Minutes 11-16-2010 - Laserfiche WebLink

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� 1 veterans. He is a Vietnam veteran and he knows how people felt when they came back. He 2 said that they were told to come back to the United States not dressed in their uniforms 3 because they would be spat upon, and they were. He said that by not supporting your 4 veterans, you are telling them that all of the things that they have done are in vain. He asked 5 the County Commissioners not to support this resolution. 6 Ben Lloyd said that in his 80 years of calling Orange County home, four years was 7 spent in the service, 35 years was spent in some public and political involvement, and four 8 years was spent as a County Commissioner. He said that in this entire period, nothing in his 9 opinion has been as upsetting to him and as ridiculous as this resolution being considered. He 10 said that nobody likes war, but cutting off funds for the troops is not the answer. He said that 11 agreeing to do so sends a message to the Taliban, AI Qaida, and terrorists to come in and 12 take over. He said that he read an article in the Durham Herald in October where Iran and 13 Venezuela has formed a close partnership to establish a new world order that will eliminate 14 western dominance. He said that the intent of these groups is to kill us. The President 15 recently sent 30,000 more troops to end this situation over there. He suggested that the 16 County Commissioners let Congress and the military leaders handle it. He said that Colin 17 Powell was on Larry King Live last night and Colin Powell's statement was, "we must stay 18 engaged and not walk away." This resolution is walking away. He said that he is embarrassed 19 that a resolution such as this is even considered. 20 Bobby Nichols said that he represented the WW II veterans. He spent a couple of 21 years in the Navy. He did not do any fighting, but every person that he knows that has served 22 in the military was willing to die for their country. He said that this resolution was the wrong 23 thing to do. He said that terrorists are our big worry in this world now. He said that we need to 24 pay our servicemen, and he is opposed to putting this money into education or anything else. 25 He said that his son went to get a job and they told that him that he was overqualified. 26 Bill Ray is from the northern part of the County. He said that for Orange County to ask 27 the President to send 30,000 troops to Afghanistan and then deny him the money is ridiculous. 28 He did not know that Orange County was getting involved in national politics. He said that the 29 federal government should handle this. He said that he has been in the service three different 30 times and if the service men and women are not supported, the country will go down the drain. 31 32 Commissioner Hemminger said that she appreciated all of the dialogue on this. She 33 said that she is not inclined to support this. 34 A motion was made by Commissioner Hemminger, seconded by Commissioner 35 Yuhasz to not support this resolution. 36 Commissioner Gordon asked if this meant both of the resolutions and Commissioner 37 Hemminger said yes. 38 Commissioner Pelissier said that she appreciated this resolution that was brought to 39 them because it raises questions that the County Commissioners need to think about, such as 40 what kind of resolutions that this Board of County Commissioners will consider. She said that 41 she has thought about the resolutions that the County Commissioners have passed while she 42 has been on the Board. She said that she got confused about this resolution and whether it 43 was asking for increased monies locally or a moral statement on the funding of the war. She 44 said that Carrboro's resolution was more about finances. She does not think that the County 45 Commissioners should make resolutions about moral statements, but rather to advocate for 46 the health and welfare of Orange County residents. She does not see that this resolution is 47 supporting that. 48 Commissioner Jacobs said that he does not disagree with anything that has been said 49 by his colleagues. He said that there have been two times since he has been on the Board 50 where the County Commissioners passed resolutions that had to deal with national issues.