Hello Folks:
We can't wait for the 2004 Presidential elections to speak out against this war. For those of you who oppose our local leaders sending a strong message to President Bush, I hope you are right.
I can't support the Wag The Dog War. I can only hope those of you that believe it is more important to go to war then speak out against it are correct. I believe millions of lives will be impacted and lost.
If this is part of the so called "war against terrorism" then why are we not going to war against Saudi Arab and Egypt. The terrorist and the dollars that funded 911 came from those countries... maybe I am missing something and this will all make sense after the war.
Ken Bradley Corcoran Neighborhood
--- Michael Atherton <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> Ken Bradley wrote:
>
> > Dear Mayor Rybak and Minneapolis Issues Folks:
> >
> > I understand that the Mayor promised in the past
> to
> > veto the anti-war resolution. I also understand
> that
> > people have argued such a resolution is not
> relevant
> > to the city of Minneapolis because the act of war
> can
> > only be implemented by the federal government, and
> > thus the city should not be passing such
> resolutions.
> > That position is flawed and misguided and lacks
> the
> > understand of our nation and worlds history.
> >
> > We only need to look at Nazi Germany and the
> > extermination of millions of people, the United
> States
> > during World War II and the treatment of Japanese
> > Americans, rounded up and held in concentration
> camps,
> > or the slaughter of Native Americans and African
> > Americans during our nations past to understand
> that
> > speaking out as an individual or government is
> > important to the preservation of the human race.
>
> We need only look at Nazi Germany to understand that
> wars are sometimes necessary to protect our freedom
> and the lives of innocent people. Sure there are
> atrocities that have been committed by our nation,
> but
> this is not a valid argument for demilitarization.
> It is
> an argument for maintaining a higher moral ground
> than
> those who would destroy us. And yes, we should
> speak
> out for justice and the rights of individuals (I
> often
> take great risks to do so, as I believe our Mayor
> does).
> Each council member is free to protest a war with
> Iraq,
> but they were not elected to do so. They were
> elected
> to manage the City of Minneapolis. I would propose
> the
> following, present to the council a petition opposed
> to
> the war signed by a majority of citizens of
> Minneapolis.
> I would then agree that the council would have a
> mandate
> to pass a resolution opposed to the war.
>
> Until that time I believe that it is not within the
> purview of the council because:
> 1) The war was not a major campaign issue and the
> council members were not challenged to show that
> they
> have the expertise necessary to make such decisions
> and the voters were not able to cast their ballots
> knowledgably on the issue of the war.
> 2) As I've pointed out before, the council does not
> have the necessary information to make a wise
> decision
> as to whether a war with Iraq is advisable or in the
> best interests of our nation.
>
> Michael Atherton
> Prospect Park
>
>
>
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> 2. Cut as much of the post you're responding to as
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