Grassroots Action

Monday night, July 14, after almost an hour of testimony and a unanimous City Council 7 to 0 vote, Bellingham became the first community in Washington State to take a stand against possible U. S. military intervention in Iran.

Testimonies during the public open discussion period unanimously supported the city of Bellingham's opposition to Bush Administration rhetoric, equating recent sabre-rattling by proponents of a pre-emptive strike against Iran to the misinformation force-fed a gullible post-911, flag waving public during the run-up to shock and awe in Iraq. It was obvious from the first speaker that blind patriotism wasn't going to sell this time, in spite of the Bellingham Herald's, eleventh-hour attempt to editorialize the Council's supposed misplaced involvement in national issues in its Monday edition, calling a city of Bellingham resolution on such issues "meaningless".

"It's about as meaningless as Schindler's list," said Marie Marchand, Executive Director of Whatcom Peace and Justice.

The Resolution Opposing Military Intervention in Iran, inspired by the version introduced by Mayor Bob Kiss of Burlington, Vermont at June's Mayoral Conference in Miami, was sponsored by Councilman Terry Borneman, a co-sponsor of Bellingham's successful Troops Home Now! resolution in 2006. Local Veterans for Peace and Whatcom Peace and Justice organizers Gene Marx and Marchand choreographed the groundwork and outreach resulting in Monday night's successful conclusion. Also speaking in support of the resolution was Doris Kent, Gold Star mother of local VFP Chapter namesake, Corporal Jonathan Santos.

Bellingham joined thirteen other cities with similar resolutions and organizers were hoping this effort would lead to a groundswell of support in Washington State and elsehere.

"Bellingham has once again - as in 2006 - been given the opportunity to define itself, for the rest of the State," said Marx, a Vietnam vet and parent of a two-tour Iraq veteran. "I am immensely proud of Bellingham - again - and proud of the courage our city council demonstrated tonight."

Read about it in the Bellingham Herald - http://www.bellinghamherald.com/102/story/467593.html