Posted on 02/20/2003 4:14:01 PM PST by JimVT
Board declines to take anti-war vote February 19, 2003
(from the Rutland County section) By BRENT CURTIS Herald Staff
Protesters opposed to war with Iraq made an unsuccessful bid Tuesday for support from the Rutland Board of Aldermen.
About 15 anti-war protesters, most wearing green shirts with slogans like “Why Should Vermonters Die for Texas Oil Billionaires,” came to the board’s regular meeting seeking support for a resolution opposing unilateral military action against Iraq. Sister Judith Levins of the Sisters of St. Joseph read the proposed resolution.
About an equal number of people who favor going to war also filled the benches behind the rail in the aldermen’s chambers.
But most of those people departed just minutes into the meeting when the majority of the board decided not to put the anti-war protesters’ request to a vote.
“The motion fails for lack of a second,” Board President Sharon Davis said after a silent pause following a motion from Alderwoman Cheryl Hooker to vote on the request.
The resolution sought to urge President Bush and congressional members to abide by United Nations rules, rather than acting unilaterally by attacking Iraq. It also urged federal officials to attend to domestic issues including education, the economy and the environment.
Audience members for and against going to war were silent during a reading of the resolution and the board’s dismissal, and most left the room quietly as the board turned to other matters.
But once they were outside the room, the debate began in earnest.
“You’re not supporting our troops,” Rutland resident Jamie Stein told a group of war protesters in the hallway. “Those guys are over there protecting us.”
“All we’re saying is that the U.S. should obey the rules of the U.N. charter and not go it alone,” said A. Jeffry Taylor of Clarendon, a member of the Vermont United Nations Association.
Most of the war protesters were members of Central Vermont Peace, according aldermanic candidate Chuck Nasmith, who brought a plastic mask of President Bush decorated with dollar signs and the slogan “CEO of the United Corporation of Greed.”
Nasmith wasn’t the only board hopeful debating the potential war.
Candidate Robert Towle argued with a man who said he was opposed to war and who blamed the U.S. for creating terrorists like Osama bin Laden.
“Just because you make your points with conviction doesn’t mean it actually happens,” Towle said.
At the end of the board meeting, Hooker reproached the board for not supporting or even bringing the anti-war resolution to a vote.
“It’s a sad day for democracy in Rutland when we can’t get a vote or even a discussion from our city council to a resolution that allows our citizens to practice our constitutional right to freedom of speech,” Hooker said.
“And may I remind members in the room that we have rights because someone died for them,” Davis said before banging her gavel to end the meeting.
Hooker left right away. Some other board members who stuck around said they didn’t think the Board of Aldermen was the proper forum for a war protest.
“I took it as a slap in the face to me and my brother who is serving in the military,” said Alderman Michael Coppinger. “This is the wrong stage to air those kind of issues. They should go to Washington or talk to their senators and representative.”
Davis said she didn’t think she could vote with the voice of the people on such a resolution.
“I don’t know how the majority of people feel about this,” she said. “It would be inappropriate for me to vote for them.”
Contact Brent Curtis at brent.curtis@rutlandherald.com.
Why do "reporters" assume that most of the world wants to go to war?
It is the last thing the President and most of us want.....but...it may sometime be necessary to prevent a worse tragedy.
The most intelligent statement I have heard regarding these city and county petitions "against war." Maybe there's hope for Vermont after all.
Awww, the Left's idea of intelligent debate. Well let's see here, how do Texas Oil Billionaires stand to benefit from having Iraqi oil flood the US markets, thereby lowering the profits for Texas produced oil?
Ayup..there may be.
A coupla weeks ago the so-called "Progressives" who dominate the City Of Burlington Council tied to slip one through but wiser heads said no and it was withdrawn.
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