A little more than a week ago a dispute started raging in a small California town. The dispute was over the display of a plaque with the following words by Teddy Roosevelt: “The True Christian is the True American Citizen.”

As usual, the ACLU threatened to bring suit unless the offending words were removed. Because the plaque was securely fastened to the courthouse walls, the ACLU insisted that it be covered over by a board. But this time, they miscalculated. Puffed up by a long string of victories - from banning prayer in schools to partial-birth abortion - they overplayed their hand.

If the ACLU had known anything about America, they would have known that, to all true Americans, the memory of Teddy Roosevelt is sacred. He symbolizes all that is good in the American people… loyalty… patriotism… and the courage to defend one’s beliefs in the face of all opposition.

And so, the ACLU at long last heard a word that they are not used to hearing. They heard the town supervisors say “No – the plaque stays where it is.” And at long last, they had a chance to learn what the word “American” really means. It means resistance to injustice and tyranny.

Alexander the Great was once asked why it was so easy to turn the Persian people into slaves. He replied. “Because they haven’t learned to say that simplest of words ‘No.’” We can only hope that growing numbers of Americans will learn the power contained in that simple word.