U.S. Sen Patty Murray -- Senator Asks Students to Ponder (Sen. Murray lauds Osama bin Laden)

Columbian ^ | 12/19/2002 | Gregg Herrington

[B Knotts]

U.S. Sen. Patty Murray was in Vancouver on Wednesday challenging high school students to answer these questions:

What is behind terrorist Osama bin Laden's popularity in some parts of the world, and should the United States adopt his nation-building tactics?

Speaking at Columbia River High School, Murray, D-Wash., responded to questions from students, most about the war on terrorism or government spending for education.

Later Wednesday, Murray visited C-Tran headquarters and checked out a new bus.

Murray met at Columbia River with world history students and student government leaders. Across town, Hudson's Bay High School students participated via teleconference.

Murray concluded the session by challenging the students to consider alternatives to war.

"We've got to ask, why is this man (Osama bin Laden) so popular around the world?," said Murray, who faces re-election in 2004. "Why are people so supportive of him in many countries ? that are riddled with poverty?

"He's been out in these countries for decades, building schools, building roads, building infrastructure, building day care facilities, building health care facilities, and the people are extremely grateful. We haven't done that.

"How would they look at us today if we had been there helping them with some of that rather than just being the people who are going to bomb in Iraq and go to Afghanistan?"

Murray said she doesn't know where she comes down on that guns-or-butter question, and building infrastructure in Third World countries would "cost a lot of money, and we have schools here and health care facilities here that are really hurting."

Be 'better neighbors'?

"War is expensive too," she said. "Your generation ought to be thinking about whether we should be better neighbors out in other countries so that they have a different vision of us.

"It is a debate I think we ought to have."

Murray was in the minority when the Senate voted 77-23 in October to give President Bush authority to use military force in confronting Saddam Hussein. The state's other senator, Democrat Maria Cantwell, voted for the resolution.

Murray opened Wednesday's event telling the students, "You'll be graduating into a world that is very difficult. ? The economy is struggling. War in Iraq is a very real possibility in the short term" and could cost $200 billion even if it were to last only a few weeks.

The cost of waging war could result in cuts to domestic programs such as Pell grants for college students, she said.

Responding to a question about federal spending for schools, Murray said the Bush administration is backing off its pledge of support for the No Child Left Behind program.

"There are crises in every one of our schools in this country," Murray said, and cutting spending on education has long-term deleterious effects.

Visit to the bus barn

Later in the day, Murray spent 45 minutes at the C-Tran administrative and operations facility at 2425 N.E. 65th Ave. for a holiday potluck. Randy Frasier's Mountain View High School jazz and concert choirs serenaded her with holiday carols.

Afterward, Murray examined a new $312,000 Gillig coach, the first of several dozen that will replace 20-year-old GM buses that have racked up an average of 650,000 miles each.

Murray is on the Senate Appropriations subcommittee on transportation, which funnels matching money to states and local agencies for buses and other transit programs. Eighty percent of the cost of new buses will come from federal grants, and the remainder from local C-Tran money.

[One More Time]

Thanks for the replies I lived in Washington State near Tacoma during both of Patty's runs, my frustration from watching the election of an imbecile is why I was so quick to launch an attack on my fellow Washington State voters.

[Elcie30]

I sent her one as well. Along with a piece of my mind. What a complete fool! At least there will be two of us in our county not voting for her.

[LaGrone]

Talk about a sick piece of trash. Patty Murray, do the right thing and leave this blessed land now. I suggest a one way ticket to the country of your choice in the Mideast. Take your best ideas and make them all middle class citizens.

Talk about naive. What a loser!

[Paladin2b]

The thing people have to understand is that each year a local magazine here in the DC area, Washingtonian, polls Hill staffers of both parties (anaonymously of course) to find out who is regarded as the single dumbest Senator, and the single dumbest congressman. Patty Murray has been winning in the Senate category for many years running. The poor woman is said to have no understanding of policy issues unless her staffers "dumb it down" and give it to her in the form of an anology about a family or a neighborhood.

She also wins in the "worst-dressed" category, but that's a separate issue.

[Uncle George]

BUMP ALL WEEK LONG

[RipeforTruth]

I am happy to provide a news report from the ground on the west side of Washington state.

There is hope. Maybe all is not so bleak. I see it in some of the young folks I contend with daily.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

[B Knotts]

Sen. Murray responds:

Sen. Murray Statement on America's Role in the World

[Behind Liberal Lines]

Too bad, Murray, the truth is out there. Keep it up, Freepers.

[finnman69]

LOL, She did not apologize. She glossed it over.

[finnman69]

LOL, She did not apologize. She glossed it over.

[B Knotts]

Agreed. She needs to apologize. And then resign.

[finnman69]

Sen. Murray Statement on America's Role in the World

Having a challenging and thoughtful discussion about America's future reflects the best values of a free democracy;

To sensationalize and distort in an attempt to divide does not

For Immediate Release: December 20, 2002


Osama Bin Laden is an evil terrorist who is responsible for the deaths of thousands of Americans. Bringing him to justice, dismantling his terrorist network, and protecting our nation from further attacks must continue to be our government's highest priorities, and I continue to vigorously support those efforts in the Senate.

While we continue to search every corner of the globe to destroy Osama bin Laden and his al Quaeda network, should we also consider the longer-term issue of what else can be done to improve relations with all nations including the Arab world?

How else can we bring America's values to those who do not understand us?

And while there are some whose hearts and minds may never be won, should we try to reach those who can?

The White House believes that we can do more, and has devoted an entire department to improving America's image in the Arab world.

Having a challenging and thoughtful discussion about America's future reflects the best values of a free democracy; to sensationalize and distort in an attempt to divide does not.

While there are some on the extreme fringes of society who try to exploit fear and uncertainty for political gain, there are many more who understand that the best value of our democracy is the freedom to think and to secure a better future.

[Recovering_Democrat]

whoa. Murray said this? Before students??

Lott's "outrageous" remarks pale in comparison to this treasonous pile of tripe. Of course the think tank jackal would agree with her...most of America doesn't, though.

[chnsmok]

"several fundamentalist Muslim schools throughout Afghanistan and Pakistan that teach a very, very fundamentalist, right-wing version of Islam that preaches hatred for the West,"

Patty has a lot in common with the evil one. Change the above quote to:

"many fundamentalist public schools throughout America that teach a very, very fundamentalist, left-wing version of democracy that preaches hatred for Republicans,"

[Behind Liberal Lines]

The American Prowler/American Spectator named Murray its "Enemy of the Week" over Sean Penn.

http://theamericanprowler.com/article.asp?art_id=2002_12_20_17_0_10

[maxwellp]

"Murray never served in the military, never witnessed a war ....". Well neither have I, but on September 11, 2001 I watched my country being attacked on TV. I watched American civilians throwing themselves out of the Twin Towers in order to save themselves from a horrible death from burning. As far as Murray is concerned, I consider her an American traitor!

[B Knotts]

Lars Larson (KXL radio, Portland and other Pacific NW stations) is playing audio of this outrage right now.

[Stultis]

Don't you think it's legitimate to wonder why Osama bin Laden has so much support in the world?

Sure it is. It's also legitimate to point out, indeed to loudly decry, the dangerous stupidity of a United States Senator who says (and, incredibly, apparently believes) it's because he builds roads.

You're damn straight, though, that we should be telling students about UBL's popularity, and also that we should be explaining the reason: He is a murder. He is popular because he is a murder of "infidels". Young Americans (above some reasonably assessed age of innocence) need to understand that there are millions around the world who want to see them -- and their friends, fathers, mothers, grandmas, baby sisters, etc -- murdered.

[Libertina]

Sadly, she is "ours." And the district which elects her will probably love her comments. She guarantees her SIXTH award in a row as Senate "Rocket Scientist."

[chnsmok]

Hugh Hewitt just mentioned he first heard of this on Free Republic!