CC Minutes - 11/12/02 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

Jane Cramer, 3769 Wilshire Lane, urged the council to pass a resolution opposing war in Iraq. She stressed that Saddam Hussein did not have a connection to the Al Queda terrorist network and therefore there would be no danger that he would supply them with a weapon of mass destruction. She said the United States was in more danger when it upset the rest of the world. Chaney Ryan, 1443 East 20th Avenue, urged the council to pass a resolution against war with Iraq. He said a war would negatively impact the community in a great many ways. Tammam Adi, 530 East 50th Avenue, noted that hate crimes against Muslims, and people who looked like Muslims, were on the rise because of passions stirred up by talk of war with Iraq. He said the Islamic Cultural Center had already advised Muslim men to shave their beards and take off their scarves and noted that, if tensions continued, Muslims in the area would be asked to stay at home. He added that attendance at mosque and community events was declining since Muslims were worrying that they would be physically targeted. He said Muslims aspired to democracy but war with Iraq would not be a just war but a massacre. He said those who had attacked the United States on September 11, 2001 were hired killers and mercenaries. He said that a war on terrorism was not needed if the US would concentrate on catching and prosecuting individual terrorists. Annette Jentils, 87888 Oak Island Drive, read a pre-written statement raising concern over the Human Rights Code amendment about the use of public restrooms. She said allowing anyone into any restroom would open the door for rapists and molesters to easily perform their crimes. Regarding the domestic partnership registry portion of the Human Rights Code amendments, Ms. Jentils said if the code amendments were passed by the council, homosexuals would "flock to the area" and the city would be overflowing with "not just lovely normal families but with people who defied the natural laws of God." She quipped that God made "Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve." Steve Light, 28131 Spencer Creek Road, spoke in opposition to the Human Rights Code amendments. He raised concern about what children were learning when right and wrong were being redefined. He said the code revisions would cause division in the community and legal maneuvering by concerned parties. Thomas Kramer, 3769 Wilshire Lane, urged the council to pass a resolution against a war in Iraq. He said the City of Eugene should make it clear to the federal government that its people did not support a war for oil. He alleged that the US supported leader of Iraq was meeting with American oil companies to determine which of the companies would control Iraq's oil when Hussein was removed from power. He said the current practices of the US were causing anti-US feelings throughout the Middle East and the rest of the world, which would ultimately harm US security. Jennifer Knowlton, 3462 Centennial, spoke as a representative of "Faith in Action." She urged the council to adopt the proposed Human Rights Code changes. She also urged the council to pass a resolution opposing war with Iraq. She said it was appropriate for the council to address the issue directly and face on. Henry Allie, 835 East 32nd Avenue, said the City's mission in its diversity program honored a diversity of viewpoints, cultures, and life experiences. He said this mission statement applied to the proposed Human Rights Code changes before the council. He added that honoring diversity MINUTES--Eugene City Council November 12, 2002 Page 2 Regular Meeting