George,

City Council has a perfect right to endorse impeachment of Bush and Cheney, and in the past has honorably and courageously demonstrated its willingness to support other national initiatives for peace, civil rights, and the living wage.

I am torn by this latest endeavor, however, because I believe that an impeachment process, however deserved, would simply distract the wimpy Congress and give its members even more excuses to shilly-shally and revel in the drama, partly to avoid responsibility for taking real action to stop this abominable, unjustifiable war and deal with the tremendous needs our planet faces and that the war has further aggravated--global poverty, nuclear brinkmanship, widespread hunger and disease, and environmental devastation. Impeaching the war criminals would give a certain satisfaction and even vengeful joy, but it would accomplish little towards a genuine change in our nation's disastrous course throughout the world.

Despite all the rationale above, if I'd been in town I'd probably have been at the Council meeting to urge support for impeachment, because it's hard not to join any chorus that seeks peace and justice.

Virginia Germino (Electronic mail, June 28, 2007)