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This the twenty-fourth day of March 2003 <br />VOTE: UNANIMOUS <br />b. Resolution Supporting a Peaceful Solution to Conflict with Iraq <br />The Board considered adapting a resalution supporting a diplomatic resolution to the <br />conflict with Iraq. <br />There were three people signed up to speak on this item. <br />Chair Brown pointed out the re-writes of this resolution. <br />Public Comment <br />Patrick Reese is a volunteer member of the Human Rights and Relations <br />Commission. He said that we are in the middle of a war and the timeliness of the <br />resolution could be in question, but he thinks we should pass it. He said that this is <br />an unprovoked war and Iraq has never done anything to America. He suggested <br />some additions to the resalution. He said that, since this is an extension an our war <br />on terror, he recently heard that some of the AI Qaeda members have been tortured <br />and two of them have died as a result of the torture. He would like to add something <br />to the resolution to condemn torture. He said that if we want to stop weapons of <br />mass destruction then we need to start with our own weapons of mass destruction. <br />Countries that are attempting to get rid of their weapons of mass destruction have <br />little patience with countries that are attempting to obtain them. He said that the <br />Patriot Act is anything but patriotic and the police have enough surveillance and <br />evidence gathering techniques without having to shred the Bill of Rights far them. <br />The HRR does not support the war and would like to amend the resalution with his <br />suggestions. He asked for the resolution to be adopted. <br />Barry Freeman was speaking on behalf of Northern Orange citizens that have joined <br />in the vigil every Wednesday at noon on Churtan Street to show their concern about <br />the war and that it be brought to an immediate conclusion. He said that the <br />resolution does not mention the lives being lost -Iraqi and American - in this war. <br />He said that the reason we have been given for this war is a smokescreen for the <br />real reason, which is to get control of Iraqi oil so the oil companies can get cheap oil <br />and sell it to us at a high price. He emphasized the wording urging the United States <br />to "return to diplomatic solutions to its differences with Iraq, preserve the lives of our <br />service personnel and others at risk in and near Iraq, and become a partner in the <br />world community in brokering a peaceful accord." He said that it is important that all <br />political bodies can make the concerns of their constituents available to the <br />leadership of this country and urge Congress to bring this war to a conclusion. The <br />best support we can give our troops is to bring them home alive. <br />Jenny Freeman thanked the County Commissioners for letting them talk about this <br />issue. She said that she is a grandmother and protested against the Vietnam War <br />and she never did hear anyone speak with disrespect to any soldiers. She said that <br />this was an urban myth. She supported those that came back from the Gulf War and <br />these never got the help they need. She thinks that the people that wear these <br />ribbons should vow that our sans and daughters who are in the service will get the <br />help that they need when they came home. This is an aggressive war and the <br />