By Deanna Gorzynski
Nyack N.Y.
is a lovely, quaint town that cuddles the Hudson River on the west side of the Tappan Zee Bridge. Nyack is known for the its
beauty, its amazing architecture visible in lovely Victorian homes, and an
almost unchanged Main Street with it’s
antique shops, Cafés, and amazing view of the Hudson River. Now it also will be
know as a town with conscience and a will for change.
Thursday April 12, 2007, Nyack started their Council meeting
with the subject of a proposed resolution to Investigate Abuses by the
Executive Branch. First, residents and non-residents were allowed to speak to
the issue. Most were passionate residents of Nyack and a few were from nearby
towns. I was privileged to watch Democracy 101.
Most who spoke were in agreement with the resolution. The
majority of the speakers (for and against) were well spoken, well informed, and
had well thought out statements. These statements were given to the Nyack
officials and entered into the official record to be attached to the Resolution
and sent to Washington.
Here are some
highlights:
A military Mom mentioned her concerns, drawing a picture
from history”reminding those in attendance that we started with guns, then
bombs but now when countries enter conflicts there is always the omen of the
use of nuclear weapons. She said “What are we becoming? Cavemen?” She said she
had watched as her son was brainwashed from the time he was in grade school
with little toys and propaganda movies, leading thru to High School when the recruiters
visited and enrolled him. As her passion rose, she asked, “What good has
any of this done? What good did the Viet Nam war do? Look at that
country now!” she ended almost in tears”she said, “My son was told he
would be fighting for freedom. He and his brothers have been conned!!”
There were just a couple of nay-sayers. One, a clearly sweet
woman, first assured residents that she prays for their families and their
community regularly. She begged the town not to vote yes. This gentle lady strongly
said to impeach would be “sinful”.
Hmmmmm” I have read the Bible cover to cover and I have yet
to find any mention of the United
States, much less impeachment. I personally
believe those of faith must act on their beliefs. If a sinful lying President
needs to be impeached, those of faith should be the first in line to do so!
“But that’s just me!
A more legally minded resident against this resolution said
despite his feelings against the war, he believed that this was not a local
issue and it was unconstitutional to pass such a resolution and this matter
needs to be voiced in the House of Representatives. My thought was if
investigation leading to impeachment were taking place in Washington D.C.,
no one in Nyack would have felt the need to bring their Resolution to Town
Hall.
Many speakers after this gentleman spoke deliberately to why
this WAS a local issue. The list was long”lives of Nyack residents who are in
service are at risk, money needed for local education and infrastructure
improvement are being withheld due to
the funding of the military in an illegal war. One man, a father and teacher,
said it is local because of the moral importance of honesty. He then said, “We
as a town must teach our children to speak the plain truth!”
A therapist who spoke felt this was local because the
“mental health” of Nyack is on the line if they become complicit in the lies of
our administration. He reminded the crowd how unhealthy lies and their acceptance
are.
One resident said “What is more local than our town?
Remember what happened after Katrina hit?” Clearly she feels that were a
natural disaster to hit her community, the President could not be counted on to
protect Nyack N.Y. I agree!
One of the most powerful and most popular speakers was one
of the older residents in attendance. She believes this is an appropriate local
issue because “We could all be spied upon. The first Amendment is being
trampled” I respected her so much. Often the argument for spying without
warrant is that “if you don’t do anything wrong, you don’t need to be afraid.”
This gentle woman is unlikely to do anything improper or illegal and yet she
sees clearly, perhaps thanks to the wisdom of age, that privacy issues effect
all Americans and is at its core unconstitutional. This woman also reminded the crowd of the
atrocities at Guantanamo
and the importance of once again embracing the Geneva Convention.
One man said, “This is no ordinary time. We slip deeper
and deeper into Global Warming and are fighting war as a rogue super-power”.
Another resident shared “We the people are not here to protest, but to
speak out. I don’t want blood on my hands.”
One woman said simply, “I think impeaching the
president is a marvelous idea.”
A Viet Nam Vet and coordinator of “NY Veterans Speak
Out”Anti-War Vets in Schools” spoke, too. Jim Murphy spends most of his time as
an NYC teacher and works against school military recruitment. He reminded the
crowd that we have gone from a country and county (Rockland,NY)
whose care for their veterans was “second to none”. He’s witnessed the recent
and shockingly fast downhill slide veteran care and respect has suffered. He
mentioned the long list of illnesses caused by depleted uranium including
lymphoma and that those fighting have never been given the knowledge of the
dangers of this toxin. He shared the story of one of his friends. His friend is
a Veteran of War and for good reason suffers from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
This Veteran finds himself in what the resident calls a “Catch 22”. He can’t be
treated for this horrible, understandable condition because if he sees the Dr’s
at the VA for his emotional problems he will me unable to seek further
employment along with the societal pressure that comes with such a diagnosis.
He finished his speech with “May this be a drop in the ocean whose circles
reach the Congress.”
Prior to the vote, members of the council were allowed to
speak. Richard Kavish, a town trustee and teacher of Civics, he assured those
who thought such a resolution was
unconstitutional were absolutely wrong. He said, “I teach my students to Think
Globally and Act Locally”, he continued, “that is what we are doing here!”. He reminded
the audience that “Bad things happen when good people refuse to speak out”.
The vote was then taken. This proud town voted unanimously
in favor of the resolution.
Allow me to share my experience meeting Mayor John Sheilds.
When I first parked, I placed a WCW Impeach sign in my window. A professional
looking gentleman commented on my sign asking who I represented. I explained
World Can’t Wait and asked if I could give him a copy of The Call. He eagerly
accepted it and told me his only regret about the resolution to be voted upon
was that it was for investigation and not impeachment. It was then I learned I
was speaking with the Mayor of Nyack. Later when I asked if I could take photos
for our website he said with a strong wave of his hand, “I don’t allow such
restrictions, go ahead.” Makes me wish I lived in Nyack!!
Once again history was made in this small American town, Nyack, N.Y.
They have passed resolutions against the Iraq War and the Viet Nam war. Interestingly, this town is continuing a historical
heritage. As I left town I was greeted with a proud sign explaining that at
that very crossroads stood a home that served in 1855 as a link to the
Underground Railroad. Perhaps this is why it is such a compassionate and
progressive community.
We The People. I think as we work toward our goals, we will
see more towns take brave stands and allow the domino theory, so popular in the
past, work this time in our favor right to Washington.
Nyack Resolution to
Investigate Abuses by Executive BranchVillage of Nyack,
New YorkWHEREAS the American People reqire and expect their highest
officials to follow all laws of the land, in particular the oath taken by them
upon assuming the powers of office “to preserve, protect and defend the
Constitution of the United States” andWHEREAS President George W. Bush and Vice President Richard
B. Cheney have misled Congress and the public by citing unsubstantiated threats
from the nation of Iraq to justify war against that nation: manipulated prewar
intelligence; failed to insure that prisoners of war were treated humanely
according to the terms of the Geneva Convention; conducted electronic
surveillance of Americans without seeking warrants from the Foreign
Intelligence Surveillance Court of Review, duly constituted by Congress in
1978; and subjected prisoners of war to indefinite detention without charge and
denied them their constitutional rights to counsel and judicial relief; andWHEREAS many of the people of Nyack are angry and outraged
by the Executive Branch of our federal government abusing its power, deceiving
America’s citizens, endangering our civil rights and bringing international
discredit on our nation; andWHEREAS no American Citizen or official is above the law;
andWHEREAS this situation cannot be resolved without the
investigation of these acts by the United States Congress, which is duly
authorized to do so; therefore be itRESOLVED that the Board of Trustees of the Village of Nyack,
New York calls upon the United States House of Representatives to establish
from among its members a select committee to investigate these acts and make
recommendation to the Congress with all possible speed as to whether or not the
impeachment of President George W. Bush and Vice President Richard B. Cheney is
warranted; and be it furtherRESOLVED to instruct the Village Clerk of Nyack to send
certified copies of this resolution to New York State Assemblywoman Ellen
Jaffe, to the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, Honorable Nancy
Pelosi, to Congressman Eliot Engel, and to the Chairman of the House Judiciary
Committee, Honorable John Conyers; and it be furtherRESOLVED that the Clerk of the Village of Nyack be, and is
hereby instructed to certify to the Speaker of the House of representatives,
Honorable Nancy Pelosi and Congressman Eliot Engel, of Nyack, as a petition and
request that this petition be delivered to the Office of the Clerk of the U.S.
House of representatives and entered in the United States Congressional Record.
The copies shall be marked with the word “Petition” at the top of the document
and contain the authorizing signature of the Village Clerk.