| On Tuesday, April 24, the town of Longmeadow has an opportunity to take a stand on the protracted, costly, and painful war in Iraq. Article 23 on the warrant for the town meeting asks voters to "go on record in opposition to the current administration's war policy in Iraq." A "yes" vote on article 23 will send a message to our legislators and to other communities that we want the bleeding of billions of dollars, and far more significantly, the loss of so many precious lives, both American and Iraqi, to stop. A "yes" vote can inspire other towns to do likewise. This will not, as the administration would have us believe, undermine our troops in Iraq. As columnist Nicholas Kristof said in a recent column in the "New York Times," restricting funding actually helps efforts to end the war by "signaling that American patience is wearing thin" and our commitment is not open-ended. It has become obvious that the majority of Iraqis now wish us to leave. It is up to us, the people, to end this debacle. Our brave troops deserve to be brought home speedily and safely. Here is an opportunity for grassroots democracy in action at the local level. Please vote "yes" on Article 23 at Longmeadow's town meeting, Tuesday, April 24 at 7 p.m. at Longmeadow High School. Mary Friedman, Longmeadow |
