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Show You Should Earn Your Rights An Open Letter to Mr. Patrick Diehl. I am an outsider in Escalante as Mr. Diehl is. I have been here some 1 1 years and have never been threatened by death threats, harassment, harass-ment, or intimidating phone calls. I have not tried to come in here and take away what the people feel is their right to make a living. As for you, Mr. Diehl, I would never cause harm to you or your property but I have the right not to like you and your lifestyle. I spent time in combat in Vietnam to protect pro-tect our rights. On my 24th birthday birth-day I had a rifle hit by a bullet, bending the barrel. What have you done to protect our rights? I had heard that you did not do the Pledge of Allegiance, but not wanting to believe rumors I watched for my self. In two separate meetings I had occasion to be sitting close enough to witness for myself. You did not hold your hand over your heart or even mouth the words. This is degrading to our flag. Now you want to wrap yourself in the flag and ask for its protection, -the flag that is the visible symbol of the Constitution. You degrade the flag, but ask for it's protection. I for one will not protect you. You have the right to say anything you wish and I have the right not to like you, and can say so. i I do have a rental open so let us not say we are against outsiders. I am offering to rent this home to a Kosovo refugee family, I will act as a sponsor and rent them the home but I cannot find a job for them due to lack of job opportunities in Es- calante. I will lay you a side bet that these people will pledge allegiance alle-giance at least to their flag. They have had their men killed, homes burned, and been kicked out of their country. Think they may pledge allegiance to their flag? So, Mr. Diehl if you want your rights, possibly you should earn them. Larry Withers Escalante |