The Red Brick Times

A co-worker of mine from years ago used to talk about the yearly fishing vacations she and her husband took in Canada. They hauled their boat to the same place every year and rented a fairly comfy cabin on the shores of an interconnected series of small lakes. We're talking secluded woodlands here with fishing, hiking, campfiring, you name it. That always sounded like such a nice vacation but I didn't have access to a boat. Well, now I do. See where this is going?

The Plan: People who provide these kinds of excursions are well represented at the Cleveland Sports Show which, wouldn'tyaknowit, runs at the IX Center March 15th through the 23rd. We go there, gather up brochures and pricing and such, then 2 or 3 of us pick a location (I'm thinking Wisconsin or Minnesota) and a date. From what I can tell browsing websites it isn't that expensive when split two or three ways, so gather thy rods and thy reels and let me know you're interested.

Posted 3:29 PM by whatley (0) comments

This is a follow -up to the Chicago Resolution I posted yesterday.

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."

This is true representative democracy.

Posted 10:06 AM by A. O. (0) comments

The following is copy of a resolution passed by the Chicago City Council last month and the response to a negative editorial by the resolution's author. The editorial and response occurred prior to the Council vote. I'm urging any politically minded individuals to consider presenting similar legislation to their local governments. I feel the wording is clear, unequivocal and the points pretty unassailable.

A. O. Gutierrez

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, no evidence has been presented that Iraq poses an imminent threat to the security of the United States or the safety of its citizens; and
WHEREAS, hastily implemented unilateral U.S. military actions would risk the deaths of thousands of Iraqi civilians without guaranteeing the safety and security of U.S. citizens, nor would such unilateral actions guarantee the installation of a free and democratic Iraqi government; and
WHEREAS, a pre-emptive 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, a U.S.-led war in Iraq would purloin billions of dollars from the U.S. economy, 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;

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.
The Chicago Sun-Times took issue with Alderman Joe Moore for submitting this resolution. If anyone has an electronic copy I will post it here. Meanwhile, here's Ald. Moore's response, printed on Dec.10, 2002.

To the Editor:
I must take issue with your recent editorial criticizing the City Council resolution that opposes a preemptive U.S. military strike in Iraq ("A Premature Leap Into World Affairs," Dec. 4). While I certainly will not question your description (albeit tongue in cheek) of life in the 49th Ward, I do strongly challenge your claim that the resolution has no relevance to the city of Chicago.

According to the Congressional Budget Office a military adventure against Iraq will cost our nation between $9 and $13 billion a month. The American Academy of Arts and Sciences estimates the war and post-war occupation of Iraq could cost as much as $1.9 trillion over a 10-year period.

Just where does the Sun-Times think the money will come from? From an increase in taxes? Of course not. President Bush has reaffirmed his intention to make permanent his trillion-dollar tax cut plan.

No, the war will be financed by deficit spending and drastic cuts in domestic spending. In either case, my neighborhood and the city of Chicago will suffer the consequences of a sagging economy and even more cuts in federally funded projects and programs.

Just about every initiative that improves the quality of life of Chicago residents is supported at least in part by federal dollars-affordable housing, transportation, health care, childcare, education, public safety, and energy bill assistance for low-income families. The list goes on and on. These programs are already suffering reductions in funding, and will suffer even more dramatic cuts if our nation finances a war against Iraq.

And it is Chicago's sons and daughters who will be recruited, perhaps even conscripted, to fight that war.

Given the very dire consequences that waging an unprovoked war on Iraq would have on Chicago's neighborhoods, the members of the City Council are at least as qualified as newspaper editorial writers to weigh in on this important foreign affairs issue.

The 24 aldermen who now sponsor the City Council resolution certainly support our nation's right to defend itself when its security is at real risk. Our leaders in Washington have yet to make the case, however, that such an imminent danger exists. Where is the evidence that we are in more danger of an attack by Iraqi weapons of mass destruction than, say, North Korean weapons of mass destruction? Yet there is no talk of a preemptive strike against North Korea.

The arguments against a hasty rush into war are not those of college sophomores, as your editorial claims, but belong to well-known foreign policy "hawks," such as James Baker, Lawrence Eagleburger, Brent Scowcroft and General Norman Schwartzkopf. They all have cautioned against a hasty U.S. military exercise against Iraq and have urged the president to first pursue a policy of diplomacy and containment (a policy, by the way, that worked for forty years against a far more serious threat posed by the Soviet Union).

It is that same thoughtful and deliberate approach to the Iraqi crisis that my colleagues and I are advocating through our resolution.

Very truly yours,
Alderman Joe Moore
49th Ward

Posted 10:23 AM by A. O. (0) comments

Laura Hazen called to tell me that there will be a remembrance for Sandy Stevens on Saturday, March 8 at 8:00 p.m. at the Unicorn. Please pass along the word.

Posted 6:28 PM by Sally (0) comments

"He insists he doesn't want to kill me. He simply thinks it would have been better, all things considered, to have given my parents the option of killing the baby I once was, and to let other parents kill similar babies as they come along and thereby avoid the suffering that comes with lives like mine and satisfy the reasonable preferences of parents for a different kind of child. It has nothing to do with me. I should not feel threatened." Unspeakable Conversations By Harriet McBryde Johnson

Interesting read. NYTimes Magazine - registration may be required.

Posted 12:27 PM by whatley (0) comments

I've been having some second thoughts about passwording the site, mostly because of an email I received Wednesday. If the site were locked down he might never have found us. Here's the email (hope he doesn't mind):

Hi,
So happy to find you folks, was just surfin' with skip's name and found you here. I'm Skip Penk's brother Jim, met some of you at the funeral. Will plan to write again soon now that I've found you. Been thinking quite a bit of Skip lately,too. Different guy.
Jim

tRBT strikes again. Cool.

Posted 12:25 PM by whatley (0) comments

I was wondering what had happened to everyone in light of the fact that there has been no traffic on the Blog. Actually no opportunity to subject Andy to public ridicule and/or disdain. But I noticed a post from Micheal H. that's been hanging around for 4 days without getting published. So this has turned into a test to see if things are still working. If you can read this forget it, everything is fine, if you can't let Russ know immediately so he can fix the problem.

Posted 10:56 AM by A. O. (0) comments

This from my sister Martha.

What with all the sadness and trauma going on in the world at the
moment, it is worth reflecting on the death of a very important person
which almost went unnoticed last week.
Larry La Prise, the man who wrote the song "The Hokey Pokey" died
peacefully at age 93.
The most traumatic part for his family was getting him into the
coffin.
They put his left leg in...... and then the trouble started.

Posted 10:00 AM by Michael (0) comments

At last. A Valentines Day product I can relate to (don't forget to check out the card sampler).

Posted 9:53 AM by whatley (0) comments

Feb�ru�ar�y
n. pl. Feb�ru�ar�ies Abbr. Feb. from Latin: feb for month, ruary for horrid

Posted 2:01 PM by whatley (0) comments

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