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District 2 Co$t of War Town Hall Congressman Greg Walden
Constituents Pack Town Hall to Talk About War and Local Funding Crisis: People Pass Own Iraq Resolution Over 175 people jammed the Redmond Senior Center on Saturday, February 17th, for a chance to testify about the local cost of war in Oregon’s 2nd Congressional District. From Redmond City Councilor Irv Nygren to Iraq War Veteran Kevin Hicks the call was clear to Oregon’s Congressional Delegation to vote no on any further appropriations for the war in Iraq. Ben Talley of Pendleton stated, “The most obvious and dearest cost is the loss of life, including our son, Army Specialist Chris Talley, who died a year ago at age 31 from a faulty medication prescribed by the VA to treat an Iraq war injury.” While holding up a picture of his son, Talley asked those attending to consider the human cost of war both in terms of casualties in Iraq and vital cuts to human services in Oregon. Constituents representing the twenty counties that make up the 2nd District shared stories on how the war in Iraq is impacting their small town communities. A teacher from rural Jackson County talked about how cuts in school funding and social services are cutting into the very survival of many families. A Vietnam veteran from The Dalles, talked about the human cost of war. Condon Mayor Dale Thompson shared his concern for the crisis in democracy that he sees as a result of distrust in the government brought about by lack of truth and accountability in dealing with this war. A pastor from Bend recalled that Christians, Jews, and Muslims lived in the Middle East peacefully for many years before the discovery of oil and foreign intervention. Redmond City Councilor Irv Nygen testified about the $9.5 million in Redmond that has gone to pay for the war and the social programs that the city could not fund this year. Farmworkers from Southern Oregon and orchardists from Hood River County shared the concern that immigrants are being used to divert attention away from the real issue of the war. While
Congress debated non-binding resolutions in DC, the people of Oregon’s 2nd
Congressional The United States is at a critical deciding point in the future of the war in Iraq. A supplemental appropriations vote for funding in Iraq is expected in Congress in the next few weeks; a vote that will test the impact of the recent 2006 elections on decisions relating to the war. At left: Iraq Vet Kevin Hicks at Co$t of War Town Hall. Photo by Chris Borte Congressman Greg Walden was not in attendance though he had been asked to set a date for such a Town Hall for several months. Requests for aides from Walden’s office to attend were similarly unmet, leaving many at the Town Hall disappointed and frustrated with the lack of responsiveness from Walden’s office. Fran Davis of Terrebonne whose grandson is serving in Iraq was one of many who urged Congressman Walden to vote against further war funding. “Our grandson is on his 3rd tour of duty in Iraq. For this latest tour, the family spent close to $1500 buying better equipment and additional clothing. His comment after the 2nd tour was, “Grandma, we are throwing money into a pit.” Our 2nd Congressional District is the largest in the state and we want to know: Where’s Walden?” Cost of War Town Halls have taken place this week in the other congressional districts around the state where standing room only crowds have passed similar People’s Resolutions. Senators Smith and Wyden have bypassed invitations to join these People’s Town Halls and opted for screened audiences and a televised format versus public dialogue. The Cost of War Town Halls have been organized by the Rural Organizing Project (ROP) and their 62 human dignity groups members throughout the state.
To read the Resolution for Congressman Walden from District 2, Click below: Resolution as Word Document Resolution as PDF Document To return to the Co$t of War page, CLICK HERE
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District came together for the first-ever 2nd District Town
Hall on Iraq and passed their own People’s Resolution that calls for
troop withdrawal, no further money for the war, no expansion of war into
in Iran, and coordination around the state to ensure that their
Congressional Delegation act in accordance.