Ledger: Welsh’s resolution: Raised and rejected

Written by Jane K. Dove
Thursday, 17 March 2011

Town Board members quickly shot down a resolution to “End the Wars, Redirect Resources to Critical Needs” presented by Town Board member Dan Welsh at the March 14 meeting.

The proposed resolution describes in detail the enormous financial toll taken by the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and asks that the Town Board “call upon Congress and the President to change course by ending the wasteful and unwinnable wars … dismantling the global network of military bases, bringing all of our troops and tax dollars home, and dramatically shifting our national priorities to meet human needs.”

The resolution states that our nation’s security may be more effectively enhanced by using our resources to address the causes of global poverty, hunger disease and underdevelopment that are the seedbed for conflict.

Although the resolution was lengthy, Town Board members took only a minute to shoot it down.

“This is one of the most infantile and puerile things I have ever heard,” said Town Board member Frank Kelly, a decorated veteran of the war in Iraq.

Town Board member Peter DeLucia agreed. “The reason we have the freedom to sit here tonight and listen to this is because of our great armed forces. There is no way I would ever even consider seconding a motion on this.”

Supervisor Duffy said he was in agreement with his two colleagues. There was no rebuttal from Mr. Welsh.