Council Rejects War, Wants Greener City
What better way for activists Joe and Dottie Gutenkauf to celebrate their 43rd wedding anniversary than to go to a City Council meeting and commend the governing body for taking a stand against the Iraq war?
The couple received applause Wednesday from those in Municipal Court for the meeting.
As they did at Monday’s agenda session, the Gutenkaufs spoke forcefully against the Bush administration’s policies that plunged the nation into a war that has produced thousands of American military deaths and injuries. Monday was the four-year mark for the war.
Councilman Harold Gibson said it was appropriate to make a city resolution against the war, invoking Congressman Tip O’Neill’s comment that all politics are local.
“All wars are local, too,” Gibson said, noting the chance of a neighborhood person being killed or injured in a war.
Gibson said he served as a U.S. Army draftee many years ago and did not see combat, but he said reservists with children are now in the front lines when all they expected was weekend training. And many do not come home, he said.
Gibson said the Iraq war is the first where more women have been killed and injured than in previous wars.
The City Council also passed a resolution against global warming. At first sponsored by council members Cory Storch, Linda Carter and Rayland Van Blake, the resolution passed with unanimous approval of the seven-member council.
The resolution backed state legislation against global warming but also offered local measures against increasing greenhouse gas emissions, such as city use of hybrid vehicles and energy-efficient light fixtures.
The City Council’s next agenda session is on April 2, with the regular meeting on April 4.
The couple received applause Wednesday from those in Municipal Court for the meeting.
As they did at Monday’s agenda session, the Gutenkaufs spoke forcefully against the Bush administration’s policies that plunged the nation into a war that has produced thousands of American military deaths and injuries. Monday was the four-year mark for the war.
Councilman Harold Gibson said it was appropriate to make a city resolution against the war, invoking Congressman Tip O’Neill’s comment that all politics are local.
“All wars are local, too,” Gibson said, noting the chance of a neighborhood person being killed or injured in a war.
Gibson said he served as a U.S. Army draftee many years ago and did not see combat, but he said reservists with children are now in the front lines when all they expected was weekend training. And many do not come home, he said.
Gibson said the Iraq war is the first where more women have been killed and injured than in previous wars.
The City Council also passed a resolution against global warming. At first sponsored by council members Cory Storch, Linda Carter and Rayland Van Blake, the resolution passed with unanimous approval of the seven-member council.
The resolution backed state legislation against global warming but also offered local measures against increasing greenhouse gas emissions, such as city use of hybrid vehicles and energy-efficient light fixtures.
The City Council’s next agenda session is on April 2, with the regular meeting on April 4.
posted by Bernice at 6:09 AM
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