
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, December 30, 1993                   TAG: 9401140033
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: A10   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: ROBERT S. TERRY
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

PRINCIPLES, NOT PEROT, GUIDE GROUP

A NUMBER of times over the past year, the perception of our organization has been misconstrued. At other times, it appears that what we are has been overtly distorted, even if for no other purpose than to minimize our impact on issues. This is being written to define us at least to the extent that readers of this letter to the editor can't be deceived on this point again.

United We Stand America is a force, not an individual.

If someone persuades people to his beliefs, they're his followers. But if people hear someone express their viewpoint and they support his presentation of those views in the public forum, he's their spokesman. Failure to recognize this difference explains the continually repeated error our news media and politicians make whenever they wishfully try to write off United We Stand America by writing off Ross Perot.

To destroy, silence or render ineffective a band of followers, you need only to discredit the head of the group. As the source of their beliefs, his fall is the end of the group.

On the other hand, ``taking down'' a spokesman cannot change the fundamental nature of beliefs that never were dependent on him. Thus, the group is much more difficult to dispose of. In fact, attempts to silence the spokesman via attacks on the ideas he professes only serve to arouse the ire and resentment of the people, since to insult the ideas is to insult the people.

United We Stand America members begin with a belief that:

The public needs to regain control of its government.

Our nation must regain its solvency.

The use of terms like ``deficit reduction'' are deliberate attempts to deceive. Say ``debt reduction,'' stupid!

We the people, not our government, are best qualified to spend our money on our behalf.

Foreign control via lobbyists is wrong and it must end.

Our elected representatives, and those they appoint to make and enforce our rules, shouldn't be for sale.

All Americans, Congress included, should be subject to all our laws without qualification.

All of our government's business is our business, and it should be open and ``on the table.''

These principles and their corollaries are so fundamental to us that, no matter who the spokesman or what his fate, they cannot be shaken.

Robert S. Terry of Bedford is a civil-engineering consultant.

by CNB