Constant Readers,
Proposition U on November’s ballot would make it official San Francisco policy that our “elected representatives…should vote against any further funding for the deployment of United States armed forces in Iraq with the exception of funds specifically earmarked to provide for their safe and orderly withdrawal.” It was put on the ballot by the signatures of Supervisors Ammiano, Daly, Peskin, McGoldrick and Mirkarimi.
Now, I understand why many in San Francisco feel the need to articulate a foreign policy. I grew up the youngest child in a large family whose unifying trait was the ability to boss me around. With no one lower in the pecking order, I resorted to telling my toys what to do. My Mom loves nothing more than to regale the table at Thanksgiving with the story of the time she caught me reading the riot act to my Cabbage Patch Kids. (Apparently, I felt they weren’t pulling their weight in the chore department.) Obviously, they just stared at me with their mockingly naive eyes; never lifting one chubby little finger.
But while I know that sometimes any outlet will do, I have to wonder: do our elected representatives really need another reminder that we are against the Iraq war? Does anyone not know where San Francisco stands on this issue?
Since 2002, the Board of Supervisors has passed at least 13 resolutions on the subject of Iraq - including one opposing the invasion of Iraq before the war started. They’ve declared it “End the War in Iraq” day, recognized the “National Day of Action to Support GI Resisters,” and told our representatives to endorse two anti-war resolutions. (Our representatives refused both times.) They’ve supported American citizenship for all U.S. troops, called for the flag to fly at half-staff, and expressed solidarity with Iraqi labor leaders. (See bottom of post.)
In November 2004, 63 percent of San Francisco voters supported Proposition N, which made it official San Francisco policy that “the federal government should take immediate steps to end the US occupation of Iraq and bring our troops home now.”
When the Rules Committee heard public comment on Proposition U, folks argued that we need this proposition in order keep the pressure on the federal government. In light of previous official statements, I doubt the passage of Proposition U would be “news” much less additional “pressure” on Capitol Hill. But maybe the frustration is so great that folks just need to let it out. Even if it is unlikely to cause our representatives to lift one chubby little finger.
--Melissa
Here are the Iraq-related resolutions: Download iraq_resolution_1.pdf, Download resolution_2.pdf, Download resolution_3.pdf, Download resoluton_4.pdf, Download resolution_5.pdf, Download resolution_6.pdf, Download resolution_7.pdf, Download resolution_8.pdf, Download resolution_9.pdf, Download resolution_10.pdf, Download resolution_11.pdf, Download resolution_12.pdf, Download resolution_13.pdf
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