For Immediate Release





Chicago Passes Anti-War Resolution





46-1 Vote Follows Extensive and Personal


Debate (Chicago, Jan. 16, 2003)





After one of the most mesmerizing, impassioned


and personal debates ever to occur in Chicago's


City Council Chamber, Chicago has become the largest


and most prominent city in the nation to formally


oppose a unilateral pre-emptive strike on Iraq.





One by one, black and white, Latino and Jewish, men and


women, the Aldermen stood to draw attention to their


own particular concerns with the current path of the


Bush Administration. Many pointed out that the real


dangers this nation faces today are the rising rates of


unemployment and economic stagnation. Others were


concerned about the double standard the administration


is showing with respect to North Korea. And some drew


attention to the prospect of young sons and daughters


coming home in body bags from an ill-conceived war.





The Committee of Human Relations of the Chicago City


Council sent the "Resolution Opposing Pre-emptive U.S.


Military Strikes on Iraq" to the full council today


after a vote yesterday.





"It is our sons and daughters who will be recruited--


perhaps even conscripted--to fight in this war," said


Ald. Joseph Moore (49th), chief sponsor of the


resolution. Ald. Leslie Hairston (5th) was concerned


that the "cost of the war will dry up federal funding


for domestic programs for a war that has yet to be


justified."





Judith Kossy of Chicagoans Against the War on Iraq said


she and her organization were deeply moved by the


leadership of Ald. Joe Moore, Ald. Helen Shiller, Ald.


Ricardo Munoz, Ald. Leslie Hairston and by the action


taken today the City Council. "Two out of three people


in the nation oppose a unilateral war. It's important


for local leaders to articulate their constituent's


feelings to President Bush and to the world," Kossy


said.





The full resolution follows: RESOLUTION OPPOSING A PRE-


EMPTIVE U.S. MILITARY ATTACK ON IRAQ





WHEREAS, the issues between Iraq and the world


community have not proven to be irresoluble by


traditional diplomatic efforts; and





WHEREAS, while Saddam Hussein is a tyrant who should be


removed from power, both for the good of the Iraqi


people and for the security of Iraq's neighboring


countries, it is not at all clear that a unilateral


U.S. military action would result in the installation


of a free and democratic Iraqi government; and





WHEREAS, U.S. military actions would risk the deaths of


thousands of Iraqi civilians without guaranteeing the


safety and security of U.S. citizens; and





WHEREAS, a pre-emptive and unilateral U.S. military


attack would violate international law and our


commitments under the U.N. Charter and further isolate


the U.S. from the rest of the world; and





WHEREAS, the Congressional Budget Office estimates a


military action against Iraq will cost our nation


between $9 and $13 billion a month, likely resulting in


further cuts in federally funded projects and programs


that benefit our city and its residents; and





WHEREAS, a U.S.-led war in Iraq would compromise our


current action in Afghanistan, and require years of


nation-building activities in Iraq; and





WHEREAS, the Bush administration has failed to


articulate a clear strategic objective or outcome of a


military attack against Iraq, and such an attack fails


to enjoy the support of many of our important allies;


and





WHEREAS, we give our unconditional support to U.S.


military personnel serving at home and abroad in their


tireless battle against global terrorism, and should


our military forces be sent to Iraq, we give our


unyielding support to our young men and women serving


in our nation's military, even if we oppose the policy


that sent them there;





NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that we, the members of


the City Council of the City of Chicago, oppose a pre-


emptive U.S. military attack on Iraq unless it is


demonstrated that Iraq poses a real and imminent threat


to the security and safety of the United States; and





BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that we support a return of


U.N. weapons inspectors to Iraq, enhanced by sufficient


police support to guarantee unfettered access to all


targeted sites; and





BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that we urge the U.S. to work


through the U.N. Security Council and reaffirm our


nation's commitment to the rule of law in all


international relationships; and





BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that a copy of this resolution


be forwarded to the Illinois congressional delegation


and the President of the United States.





___________________________________________________________





Chicago Tribune


January 16, 2003





http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-030116coun


cil,1,6078693.story?coll=chi%2Dnews%2Dhed





Council seats gay alderman; opposes Iraq attack





By Gary Washburn Tribune staff reporter








The Chicago City Council made history today by seating


a North Side restaurateur as the city's first openly


gay alderman. It also passed a resolution opposing a


pre-emptive attack on Iraq unless that nation poses an


imminent threat to the United States.





In a 41-0 vote, aldermen confirmed Mayor Richard


Daley's nomination of Tom Tunney to the vacant position


of 44th Ward alderman.





Ald. Eugene Schulter (47th) said Tunney's appointment


"recognizes the vast array of diversity" in the city.





In remarks after the vote, Tunney applauded the gay and


lesbian, cross-gendered and bisexual community "whose


commitment to change" made possible his appointment. He


added he intends to serve all of his constituents,


including senior citizens, small business owners, young


families and young singles.





Tunney will go into the Feb. 25 election against a


field that includes Rick Ingram, a lawyer who also is


openly gay. The 44th Ward includes Lakeview and the


area surrounding Wrigley Field.





The new alderman is a graduate of Brother Rice High


School and the University of Illinois and has a


master's degree in hotel-restaurant administration from


Cornell University. He has said he plans to be a full-


time alderman and would sell his interests in four Ann


Sather restaurants to family members.





Though Tunney is the city's first gay legislator, gay


elected officials have served in Washington for years,


and state Rep. Larry McKeon (D-Chicago) was elected to


the General Assembly in 1996.





Separately, aldermen vote 45-1 to approve a resolution


that puts the city on record as opposing an attack on


Iraq "unless it is demonstrated that Iraq poses a real


and imminent threat" to U.S. security.





The lone "no" vote was cast by Ald. James Balcer


(11th). Balcer has said he agreed with "96 percent" of


the resolution but objected to the measure's suggestion


Iraq does not already pose a threat.





Before the vote, aldermen talked about the huge cost of


waging war.





"Where will the money come from? From an increase in


taxes? Of course not. No, the war will be financed by


deficit spending and drastic cuts in domestic funding,"


said Ald. Joe Moore (49th), a co-sponsor of the


measure.





Copyright 2003, Chicago Tribune





SunTimes Online:


January 16, 2003





BY ASSOCIATED PRESS





Chicago City Council passes resolution opposing Iraq war





The Chicago City Council Thursday voted 46-1 in favor of a resolution opposing a pre-emptive U.S. military attack on Iraq unless Iraq is shown to be a real threat to the U.S.





"Everybody's against war," Mayor Richard Daley said in a press conference after the resolution passed. "No one is for war."





The resolution talks about the billions of dollars it would cost to mount military action against Iraq and City Council members in the debate discussed how federal budget cuts because of


the potential cost of the war could affect programs that benefit Chicago and its residents.





The resolution, however, gives unconditional support to U.S. military personnel.





The resolution adds that "Saddam Hussein is a tyrant who should be removed from power" for the good of the people of Iraq and of neighboring countries.





Alderman Dorothy Tillman said, "We don't want our boys and our girls to go to war."





Scattered U.S. municipal bodies have passed resolutions on the subject of the potential war in Iraq, although the content of the resolutions may vary.





Supporters of the resolution in the Chicago City Council contend that nearly 30 U.S. cities have passed resolutions opposing a pre-emptive war on Iraq, but this could not be immediately


verified by the Associated Press.





Karen Dolan, director of the Progressive Challenge Project at the Washington-based Institute for Policy Studies said Jan. 9 that city councils in Detroit, Ann Arbor, Kalamazoo, and


Ferndale, Mich., had approved resolutions urging the U.S. to pursue peace diplomatic alternatives to disarm Iraq.





In California, San Luis Obispo's City Council approved an anti-war resolution Jan. 7. San Franciso, Santa Barbara, and Santa Cruz reportedly passed similar resolutions.





In San Francisco, the school board did vote on Tuesday to oppose military action in Iraq.





Copyright 2003 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.





Copyright © The Sun-Times Company


All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.








Chicago City Council votes against


war





Resolution calls Saddam a 'tyrant'





CHICAGO, Illinois (AP) --The City Council voted 46-1 Thursday against a unilateral


military attack on Iraq unless it is shown to be a real threat to the United States.





The resolution said military action against Iraq would cost billions of dollars, and


during the debate, council members discussed how federal budget cuts could


affect programs that benefit Chicago residents.





"We don't want our boys and our girls to go to war," Alderman Dorothy Tillman


said.





Anti-war statements have been passed in others cities, including San Francisco,


Seattle, Ithaca, New York, and Kalamazoo, Michigan.





Chicago's resolution calls Saddam Hussein "a tyrant who should be removed from


power" for the good of the people of Iraq and neighboring countries.





But, the resolution continues, "It not at all clear that a unilateral U.S. military


action would result in the installation of a free and democratic Iraqi government."





The resolution, however, gives unconditional support to U.S. military personnel.





"Everybody's against war," Mayor Richard Daley said after the resolution passed.


"No one is for war."





Also Thursday, 17 anti-war protesters were arrested in Los Angeles for blocking


a sidewalk outside a downtown federal building. About 75 others applauded and


shouted, "No blood for oil!" as the 17 were handcuffed and taken away in buses


to be cited for misdemeanors.





The demonstration was organized by the American Friends Service Committee.

www.noiraqwar-chicago.org