National Chairman's Letter

June 2001

Dear Members and Friends of the Independent American Party,

I am pleased to announce the sixth National Conference of the Independent American Party to be held July 13-14, 2001 in Salt Lake City, Utah. Our semi-annual Conference will consist of a Friday evening Executive Committee Social; and a Saturday morning National Committee Business Meeting, afternoon Freedom (speakers) Forum, and evening Barbecue with more speakers. Everyone is invited to attend all events (though only National Committee members may speak and vote at the Business Meeting). All events are free of charge except for the cost of meals at the Friday evening Social and Saturday evening Barbecue. The barbecue is RSVP.

Schedule of Events

Executive Committee Social:  Friday, July 13, 7:00 PM at Belgian Waffle and Omelet Inn, 7331 South 900 East, Midvale (Salt Lake City), Utah. Meals range in price from $5 to $8, plus gratuity.

Business Meeting:  Saturday, July 14, 10:00 AM to Noon at Salt Lake County Commission Chambers, 2001 South State Street - North Building, Salt Lake City, Utah.

Freedom Forum:  Saturday, July 14, 1:00 PM to 3:30 PM, same location as the Business Meeting. Our featured speakers will be Frank Creel and Joel Skousen.

Barbecue (with more speakers):  Friday, July 14, 6:00 PM at David Gourley Park, 4300 West 5050 South, Kearns (Salt Lake City), Utah. The cost of the barbecue is $5 per adult. To RSVP for this event, please contact Asst. National Secretary Renee Dale at her work (801) 264-2314, home (801) 973-8288, or email ReneeD@vmh.com by July 12.

Executive Committee Social

This is the kickoff event for our National Conference and is for everyone. It is sponsored by the national Executive Committee and includes dining, visiting and commentary. Everyone may order a meal of their choice (the restaurant requires that each person order at least a drink if not a meal). After dining, we will invite our Saturday speakers to tell about themselves, and will invite everyone there to introduce themselves and add impromptu comments.

National Committee Meeting

This is the business portion of our Conference. Anyone may attend as an observer, but only members of the National Committee have floor participation privileges. The agenda will include Opening Business, Credentials, and State and National Reports. The main business will include a presentation by the Independent National Committee (INC) (which is not yet associated with the IAP), followed by floor discussion, questions and answers, and voting on what level of association we want with the INC.

Dr. Frank Creel, who is head of the INC (and one of our featured speakers later in the day), will lead the INC presentation and answer questions from the National Committee. This organization is promoting a coalition effort for like-minded third parties in the 2004 presidential election and beyond. We allied with the Constitution and Prohibition Parties in the 2000 presidential election, and may decide that an alliance with the INC will also be beneficial to the IAP and the cause of freedom. But whatever alliances and coalitions we agree to, the IAP will ensure that it preserves its identity as a sovereign political party. A few members of the INC are serving as IAP contacts in several states.

Freedom Forum

This is the highlight of our Conference. We have two featured speakers. Dr. Frank Creel, Virginia, will speak on "Religion and Patriotism;" and Joel Skousen, Utah, will speak on "Strategies for the Restoration of Liberty." We will have a patriotic musical number by Richard Wilde, Utah; and I will give closing remarks as National Chairman.

Frank Creel founded the Constitution Action Party in 1995. In March he became Chairman of the Steering Committee of the Independent National Committee. He served two years in the Peace Corps in Turkey and three years in the US Army. He separated from the service as a first lieutenant and decorated combat veteran of Vietnam. A Fulbright-Hays scholar, he earned his doctorate in Comparative Politics of the Middle East from the University of Chicago. He retired from federal service in the international trade area last November.

Frank wrote a weekly opinion column for the Potomac News between 1977 and 1984. He also had several dozen of his columns published in the Washington Times and the New York City Tribune (now defunct). He is a native Oklahoman but moved to Virginia in 1973. He and his wife Ender have three grown children.

Joel Skousen is author and editor of World Affairs Brief, a weekly Internet and printed news analysis service. A political scientist by training, he specializes in philosophy of law and Constitutional theory. He was a US Marine fighter pilot in the Vietnam era. During the late `70s he began an architectural career designing and consulting on high security residences and retreats throughout North America. In the 1980's he was Chairman of the Conservative National Committee in Washington DC and served as the Executive Director of Conservative Digest.

Joel has authored four books: Essential Principles for the Conservation of Liberty, [The] Secure Home, How to Implement a High Security Shelter in the Home, and Strategic Relocation -- North American Guide to Safe Places. He is now writing Foundations of the Ideal State. He was raised in Oregon but now lives in Utah. He and his wife Marilyn have six children.

Barbecue

We will conclude our Conference with a hamburger barbecue and additional speakers at a local park. The barbecue will include potato salad, lettuce salad, chips, drink and dessert. After eating, we will hear from several speakers, including Will Christensen, State Chair of the Utah IAP; and Dan Hansen, former State Chair of the IAP of Nevada. Other speakers are planned but not yet confirmed.

Yours for Freedom!

Bruce Bangerter
IAP National Chairman