Charlottesville resolution to call for end to all U.S. wars.

[Shallel Octavia]

Hello friends!

I am very proud to say that the Charttesville City Council will be considering passing a resolution this Tuesday calling for and end to current wars, bringing our war dollars home to meet human needs, and opposing any new wars- specifically war with Iran. 

The possibility of our nation's leaders taking us into another military engagement (ie "illegal aggressive war") seems increasingly likely. I hope all of us will recognize that solid organizing has kept this from happening for a very long time, and aggressive attention to this issue right now can really make the difference in whether or not a new war begins. Please coem to the meeting this Tuesday and help Charlottesville be the first city in the nation to oppose war with Iran!

Please come to City Council-

Tuesday

January 17

7:00 pm (6:00 pm to wait in line to speak)

Council Chambers, City Hall Downtown Charlottesville

It is very important that we have a large crowd there calling for passage of the resolution as it is written on the city website, no changes just a clear and concise message.

We also need a strong presence to counter the war supporters who may also be there in force. Some of them will be repeating lies and myths that have gotten from the media and from politicians who want war no matter what happens.

One of those big lies is that Iran is developing a nuclear weapon- we have heard this kind of talk before, don;t fall for it. 

In fact the Secretary of Defense said just a few days ago on Face the Nation that Iran is NOT developing nuclear weapons. Seems pretty clear huh?

If you choose not to speak, or don't have the opportunity, please come anyways and stand to show support!

You'll be supporting-

-bringing troops home from Afghanistan and Iraq

-cuts to the military budget

-use of those funds for jobs, housing, education, and building a green economy

-not starting a war with Iran

full text of the proposed resolution:

RESOLUTION

Calling on Congress to Redirect Military Spending to Domestic Priorities

WHEREAS, the severity of the ongoing economic crisis has created budget shortfalls at

all levels of government and requires us to re-examine our national spending priorities; and

WHEREAS, every dollar spent on the military produces fewer jobs than spending the

same dollar on education, healthcare, clean energy, or even tax cuts for household consumption;

and

WHEREAS, U.S. military spending has approximately doubled in the past decade, in real

dollars and as a percentage of federal discretionary spending, and well over half of federal

discretionary spending is now spent on the military, and we are spending more money on the

military now than during the Cold War, the Vietnam War, or the Korean War; and

WHEREAS, the U.S. military budget could be cut by 80% and remain the largest in the

world; and

WHEREAS, the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform proposed

major reductions in military spending in both its Co-Chairs' proposal in November 2010 and its

final report in December 2010; and

WHEREAS, the U.S. Conference of Mayors, with the support of Charlottesville’s then

Mayor Dave Norris, passed a resolution in June 2011 calling on Congress to redirect spending to domestic priorities; and

WHEREAS, the people of the United States, in numerous opinion polls, favor redirecting

spending to domestic priorities and withdrawing the U.S. military from Afghanistan; and

WHEREAS, the United States has armed forces stationed at approximately 1,000 foreign

bases in approximately 150 foreign countries; and

WHEREAS, the United States is the wealthiest nation on earth but trails many other

nations in life expectancy, infant mortality, education level, housing, and environmental

sustainability, as well as non-military aid to foreign nations;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the City Council of Charlottesville,

Virginia, calls on the U.S. Congress to end foreign ground and drone wars, refrain from entering

new military ventures in Iran, and reduce base military spending in order to meet vital human

needs, promote job creation, re-train and re-employ those losing jobs in the process of

conversion to non-military industries, rebuild our infrastructure, aid municipal and state

governments, and develop a new economy based upon renewable, sustainable energy.

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Background information:

A City Committed to Peace- An Agenda for the City of Charlottesville

Posted on December 30, 2011 

* Tuesday, January 3rd, 7:00 pm I will be presenting this agenda, and a request from myself, the Charlottesville Center for Peace and Justice, and hundreds of Cville residents for an updated resolution devoting the city to peace (item a.). Show up early to speak in favor of a new peace resolution! Sign the Petition Here!
** completed Peace Agenda and updates posted soon!
*** learn more about why Peace is a Local Issue 

A City Committed to Peace

In 2003 Charlottesville City Council passed a resolution proclaiming it a “City of Peace”. While this resolution on its own failed to keep the US government from invading and occupying Iraq at a cost of $799 billion and 4,484 US lives lost, as well as up to 1.5 million Iraqi lives lost, the resolution was part of a larger movement nationwide of local governments publicly stating their opposition to the disastrous war.

An updated resolution is needed, now more than ever, due to the financial burden placed on localities by increasing military costs, and the dominance of local economies by the military industrial complex.

Resolutions alone do not make changes in the broader society, but they do commit the body to taking a meaningful approach to peace. For this reason, I propose that the city do more than pass a resolution. That it also take steps to actively acknowledge their responsibility for maintaining the culture that imposes, even requires, warfare and to take adequate steps to resist the influence of the military industrial complex, the burden of a bloated military budget, the role of municipalities in city planning contributing to wars for resources, and the recruitment of young people and poor people to do the killing and dying in unnecessary, expensive, and illegal wars and occupations.

To this end, here is an agenda for peace, somewhat limited to what may have political support from City Council, but that a great many of our residents can support, and even mobilize to take steps to actively end Charlottesville’s participation in our increasingly militarized nation:

a. Resolution Calling for End to War and Bringing Our War Dollars Home
b. Cost of War Counter for City Hall and www.charlottesville.org
c. Exclude Military Contractors, Military Agencies, and Paramilitary Organizations from Charlottesville Community Job Fair
d. Committee to Convert Military Industrial Complex in Charlottesville to Civilian Use
e. Support for Advocate Committee to explore new Sister City Relationship(s)
f. Call for Arrest of War Criminals who Enter Charlottesville City Limits
g. Declare September 21st International Day of Peace, host IDoP Celebration
h. End Reliance on Oil Resources in City Planning
i. Support Community Efforts to Reduce Presence of Military in City Schools

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 a. Resolution Calling for End to War and
Bringing Our War Dollars Home

Background
-In 1988 Charlottesville City Council declared the City “Nuclear Free” to add to the international calls for disarmament.
-In 2003 Charlottesville City Council passed a resolution proclaiming it a “City for Peace” in opposition to imminent invasion of Iraq.
-In 2011 Mayor Norris was the first to sign the “Mayors for Peace” statement, suggesting that an updated commitment to peace is warranted and desired by the citizens of Charlottesville.
-City councilors have expressed interest in an updated resolution on the effects of military spending on local budgets.
-Similar resolutions have recently been passed in Seattle WA, Portland OR, Hartford CT, Los Angeles CA, and San Francisco CA. These municipal resolutions are part of a widening movement to redirect military spending for domestic priorities.

[Danny White]

I wish we could see more of this happening.  I think this is our only hope. Thanks,Shallel

[Shallel Octavia]

Resolution passed as stated! Thank-you to Mayor Huja, our City Council, and David Swanson and the other Citizens who spoke eloquently on the local impact of these wars and out of control Pentagon budget. War is a local issue, and I sincerely hope Charlottesville's lead on this important issue inspires other cities to stand against illegal wars of aggression, especially in Iran.