Mayor Norris Accepts Cville CodePINK Thank You for endorsing resolutions against war with Iran. Now it’s your turn to sign.
(see more images: mayor gallery)
Charlottesville CodePINK met with Charlottesville Mayor Dave Norris at his office Thursday, August 7th, to present him with a Charlottesville CodePINK Thank You Note for being the 20th of mayors across the country to sign the US Conference of Mayors: National Mayors’ Resolution for Diplomacy with Iran. The Resolution urges the Bush administration to pursue diplomatic engagement with Iran and oppose military intervention. Mayor Norris signed the Mayors’ Resolution in June, because he felt that as a Mayor he could contribute to an urgent national conversation, and, should an attack on Iran occur, he would have missed an opportunity to join other mayors who voiced their conscience.
In July, as part of the growing national movement, Charlottesville CodePINK joined local peace and justice organizations: Batesville Action Coalition, Charlottesville Center for Peace and Justice (CCPJ), DontAttackIran.org, Little Flower Catholic Worker, and the People United who will be urging the Charlottesville City Council to pass a City Resolution for Peace With Iran [Don't Attack Iran] similar to the resolution the City Council passed six weeks before the Iraq invasion in 2003.
After receiving the CodePINK Thank You Note, Mayor Norris signed a petition that urges City Council to pass a City of Charlottesville Resolution for Peace With Iran [Don't Attack Iran] and agreed to continue to work toward the effort to pass the local resolution.
CodePINK also applauded Mayor Norris, on his response to criticism he received from local Republican leadership regarding his endorsement of the Mayors’ Resolution and also regarding the function of City Council in relation to issues that have national or international significance. In a June 27th article in the Daily Progress, Mayor Norris responded that there is an even greater need for the City to respond since the Iraq invasion, citing that, “Iran would be an even bigger disaster than Iraq.”
“We do have an obligation to speak out in certain limited cases,” he said, and noted that the administration’s decision will ultimately affect Charlottesville residents. “We are going to ask the harder questions this time that we didn’t ask before.”
The effort to pass these and similar resolutions is timely. In May, House Congress Resolution 362 was introduced and is co-sponsored by over 200 representatives including local 5th district Virgil Goode. The resolution demands that the president initiate an international effort to impose a land, sea, and air blockade on Iran to prevent it from importing gasoline and to subject all cargo entering or leaving Iran to stringent inspection requirements. For such a blockade to be imposed without United Nations authority (which the resolution does not call for) it would be considered an act of war. A similar Senate Resolution, 580 has also been introduced. Both are expected to be addressed in September.
The National Mayors’ Resolution and the City of Peace Resolution are campaigns initiated through Cities for Progress . CFP is a growing network of locally-elected officials and community-based activists working together for social change that incorporates local, national and global approaches to issues that affect us in our own communities.
After receiving the CodePINK recognition today, Mayor Norris noted that it is ” lots of little gestures that add up to a mighty voice.”
Read the City Resolution: http://www.charlottesvillepeace.org/iranresolution
Sign the petition: http://charlottesvillepeace.org/files/iranpetition.pdf
Note: Because the August 4th City Council meeting was cancelled and the effort to collect signatures, the resolution will be submitted to City Council at an up-coming meeting.
To read more about the US threat to attack Iran, H.Con.Res 362, and the growing national movement in opposition, go to charlottesvillepeace.org, afterdowningstreet.org/iran, irannuclearwatch.blogspot.com, and codepink4peace.org.
