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OPEN FORUM: Perspective On Nevada Day

 November 6th, 2013 |  Author: vrobison

By CLIVEN BUNDY

Thanks for reminding! Home Means Nevada to me! (From the Editor’s Desk, Remembering the Reason For Nevada And, For That Matter, Which Day It Is: Progress, October 30, 2013)

Fifty years ago, all Nevada schools were invited to participate in a Nevada Day Display Contest having to do with celebrating the centennial of admission of Nevada into the Union. The Project was turned over to the Virgin Valley FFA and then given to me.

I went to the scrap iron bin in the back of the school shop and started to pull steel out. After a time of piecing, cutting, welding and cutting bark off an old cottonwood tree to make the buckhorn handgrips, I had built a gun at school. It was an eight foot replica of an old .45 caliber pistol, only this one was a 600 caliber.

It was displayed in front of Virgin Valley Elementary and High School offices for several months to remind us that that year, 100 years ago, We the People of the territory of Nevada were admitted as a state to join the Union of the United States of America, under the equal footing, with sovereignty, equal representation in Congress, and with borders or state lines around us, with subdivisions (county government closest to We the People) and a county sheriff to protect our life, liberty and property. We now have the U.S. Constitution, declared by President Lincoln to be admitted equal what-so-ever to the original 13 states.

Mr. Ed Presley stated in a recent court document, “It doesn’t matter what happens in the enabling act. It’s what happens at the moment of statehood that matters.”

Nevada is a state. Its people have the fullness of the inspired U.S. Constitution. We no longer live under territory law, (USC ar. 4.3) where Congress has unlimited power to make all rules and regulations. No, we cannot ask the executive branch of our government to give our public land back, nor can we ask legislative, nor would or could the judicial courts.

It is not ethical or moral to ask for something WE ALREADY HAVE guaranteed to us: We the People of the great state of Nevada, home that we love.

On this day, October 31, and throughout this 150th sesquicentennial year, we should remember our pilgrim fathers that left their home countries seeking freedom, liberty and agency to be able to develop a soul of love and knowledge. After 200 years on this continent they still had not sought after these attributes. England’s strong central government had ruling power, with the strongest armies on the earth. So We the People fought and we won. We the People formed the U.S. Constitution, giving the Unites States limited power, reserving the power to the states and to its people. Only 10 miles square of this continent was set aside for the U.S. government.

We should not ask, nor can we be given what WE ALREADY HAVE. Let us act like the GREAT STATE that we are!

The gun that was built at school did win the state contest.

Cliven Bundy is the last cattle rancher still standing in northeastern Clark County. He resides in Bunkerville, Nevada.