The 2008 Killer Campaign:
A Chicago Story of How Obama’s Campaign is Deadening Opposition to
An Attack On Iran
By Jill McLaughlin, World
Can’t Wait Steering Committee Member
When the Democratic led Congress was
voted in November 2006 it was done so with the hope of millions who
believed what these officials were saying, “We will end the war in
Iraq, We will keep Bush in Check.” But sadly for millions, the election
of the Democrat-led Congress has turned into one long presidential campaign.
We need only look at their funding of the criminal war in Iraq and refusal
to hold accountable the highest officials for war crimes and crimes
against humanity and so much more.
They are now poised to all but give
Bush their blessing to attack Iran through HR 362, which would give
Congressional approval to a blockade of Iran – an act of war.
While for many people the election of 2006 was about ending the Iraq
war and the most heinous of Bush policies, in the minds of the Democrat-led
Congress it was about the White House. This is indeed a killer campaign
and we need only look at the local level to understand what I’m talking
about here.
In May the Human Relations Committee
of the Chicago City Council, after having heard expert testimony of
the disastrous consequences of an attack on Iran, passed a resolution
that stated the City of Chicago opposes an attack on Iran. This resolution
was sponsored by Alderman Joe Moore and co-sponsored by several aldermen.
All was well until the next day when the full City Council met.
When it was to be brought to a full vote, Mayor Richard Daley, through
two very conservative aldermen, blocked the vote. Daley stated that
Obama would be the Democratic nominee and that this resolution would
tie the hands of Obama. He also said that Iran was Obama’s decision
to be making and that this was not something to be “injected” into
his campaign.
Since then Joe Moore and the aldermen
have backed off, and any attempts to get the No War On Iran resolution
to a vote have been met with avoidance and a watered-down version of
the original resolution. This version of a No War On Iran resolution
lacks any real opposition to an attack on Iran. Read More
Here. Even a portion
of the local anti-war movement’s energy has been funneled into getting
Obama elected rather than truly opposing and resisting an attack on
Iran or calling Obama out on statements like, “I will do everything
in my power to prevent Iran from having nuclear weapons. Everything”
But this has not stopped my fellow World
Can’t Wait activists and others from working tirelessly to organize
Chicagoans to call their aldermen to get the original resolution to
a vote, from attending the last two City Council meetings, and from
spreading the truth about the threat to Iran and struggling with people
to act independently of this election to oppose and prevent an attack
on Iran.
I myself had called my aldermen Mary
Ann Smith, who I should note is a co-sponsor of the original resolution,
on a number of occasions. I left specific messages about getting the
resolution to a vote and requested that she return my calls. Last Thursday,
after having not received a return phone call I decided to write a letter
and fax it to her. Just this last Monday evening I received a voicemail
from her that captures how opposition to an attack on Iran is being
silenced in order to get a man who has promised us “hope” and “change”
elected, but at the same time says all options are on the table when
dealing with Iran. It captures the moral bankruptcy that lies at the
heart of this election. I have for the reader put in bold type my fax
to Alderman Smith and have transcribed her voicemail to me in italics.
Dear Alderman Smith,
After having contacted your office a number of times requesting to speak
with you and getting no follow up call I am sending you this fax.
I want to know that on July 30th, the day of the next City Council meeting,
that you will along with Joe Moore,
push to have the No War on Iran resolution put to a vote. It is important
that with the threat of an attack on Iran looming ever larger, that
all those who oppose such an attack stand up and speak out. To remain
silent while yet another war crime is in the making would only demonstrate
to the rest of the world that not only the government of the United
States has committed and been complicit in war crimes, but that the
American people are complicit in war crimes as well. I will not and
cannot be a party to war crimes and so as your constituent I am asking
you to help bring this resolution to a vote. Because you a co-sponsor
to this resolution I am asking you to do all that you can to make this
happen. If you heard the expert testimony the day before the City Council
met on May 9th you know well that there is no justification for an attack
on Iran and that for the U.S. or it’s allies to do so would in fact
be a war crime with horrific and lasting consequences for the people
of Iran, the Middle East and the world.
I have received news that West Hollywood has now passed a similar resolution.
A number of cities have passed these resolutions and many citizens are
planning to have their cities pass such a resolution. This demonstrates
that many Americans oppose an attack on Iran. Let Chicago stand with
these cities before the eyes of the world and say No War On Iran!
I would very much appreciate hearing form you on this matter and hearing
what you plan to do to help get this resolution to a vote.
Alderman Mary Ann Smith’s voice mail message to me on 8/28
Jill, this is Alderman Mary Ann Smith responding to your fax. I am
of course staying in touch with Joe Moore about the War resolution.
But I am asking you to consider working for Obama. You know ultimately
we’ve got to take back the White House. So if you haven’t already been
in touch with Carol Ronen’s office-she is the 9th Congressional committee
woman or if you haven’t been in touch with the Obama campaign please
I urge you to do so. Thank you. Bye.
What does it say about a people when
they allow their government to put an election before others whose lives
are literally hanging in the balance half way around the world? Will
you begin to understand now that you, not your government can alter
the fascist trajectory that these last years have found us and create
something far better? Will you begin to follow your own moral compass
and act independently of this election and politics as usual?
If you want to vote, well then vote,
but will you only cast a ballot hoping beyond hope that this is all
you need to do despite being shown time and again that it is not enough
to just simply hope? Only action can manifest hope and with that comes
real change. And if the communication you read above between a constituent
and her local politician makes you angry and if it makes you want to
cry then you need to be in the streets of down town Chicago at noon
on Saturday August 2 to say No War On Iran! More Info Here
Then you need to go to Denver August
24 through August 28 to protest a possible attack on Iran
at the Democratic National Convention More Info Here