million annually -- which is a whopping 25% of UNESCO's entire yearly budget -- and leave the other 190 "member states" to divide up the remainder.
UNESCO seeks to levy an unconstitutional "global tax" for Internet use on U.S. citizens.
UNESCO has already laid claim to 47 "United Nations biosphere preserves" in the U.S. (more than 70 million acres) and bypasses congressional authority to tell us how we must manage our own land.
UNESCO further undermines U.S. sovereignty by forcing the U.S. to adhere to U.N. global policies and may even force unconstitutional restraints on U.S. freedom of the press.
UNESCO supports the "hate-America" global "cultural diversity" convention and interferes in the education policies of its member countries to control school curriculum and create "global citizens."
Even though Congress eventually approved the $60 million in annual dues to UNESCO, 145 members of the U.S. House voted on July 22, 2003 to withhold those funds. So there is still a sizeable block of opposition to UNESCO in the U.S. House.
To build on that opposition, Congressmen Ron Paul, Donald Manzullo, Steve King and Congresswoman Jo Ann Davis, on June 3, 2004, introduced H. Con. Res. 443 declaring that the U.S. should withdraw from UNESCO. Immediately, Representatives Roscoe Bartlett, Sam Johnson, Jeff Flake and John Culberson signed on as cosponsors. But we must have more.
Ask your U.S. representative to stand up for U.S. independence and send a strong signal to the promoters of global governance. Please urge your representative to become a cosponsor of H. Con. Res. 443 by going to
http://capwiz.com/liberty/issues/bills/?bill=5994861Kent Snyder
The Liberty Committee
http://www.thelibertycommittee.org