| Los Angeles County, CA | March 4, 2003 Election |
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City Council Resolution Opposing War In IraqBy Derek MilosavljevicCandidate for Council Member; City of Los Angeles; District 4 |
This information is provided by the candidate | |
Los Angeles must take the lead and show President Bush that the people of the United States oppose war.I share my childhood hometown with the late House Speaker Thomas P. "Tip" O'Neill. His famous philosophy, and the title of a book he wrote was, "All politics is local." In this war, the obvious application of the Speaker's motto to Los Angeles is the possible loss of life of our brothers, sisters, fathers, and daughters. The local news outlets will send reporters to our nearby military bases, they'll interview family members and neighbors of those sent to the Persian Gulf, and well they should. The potential loss of one local life should be enough to convince us against this unwarranted aggression. But it is clear to all we have the superior military might. There is no doubt that the number of American military lives lost will pale in comparison to that of Iraqi civilians. Where though, can we find the local angle of dead Iraqi families? I suggest we look for it in the collective psyche of the people of our city and our country. As we watch the current administration adopt a paternalistic, if not theocratic foreign policy, our nation suffers as will the Iraqi people. A large percentage of us are against this war, yet few doubt that it will proceed. We feel powerless, and that shouldn't be surprising when our President is committed to press forward into war regardless to the findings of the United Nations or the wishes of the American public. So when our representatives ignore our voices, our only choice is to speak louder. I'm aware that the Los Angeles City Council has no power over troop deployment. While a Council resolution against the war may not stop President Bush from ordering our country into war, what if hundreds of councils across the country passed such a resolution? Isn't it up to our leaders, whether they be church leaders, community leaders, or City Councilmembers to empower us when we feel powerless? I believe it is, and so I believe it is in the purview of the City Council to speak to state, national, and global issues as well as those of the city. I believe we should urge the State of California to declare a moritorium on executions. We should urge the United States not to launch this unprovoked attack against the Iraqi people. I believe that Speaker O'Neill was right, and as such we should look for city leaders who see the local implications of global issues. |
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Created from information supplied by the candidate: January 24, 2003 15:31
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