Norris joins group of mayors opposed to war with Iran

By Rachana Dixit

Published: June 27, 2008

Charlottesville Mayor Dave Norris has joined several mayors across the country in signing a resolution opposing U.S. military intervention in Iran.

Norris is the 20th mayor to sign the resolution, which was crafted by Burlington, Vt., Mayor Bob Kiss. The document was submitted to the U.S. Conference of Mayors for consideration at its Miami meeting from June 20 to 24.

Norris did not attend the conference, but said he signed the resolution because as an elected official, he should help shape national conversation.

“I don’t shy away from those kinds of opportunities,” he said, adding, “If we do end up going to war in Iran, I would be quite upset with myself if I hadn’t taken the opportunity to add my name to the long list of mayors who cautioned against it.”

Though supporting the resolution was an individual decision, this is not the first time a member of the City Council or the entire body has voiced opinions on national or international matters. Six weeks before the March 2003 Iraq invasion, councilors passed a resolution opposing a military attack; and in July 2006, the council unanimously voted to sign the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agree-ment to reduce carbon dioxide pollution as outlined by the Kyoto Protocol International Global Warming Treaty.

More recently, in September 2007, councilors passed a resolution honoring local members of the Virginia National Guard who had been deployed to Iraq, but it also urged President Bush and Congress to start an “expedient drawdown and redeployment” of troops in Iraq.

The current resolution cites several reasons to not invade Iran, most centered on what the signers consider to be unsubstantiated allegations of Iran being an

imminent threat to the United States. Norris said he worries the same ideas behind the Iraq invasion will now apply to Iran, but with even greater repercussions.

“Iran would be an even bigger disaster than Iraq,” said Norris, citing the potential loss of lives, the strain it would put on the U.S. Treasury and further destabilization of the Middle East. “It would be such a negative move on our country’s part.”

Others believe the mayor is outside his boundaries in signing such a proclamation.

“I don’t think he has that authority,” said Charles Weber, chairman of Charlottesville’s Republican Party. “It’s an abuse of power because it was clearly done to amplify one voice in society.”

Weber said he has been vehemently opposed when councilors have used the public forum of their meetings to pass resolutions on a national or international matter, saying it is inappropriate for them to promote a political agenda. He added that if Norris had signed a resolution as a citizen — not using his title as an elected official — then “that’s his business.” But when the public is involved, he asked, “what’s the propriety of that?”

But Norris said the need to speak out is even greater now after, as he sees it, many people blindly accepted the government’s decision to invade Iraq.

“We do have an obligation to speak out in certain limited cases,” he said, adding that the administration’s decision will ultimately affect Charlottesville residents. “We are going to ask the harder questions this time that we didn’t ask before.”