George,

If the [Charlottesville] Democratic Committee or my neighborhood association pass any antiwar resolutions I am resigning. I feel absolutely helpless to have any effect on national or even state politics but I do feel I can make a little difference at the local level. This is why I participate in my neighborhood association and in local politics. In my opinion the purposes of those organizations is to deal with local issues of which we have many serious ones and not waste our limited energy and resources on national issues. There are plenty of organizations specifically created to address various national issues. Also I think there are people who are divided on national or state issues who agree on protecting our neighborhoods and making Charlottesville the best it can be. I don't think you want to divide people at the local level. If the majority of the people in local organizations want to address the potential war in Iraq: fine we live in a democracy. However, thank goodness (at least for now), I have the freedom not to belong to those organizations if I don't agree with the actions of the majority.

The interesting thing is that my objection to having local political committees and neighborhood organizations pass antiwar resolutions has nothing to do with my opinion on whether or not we should attack Iraq. I certainly am sure that our illegally elected President is doing this mainly to bolster his popularity and am leaning against a war at this time but I don't fully understand or know all the facts and there could be a situation where I would support going in to Iraq.

On a more pleasant note: Please have a happy and safe holiday,

Downing Smith (electronic mail, December 13, 2002)

Editor's Note: The subject of a resolution against the war with Iraq came up at a recent Charlottesville Democratic Committee meeting. It is within the power of the Charlottesville Democratic Committee to pass policy resolutions according to its bylaws. Sentiment has been expressed by some Democrats that a resolution against the war with Iraq should be passed by the Charlottesville City Council.

In the meantime, the [Charlottesville] Locust Grove Neighborhood Association has passed such a resolution and, according to Downing Smith, the [Charlottesville] Martha Jefferson Neighborhood Association is considering doing so as well (Downing Smith, electronic mail, December 13, 2002).