Some council members who also are veterans, like Jack Reidy and Jon Wilkins, voiced opposition at even discussing such a referendum.
“As a Vietnam combat veteran, I had friends of mine die in my arms. An issue like this divides our community and I won't be part of this conversation,” Wilkins said before walking out of the meeting.
The motion passed 5-3. If the full council passes the referendum at next Monday night's meeting, it would give Missoula residents the chance to voice their support for - or opposition to - the Iraq war.
As proposed, the referendum would ask Congress to fund the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq.
Similar measures are headed for the ballot in Butte and Helena.
Councilman Bob Jaffe said he suggested the referendum because Missoula residents deserve a voice in the matter.
“Clearly, this war affects life in Missoula, Montana,” Jaffe said. “This is an issue that is close to so many people and we have a say.”
Councilwoman Stacy Rye agreed, adding that council members are much more accessible to Missoula residents than is Congress.
“Just because it is uncomfortable to talk about it doesn't mean that we shouldn't talk about it,” Rye said. “Cities often do things to send messages to influence the federal government because they feel largely different from what is going on 3,000 miles away.”
But others were concerned about what sort of message would be sent not to the government, but to the troops.
“I don't know what kind of message we're sending and that bothers me,” Reidy said. “I wonder what would've happened in Guadalcanal when we were losing if this was going on then.”
Councilman John Hendrickson wondered if now was the right time to put a referendum on the ballot.
“I feel this is a demoralizing message to send to the men and women in harm's way,” Hendrickson said. “The time to weigh in is in November of 2008.”
For all the council's debate, not a voice of opposition to the referendum could be heard in the audience during public comment.
Missoula resident Carol Marsh, who lost her father in World War II when she was 2 years old, gave her support for the public vote.
“World War II needed to be fought, but this war in my opinion is not necessary,” Marsh said. “Why wouldn't you legally let me vote on a referendum as one more legal way of telling the world I don't want this war?”
Betsy Mulligan-Dague, director of the Jeannette Rankin Peace Center, said the committee would be denying Missoula residents a major opportunity by voting the motion down.
“Bringing this forward will give us the power of democracy,” she said.
Former Rocky Mountain College criminology professor Bruce Russell said that, in some ways, the City Council is a last resort for many people.
“You should vote for this referendum because the Montana Legislature was too fractious to formally debate the war on our behalf in the last legislative session,” Russell said. “Representative democracy at the state level failed the people.”
The motion will be open for discussion again at Monday's regular City Council meeting, set for 7 p.m. in council chambers.
|
 |
 |
Add your comment now! Write your comment in the form below.
(Email address is for verification only. If you'd like to email a story, look for the link above)