Good News!!!!

Ann Arbor just became the 22nd city in the nation to pass a resolution opposing war in Iraq. I just returned from the city council meeting where the resolution was passed by a 7-1 vote. I was one of probably 50 people from the Ann Arbor Area Committee for Peace there supporting the council. Newly-elected council member Kim Groome, for whom I campaigned (thank you very much), was a co-sponsor of the resolution. I'm an Ann Arborite and proud of it!!

There was some discussion as to whether this was an appropriate action for a local government to take. The general opinion was that it is a local issue since taxes from Ann Arbor which go for war will not come back to benefit Ann Arbor; that Ann Arborites who serve in the armed forces may be casualties of the conflict; and that the possible increase in terrorist attacks resulting from the war may impact here as well. The resolution was worded as support for our congressional delegation, Senators Levin and Stabenow and Representatives Rivers and Dingell, all of whom voted against the Iraq war resolution in October. No opposition to the resolution was expressed from the public, and even the one council member who voted against it said he basically agreed with what it said but did not feel that it was an appropriate local issue.