Navajo times., 1963-05-02
Liberty and the Lnw

Liberty and the L0,U
May first has long been day of Maypoles and little
flower baskets. It has been observed in communistc
countries for many years with demonstrations and
parades mostly of military vehicles and fighting
In United States, the day has recently taken
significance Since the proclamation of the Pres
ident five years ago, the observance of May Day
"LaW Day" has become more popular and increasingly
more important.
Think moment--durng the reigns of terror which
have bghted the history of mankind, the most feared
and dreaded symptom of dictatorship has been the knock
in the night the unwarraned seizure of persons and
their properties without regard to right justice. In
the police state the individual has rights under the
law to protect him and no recourse in justice. The
founders of great country believed that individual
freedom under the law" not paradox, but an in
tegral part of democratic government the founda-
ton of countrys freedom lies in the personal free
dom of each of it's citizens.
Governor Jack Campbell of New Mexico, lawyer,
wrote editorial for this OCCASION and would like
to quote parts of it here:
'Law Day marked by the flag salute in the school
classroom the reading of moral law in churches and
synagogues the quiet reminders by civic and judicial
leaders of American heritage of law with liberty
"The Three RS of Law Day are Respect, Respon-
sibility and Rededication Respect for the past,
Responsibility to the present and rededicaon to the
future.
One of dangers to our system is not the
threat of foreign government but daily evidence that
honesty and obedience to the law have little meaning
for many American youths We start too
to teach children respect for the rights of others,
respect for those who enforce our laws we'll as for
the laws themselves.
I'VE have responsibility to the present to make
system of selfrule works. 1t is thing to
sit back and criticize the members of Congress-
legislatures and local councils, that produce the laws
and ordinances 1t is another to participate ones self
Morality in politics and government is largely
reflection of morality in general Political activity and
organizations necessary to kind of government.
Yet, though most mothers want their be Pres
ident, that they do it without becom
ing politician the way
"This is the time for rededication. We need to re-
mind ourselves and families that there is nothing
wrongwih being sentimental enthusiastic about
flag, country belief in mans equality under
law To be born in America is to be born with rich
heritage, matter how poor ones parents may be.
With the development of our judicial system the
Navajo reservation, we perhaps have more to
be aware of the observance of Law Day than many of
Navajo neighbors. The establishment of just
such system was a dream in the hearts of few
for many years under Chief Justice Murray Lin
coin, ithas become reality Men do not always agree
to the Interpretation of the law what would
tualy constitute justice in any particular case and
their dsagreements taken into Court for decision.
Whatever the decision may be, both sides have the
right to be heard by the Court, each to present his