"Jordan S. Kushner" wrote: > The City Council avoided taking a position on an issue of war and peace that is >inevitably of interest to Minneapolis residents. >http://www.startribune.com/stories/462/3331470.html What is disturbing is that the >City Council formally refused to even let the issue come up for a vote. Paul Ostrow >ruled the issue out of order, apparently having such a narrow view and low opinion of >his governing body that he did not think it worthy of taking a stand, and/or just >being just plain spineless. Six of the eleven council members present backed up >Ostrow. These included Gary Schiff - what happened to Gary Schiff?! I remember >Gary's invovlement in the U of M Committee against the War [against Iraq] in 1990-91 >when he was only 19. He has gone conservative at too young an age. As to the >positive - kudos to the principled council members voting in favor of considering the >issue - Dean Zimmermann (the initiator of the resolution opposing the war), Natalie >Johnson Lee, Paul Zerby, Robert Lilligren and Joe Biernat. I know the opposing >argument - "he Minneapolis City Council exists to deal with issues affecting the >city, and not to waste time on symbolic issues where it has no jurisdiction" - >Nonsense! BS! When it comes to a fundamental ethical issue where the emperor of the >United States is starting an aggressive war to distract attention from economic >problems and corproate corruption scandals, enrich his corporate sponsors, and >fullfill the blood thirsty power fantasies of his puppeteers, it is incumbent on >every visible democratically elected body to take a stand. The elected >representatives have an obligation to speak out.
I don't understand why you believe that the Minneapolis city council would have enough information to make an intelligent decision on whether to attack Iraq. I think that the overriding factor is whether Iraq has or is close to obtaining nuclear weapons. I would think that only officials at the Federal level would have that information. Michael Atherton Prospect Park _______________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
