Bellingham, WA to become "Sanctuary City"?

[revwardoc]

http://www.king5.com/localnews/stori....63b3da63.html

Community divided on making Bellingham AWOL sanctuary

BELLINGHAM, Wash. - Jim Stanzel has survived seven major battles so he's seen plenty of atrocities.

"I was in Pearl Harbor when they bombed us," he said.

Stanzel and many other veterans showed up Monday at the Bellingham Municipal Court building to fight the idea of providing sanctuary to AWOL soldiers.

"I think this is one of the most shameful, disgraceful things I've ever been faced with," he said.

"There are other ways to get out of it. You don't have to go AWOL. If you don't want to be in you can get a general discharge," said another man against the sanctuary idea.

But the other side spoke just as loud, arguing something needs to be done about the number of soldiers who are coming home with post traumatic stress disorder.

"Why do we say we support the troops and honor our veterans, but at the end of the day leaving them to deal with their own issues?" said one man.

"Soldiers are human beings. You cannot tell a human being that there is honor in killing another human being. And not having a choice. There is no honor in not having a choice," said another.

Lt. Ehren Watada made the choice in 2006 to become the first Army lieutenant to refuse to deploy to Iraq because he believed the war was illegal. And other soldiers have followed.

"I was prepared to face any consequence as a result of refusing to go back to Iraq," he said.

The emotional and political issue is dividing a community. But on Monday it was democracy at its best.

Supporters of a "sanctuary city" have been urging the city council to pass a resolution. But council members don't have a majority willing to support the idea.

[Arrow]

"Soldiers are human beings. You cannot tell a human being that there is honor in killing another human being. And not having a choice. There is no honor in not having a choice," said another

These folks were not drafted. They had a choice. You don't walk into a recruiting office if you're a pacifist.

"But the other side spoke just as loud, arguing something needs to be done about the number of soldiers who are coming home with post traumatic stress disorder."

Since when did the civilian community give a flyin' flip about Veterans issues? And especially about PTSD. The left has used PTSD as part of their tool kit for years to paint the Vietnam Veteran in exactly the terms that were described by the report that came out of the Department of Homeland Security.

Arrow
Proud to be living in fly over country!

[Boats]

Well said - and I agree - When are you running for office?

[SuperScout]

Sanctuary city, my ass. It is a city of craven cowards, still tied with the umbilical cord of $$ from its socialist masters in its state capital and in Washington. Now, if we had a real president, one with a set of cajones, he would cut off every dime of federal money going to this cesspool of gutless wonders.

[phuloi]

Oh, he`s got plenty of balls..he hasn`t the will.

[SuperScout]

Originally Posted by phuloi

Oh, he`s got plenty of balls..he hasn`t the will.

Same difference, nicer word! B.O.'s still a gutless wonder. And a socialist.

[Keith_Hixson]

When the FBI comes in and arrests someone what is the city going to do. Nothing! Its a joke. Just cancel their Federal Funding and they'll change their minds. There are a lot of good people in Bellingham, too bad the fruitcakes get elected to city council.

Keith

[Seascamp]

Does it really amount to much more than a tempest in a teapot? As noted, it is really easy to get out these days and back -sliding on a commitment is a plus rather than a minus in places like Bellingham. And like are the City council Captains of PC yamma-yamma going to authorize taking arms against the Feds to protect pissy puppies of second thought?

In my opinion, the military has no need for pissy puppies and it is quite unfortunate that that they ever got beyond the first week of basic. What the hell did they think they were signing up for? Certainly not a venue of sunshine, lollypops and rainbows everyday.

Scamp