About two years ago, Schulz became involved with a group of people who were attempting to have redress over the issue of the legality of the federal income tax. They had developed documentation that indicated that the amendment requiring citizens to pay income taxes had been imposed illegally and that the doctrine of an income tax had never been correctly ratified.

The first amendment of the Constitution allows citizens to challenge their government. This is one of the provisions our forefathers carefully worked into the Constitution to protect the people from the government. Schulz and his associates had spent hundreds of hours researching and documenting their case. They requested meetings with federal officials to discuss the issue. They asked that the government produce expert witnesses to dispute their findings. They went as far as to spend $250,000 on six full-page ads in U.S.A. Today, the national newspaper, asking the government to meet with them.

The government's reaction has been to stonewall the group. Originally, the government had agreed to meet with the group, but then canceled their appointments. The group rallied in Washington on different occasions, trying to draw attention to their petition. The government and the mainstream media have ignored them.

Robert Schulz has made a decision to fast until he dies or until the government agrees to openly discuss this issue. Schulz is not a kook. He has a passionate love and belief in our Constitution and the protection that it offers to all the people of the United States. If responsible governmental officials refuse to meet with Schulz and his associates, a very brilliant, loyal and courageous American will die. The government will have executed him as surely as they executed Timothy McVeigh.

If the government cannot dispute Schulz's contentions, then the country is in deep trouble. It will have lost its power to impose upon the people a form of taxation that had not been legally approved. The government will be forced to find a legal way to fund itself. This is why those in power are attempting to subvert the Constitution.

What good is a Constitution if the government ignores its provisions? Is the Constitution, the blueprint for this great American democracy, nothing more than a piece of paper with words on it?

On July 4th, Robert Schulz will be in the fourth day of his fast. July 4th is our country's birthday. We should be celebrating with joy, but how can we when the government will not respond to reasonable requests to discuss the legality of our taxing system?

For me and for many others who have had the pleasure of meeting Bob Schulz, it will be a day of sorrow. Schulz is a resident of New York State, a landowner who has paid all his taxes. As a citizen of our great country he has a right to speak out and to address what he perceives as Constitutional violations. The government has a responsibility to meet, talk and dispute his findings but it does not have a right to allow this man to die needlessly for his country and our beloved Constitution.

If the government continues to stonewall and refuses to meet with Schulz and his associates, Schulz will die and the government will win. The people of the United States will lose and our Constitution will be rendered worthless.

Between now and the fourth of July, you have a call to arms. Write President Bush, Senators Schumer and Clinton, Congressmen Ackerman, Israel and Grucci. Forcefully request that they hold a hearing and let Schulz present his case. You can save Bob Schulz but the clock starts ticking on July 1st. Don't let a great man die. You cannot be apathetic and still be proud to be an American.