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Denver city votes 7 3 { February 25 2003 } Original Source Link: (May no longer be active)
http://www.denverpost.com/Stories/0,1413,36%257E53%257E1202712%257E,00.htmlhttp://www.denverpost.com/Stories/0,1413,36%257E53%257E1202712%257E,00.html
Denver City Council votes 7-3 for anti-war resolution
By Jim Kirksey
Denver Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, February 25, 2003 - The Denver City Council passed an anti-war resolution Monday night, joining a growing list of cities and counties that have spoken out against a possible conflict with Iraq.
The resolution was more an appeal for restraint, supporting United Nations diplomatic efforts and calling for a full debate and vote in Congress before a war was launched.
More than 100 cities, including Boulder and Los Angeles, 10 counties and two state legislatures have passed anti-war resolutions, according the Cities for Peace website.
Local peace activists were delighted, slapping high fives in the hallway of the City and County Building after the vote.
"This was a good night for the peace movement," said Rob Prince, who helped author the original resolution submitted to the council, which carried a stronger anti-war sentiment.
"On the whole, this is a good thing," he said of the compromise. "It is a step in the right direction."
"It was certainly a proud moment for Denver," said Jonathan Cohen of Physicians for Social Responsibility.
"This is the way we inspirit our children," said Rikki Ducornet. "It's called grassroots democracy, and tonight, it worked."
The resolution passed on a 7-3 vote with Joyce Foster and Charlie Brown abstaining and Ramona Martinez absent.
In favor were Susan Barnes-Gelt, Dennis Gallagher, Happy Haynes, Kathleen MacKenzie, Debbie Ortega, Elbra Wedgeworth and Cathy Reynolds. Opposed were Polly Flobeck, Ted Hackworth and Ed Thomas.
An amendment proposed by Hackworth supporting the Bush administration failed by the same vote.
Other local governments in Colorado that have approved resolutions are Nederland, Pitkin County, Ridgway, Silver Plume and Telluride.
The measure also resolved: "That United States forces may be deployed as a last resort if it is determined that military action is necessary to disarm Iraq of weapons of mass destruction with full support for our military personnel."
It also urges Denverites to contact their representatives in Congress and urge "peaceful solutions to international conflicts."
While council members debated whether it was their business to get involved in foreign policy, no one suggested that the resolution was anything more than a message.
"It sends a message to our national leaders that we do care," said Haynes, who sponsored the resolution, along with Gallagher, Barnes-Gelt, Martinez and Wedgeworth.
Thomas argued that "we do have some serious issues to deal with in this city," and "when we solve these issues, then we can deal with foreign policy."
MacKenzie said that to continue on the path seemingly set by the administration "diminishes what we stand for in this country. This resolution speaks to our restraint."
"I feel very strongly that the public can and should ask questions about this war," said Wedgeworth.
Gallagher suggested that the resolution passed by Congress giving the president a free hand in dealing with the matter is akin to the 1964 Gulf of Tonkin resolution that expanded the U.S. role in Vietnam.
Barnes-Gelt said there has been a lot of passion on both sides of the resolution. She said she has heard pleas from U.S. war veterans both for and against it.
Flobeck noted that after the 1991 Persian Gulf War, Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein was ordered to destroy all his weapons of mass destruction.
"He will not do that," she said. "Enough is enough."
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