[Peace] Urbana Resolution Opposing War Against Iraq

[Danielle Chynoweth]

note to peace: Thanks to Carl Estabrook for contributing text and Lisa
Chason for pursuing the idea.  Time is of the essence with this
resolution, so council is discussing it Monday.  Please please considering
coming this Monday and contacting councilmembers.

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<feel free to forward to other supporters>
Dear friends and neighbors,

Numerous community members have requested that Urbana join 42 cities 
including Chicago and pass a Resolution to Oppose War Against Iraq.  In 
response, I have drafted the following resolution which calls for 
diplomatic resolution to the conflict through the U.N. and requests that 
the U.S. divert the $100 billion it plans to spent on war to pay for 
education, housing, and health care.

Council members will be discussing this resolution this at Monday, Jan. 27 
at 7:30 PM at City Hall: 400 S. Vine St at Illinois St.  

So far, a slim majority on council supports this measure.  
** Your support is needed to help pass this resolution **

If you wish to support this resolution:

1. Attend this Monday's meeting.  Public input is promptly at 7:30 PM.  
Fill out a yellow sheet at the back of the room and hand it to the City 
Clerk or any council member. You can elect to speak before council or just 
register your support for the Resolution Against War.

2. Please contact Councilmembers and the Mayor expressing your support.  
They will receive their packets Friday afternoon.  You may wish to contact 
them after that so they know what you are referring to.

Milton Otto	motto at pdnt.net  337-1124 
Joe Whelan	joewhelan at aol.com 367-4248
Jim Hayes 	no e-mail  384-6334
Mayor Satterthwaite   tfsatterthwaite at city.urbana.il.us   384-2456
Laura Huth 	isen at prairienet.org   367-7254
Esther Patt 	e-patt at ux1.cso.uiuc.edu  344-8394
Ruth Wyman 	rewyman at hotmail.com	367-5643

You can contact me at: danielle at ojctech.com or 344-0183.

It particularly helps for councilmembers to hear from their constituents.  
To find your councilmember visit:  http://www.city.urbana.il.us/urbana/  -  
on the top bar select Council --> Clickable Ward Map

It is clear that the federal administration is currently weighing popular 
opinion in deciding whether to pursue diplomatic means or declare war in 
our dealings with Iraq.  It is important that we as a city speak up.

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Resolution Opposing War Against Iraq
**********************************************

WHEREAS, the issues between Iraq and the world community have not proven 
to be irresoluble by traditional diplomatic efforts;

WHEREAS, the United States is obliged, legally and ethically, to solve 
international problems in accordance with international law and the 
Charter of the United Nations; 

WHEREAS, a war with Iraq will jeopardize the lives of American soldiers 
and will kill many innocent Iraqi civilians, without guaranteeing the 
safety and security of U.S. citizens;

WHEREAS, past military conflict in the region resulted in widespread 
environmental destruction and long term health problems for Iraqis and 
U.S. soldiers, the effects of which have not yet been mitigated or 
understood;

WHEREAS, the ultimate security of the residents of Urbana and the United 
States at large is dependent upon working cooperatively with all nations 
to eliminate poverty, injustice, inequality, environmental degradation and 
other factors that breed war and terrorism;

WHEREAS, the Congressional Budget Office estimates a military action 
against Iraq will cost our nation between $9 and $13 billion a month, 
resulting in further cuts in federally funded projects and programs that 
benefit our city and its residents;

WHEREAS, the costs of war and the accompanying ballooning deficits could 
have significant impact on the residents of the State of Illinois, which 
is facing the 4th worst budget crisis in the country, the school districts 
of the state, 80% of which face budget crises this year, and the city of 
Urbana which predicts revenue loss this year;

WHEREAS, The billions of dollars to be spent on this war could much better 
be spent on schools, nutrition, health care, housing, infrastructure 
improvements, and generally eliminating poverty;

WHEREAS, There is growing opposition to war against Iraq given that: 
forty-two cities to date have enacted anti-war resolutions; an estimated 
250,000 rallied in Washington recently to prevent war; the United States 
Conference of Catholic Bishops, World Council of Churches, NAACP and 
numerous unions oppose the war; and local peace demonstrations have 
averaged once a week for over a year;

WHEREAS, the citizens of Urbana and its local elected officials have the 
constitutional right to petition the national government on this matter of 
grave concern to our community as part of the national and international 
debate now underway;

NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that we, the members of the City Council of 
the City of Urbana, oppose a U.S. invasion of Iraq; and 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that we urge the U.S. to work through the U.N. 
Security Council and reaffirm our nation's commitment to the rule of law 
in all international relationships; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we urge the U.S. to help alleviate the budget 
crises faced by the majority of the states, and increase federal social 
service funding to municipalities; and 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution, duly adopted, shall 
be sent to President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney, 
Secretary of State Donald Rumsfeld, U.S. Senators Peter Fitzgerald and 
Richard Durbin, U.S. Representative Tim Johnson, and local members of the 
Illinois House and Senate.


-- 
| Danielle Chynoweth
|
| Art Director * OJC Technologies * ojctech.com
| City Council Member * Urbana City Council * city.urbana.il.us