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 Annual MeetingPresident's Message (Pearl Johnson)Planning and Transportation Meeting Honolulu City Council will honor League member Astrid Monson Welcome New MembersIn My Opinion... No Need to Raise Property Taxes (Charles Djou)Proposed Program for Adoption at the Annual Meeting Traffic Reduction (Charles Carole)Nominating Committee Report National LWV NewsTales of Two Cities (Charles Carole)Proposed Budget for Year Ending March 31, 2004 |
President's MessageIraq is on everyone's mind. I recently participated in a discussion with some UH Manoa students. One young man said we have to go to war to stop any more 9/11 attacks. Would war stop such attacks? Would war eliminate all the terrorists willing to die to hurt the United States? Even the CIA has said attacking Iraq would increase the chances of a biological or chemical attack on the U.S. I believe the push for war now stems from the same source that motivated the cold war hawks to push for a pre-emptive strike against the Soviet Union. Remember them? History has proved them wrong, just as I think the push for war now is wrong. For decades, the League of Women Voters has supported the role of the United Nations in developing, maintaining and protecting peace around the world. I hope the leaders of our country can find the strength to cope with the uncertainty of multilateral action. Working with others is always harder than just going ahead on your own. Coping with ambiguity and uncertainty is how most of us deal with life. Unfortunately, not everyone can tolerate ambiguity and uncertainty. It appears to me that our country is now being led by people who find coping impossible and unmanly. Containing Iraq looks too messy to them. I hope that war with Iraq is still only a threat as you read this, not reality. Pearl Johnson |
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